Our Eleven Benefice Churches (To be Up-dated)

Church

Information Page

Brief Description

St Mary the Virgin - Brighstone

St Mary’s is a family-friendly church, fully-accessible for wheelchair, mobility scooter and buggy users!   Toilet and kitchen facilities enable us to offer the church for community use and we regularly host a variety of fund-raising concerts for local charities. 

St Mary's - Brook

St Mary’s is a traditional and inclusive church, wrestling with the challenges of the 21st century, within the context of timeless worship. We share a congregation and services with St Peter & St Paul, Mottistone and seek to work with the local community in celebrating significant moments and events in the life of the wider community.

St Peter and St Paul - Mottistone

The Church has seen many alterations since its origin in the 12th century.  Much of the visible architecture dates from the 15th century. The screen in the Cheke chapel was designed by John Seely, 2nd Lord Mottistone, and erected in 1948 in memory of his father.

St Peter's - Shorwell

The Church is medieval and the interior features a famous 15th century painting of St Christopher. There is also a painting of the two wives and 15 children of John Leigh. Also featured is an alabaster monument of John Leigh praying, accompanied by his great grandson who died at 9 months.

St James - Kingston

The church of St James stands on a knoll overlooking the manor-house to the south of the Shorwell road, and remains much as it was built in the latter part of the 13th century. It is a plain rectangular structure without a dividing chancel arch, and of the original features only the double hollow lancet windows in the north and south walls, the lower portion of the east window and a trefoiled credence in the south wall remain.

Christchurch - Totland bay

 

Christchurch Totland Bay is in the Isle of Wight Deanery and the Diocese of Portsmouth.  It is the westernmost parish in the Diocese. It includes the tourist attractions of Colwell Bay, The Needles, Alum Bay and Tennyson Down.  Although the church is located at the geographical centre of the parish, the heart of the village is nearly half a mile down the hill, site of the church hall.  It is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has many SSSIs within its borders.  In addition to the church and church hall, we have a wooden annex behind the church with a fully equipped kitchen.

St Agnes - Freshwater Bay

 

The church was built in 1908 and funded by public subscription, to enable the residents and visitors to Freshwater Bay to worship in a dignified building. It was built on land donated by Hallam, Lord Tennyson and is built of stone rubble from a demolished farmhouse (the south transept has a quoin dated 1694).
It is the only thatched church on the Isle of Wight and was dedicated by the Bishop of Winchester on 12th August 1908.

All Saints - Freshwater

History suggests that the presence of a Church on the site goes back to the 9th Century, but the church we see today is of Saxon origin and stands near the head of the tidal estuary of the River Yar. All Saints was heavily restored in 1875-6 by W.T. Stratton which resulted in the church looking largely 19th century outside. The medieval lean-to aisles were replaced by wider ones under separate gables, and the church was enlarged eastwards.

St James - Yarmouth

The present church of St. James was begun in 1614 and consecrated in 1626.  In 1832-3 considerable improvements were made to the interior of the Church. At the back of the church you will find a blue hand book telling you in far more detail the history and previous Rectors of this parish.

The churches of All Saints and St Agnes serve the West Wight communities of Freshwater and Freshwater Bay. Whilst there are two churches in the one parish, the congregations act as one witness, committed to serving the community in love and prayer and worship. A warm welcome is extended to parishioners and visitors alike.