St Andrew's Church, Chale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Andrew's Church, Chale |
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St. Andrew's Church, Chale
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Andrew |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Chale |
| Diocese | Portsmouth |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. Andrew's Church in Chale is a historic church located on the Isle of Wight. It is part of the Church of England. This special building has been a place of worship for many years in the village of Chale.
The History of St. Andrew's Church
This church is very old, dating back to the Middle Ages. It was first started by a person named Hugh Gendon in the year 1114. However, the church building you see today was mostly built in the 1300s.
Church Features and Secrets
The church tower holds six bells. One of these bells might be as old as the year 1360! Inside, you can see beautiful stained glass windows. Many of these windows were made by an artist named Charles Eamer Kempe. They show different Christian pictures.
The churchyard, which is the area around the church, has graves of soldiers. These include a sailor from World War I and a Home Guardsman from World War II. These graves are looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
There's also a fun rumour about the church! People say there used to be a secret tunnel. This tunnel supposedly led from the church all the way to the beach. It was thought to be a hiding place for smugglers and their goods. The old doorway for this tunnel is still there today, but it has been filled in.
The Church Organ
St. Andrew's Church has had a few organs over the years. The very first organ was put in around 1890. But it was sold just ten years later, in 1900, to another church called St. Peter's Church, Shorwell.
After that, the church got a different organ. This one was made in 1899 by a company called Bryceson. It is a "two manual" organ, which means it has two keyboards for the organist to play. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
