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 that belongs to the Church of England. It is located in Ryde, a town on the beautiful Isle of Wight. This church has been an important part of the local community for many years.
Contents
The Church's Story
Building the Church
St. John's Church was built a long time ago, between 1842 and 1843. Two builders, James and John Langdon, constructed it following a plan by an architect named Thomas Hellyer.
The church was officially opened and blessed on July 18, 1843. This special ceremony was performed by Charles Richard Sumner, who was the Bishop of Winchester at that time.
Growing Bigger
Over the years, more and more people came to live in the area. Because of this, the church needed to be made bigger. It was expanded several times. On December 3, 1870, the newly enlarged church was blessed again.
At the same time, St. John's became a full parish church. Before this, it was a smaller "chapel-of-ease" within the parish of St Helens. A chapel-of-ease is a church built for people who live far from the main parish church, making it easier for them to attend services.
Special Additions
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 a place called Woodlands Vale and often attended services at St. John's.
Later, in 1954, the chancel of the church was made larger. The chancel is the area around the altar where the clergy and choir sit.
War Graves
The churchyard, which is the burial ground around the church, contains graves of soldiers who died in wars. There are 13 graves for service personnel from World War I and two from World War II. These graves are cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Community Hall
In 1970, a church hall was added as an extension to the main church building. Before this, the old hall was located a bit further away. The church hall was updated in 2006. For several years, it was used as The Park Centre, a place for the community to use. Now, the church's own committee manages the hall again, and it continues to be used by both church groups and other community groups.
The Organ
The church has an organ, which is a large musical instrument often found in churches. You can find detailed information about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
