Church of St Saviour-on-the-Cliff, Shanklin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Church of St. Saviour-on-the-Cliff, Shanklin |
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | [1] |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Saviour |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Shanklin |
| Deanery | East Wight Deanery |
| Archdeaconry | Isle of Wight |
| Diocese | Portsmouth |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of St. Saviour-on-the-Cliff in Shanklin is a special old church on the Isle of Wight. It is part of the Church of England and is considered a Grade II Listed building. This means it is an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of the Church
Building the Church
The church was built between 1869 and 1905. It was designed by an architect named Thomas Hellyer. The very first stone was laid on May 9, 1867, which is a special day called Ascension Day.
The first part of the church to be finished included the main open area (called the Nave), the area around the altar (Chancel), a room for the clergy (Vestry), and a space for the organ. This first stage cost about £2,789. A bishop named Vincent William Ryan officially opened and blessed the church on May 7, 1869.
The pulpit, which is where the priest gives sermons, was added in 1903. It was designed and carved by Miss Editha Plowden. The original pulpit from St. Saviour's was moved to St. John's Church in Bournemouth, where you can still see it today.
More parts were added later:
- In 1871, a side area (South aisle) and an entrance porch were built.
- In 1876, another side area (North aisle) and a church hall were added.
- In 1905, the area for baptisms (Baptistry) and a planned entrance hall (Narthex) were completed. This was the last major building work.
Surviving the War
It's amazing that the church survived the World Wars with only minor damage. Just a few windows were broken. You can still see this damage in the East window of the Memorial Chapel and in the West windows at the back of the church. One of the Baptistry windows also shows signs of damage.
Inside the church, above the main arch leading to the altar (Chancel Arch), you can see some old painted words. It says, "Draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith" (Hebrews 10:22). This is a verse from the Bible.
If you stand at the entrance to the Galilee Porch and look towards the main altar, you can really see how grand and beautiful the inside of St. Saviour's is. It has been decorated and furnished wonderfully over many years.
The Church Tower and Bells
Building the Tower and Bells
In 1883, the church's leader, Revd Charles I Burland, announced plans to finish St. Saviour's by adding a tall tower with bells. By early 1887, the tower and its pointed top (spire) were finished. The eight bells were put in the next year.
The bells were made by a company called Mears and Stainbank in London. All the bells together weigh about 3,800 kilograms (75 hundredweight), with the largest bell alone weighing about 900 kilograms (18 hundredweight)!
Bell Troubles and Restoration
Even though everyone was excited about the tower and bells at first, there were problems. By 1900, the tower and spire needed repairs. The bells were hung too high, and the tower itself wasn't very stable. Because of this, the bells could only be chimed (gently tapped) instead of fully rung from 1925 to 1985.
In 1985, the decorative tops (pinnacles) at the top of the tower were removed. After a report confirmed the tower was safe, a lot of hard work began. People cleared out 60 years of dirt and pigeon droppings from the tower! The bells were in bad shape after hanging in the salty air for a century. It was clear that a lot of work was needed to save them.
After eight years of fundraising, the bells were taken out of the tower. They were restored with new parts like headstocks, stays, wheels, and clappers, but they were put back into their original frame. Now, the bells can be rung properly again!
The Church Organ
The church has a large pipe organ that was built in 1874 by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd. The organ is located in the chancel area, on the north side. It has two keyboards for the hands and four pedals for the feet. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
