St John's Church, Oakfield, Ryde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. John's Church, Oakfield, Ryde |
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | www.stjohnsryde.org.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. John |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Oakfield, Isle of Wight |
| Diocese | Portsmouth |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. John's Church, Oakfield, Ryde is a special church on the Isle of Wight. It belongs to the Church of England. This church has been an important part of the local community for a long time. It is located in Ryde.
Contents
The Story of St. John's Church
St. John's Church was built a long time ago, between 1842 and 1843. A company called Charles Langdon & Co. built it. The church was designed by an architect named Thomas Hellyer.
The church was officially opened on July 18, 1843. This special ceremony was led by Charles Richard Sumner. He was the Bishop of Winchester at that time.
Growing with the Community
As more people moved to the area, the church needed to get bigger. So, it was made larger several times over the years. On December 3, 1870, the newly enlarged church was officially opened again. At this time, St. John's also became a full parish church. Before that, it was a smaller church called a "chapel-of-ease" for the parish of St Helens.
In 1914, a special part of the church called a Lady chapel was added. This was built to remember the 7th Lord Calthorpe. His family lived nearby at Woodlands Vale. They regularly attended services at St. John's Church. The main area of the church, called the chancel, was also made bigger in 1954.
Remembering Heroes
The churchyard is the area around the church where people are buried. It contains special graves for 13 service members from World War I. There are also two graves for service members from World War II. These graves are cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A Place for Everyone
In 1970, a church hall was added right next to the church building. Before this, the old hall was a bit far away. The church hall was updated in 2006. For many years, it was used as The Park Centre, a place for the whole community. Now, the church manages the hall again. It is still used by both church groups and other community groups.
The Church Organ
St. John's Church has a musical instrument called an organ. It is a large instrument that makes music using pipes. You can find more details about this organ online if you are interested.
