Godshill Church

Godshill Church

Godshill Church
4.5
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles233 reviews
Excellent
117
Very good
97
Average
18
Poor
1
Terrible
0

EESW1
Lincolnshire, UK5,674 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Solo
Godshill is very much a tourist honey pot village with its thatched cottages, tea shops and model village . Many people don’t get much further than the High Street, completely ignoring the church set on top of the hill.

It is an impressive church – one of the largest Pre-Reformation churches on the island. It is in fact a ‘double’ church as it has two naves. The northern church was used as a parish church. The southern church was for the workers of nearby Appuldurcombe Priory. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Priory was sold and the church houses many splendid tombs of the families who later lived in Appuldurcombe House. (One is hidden away in the vestry behind a curtain.) Don’t miss the funerary helmets above the tombs. The Mausoleum containing the remains of the last owners is in a corner of the graveyard.

The other ‘treasure’ is the Lily Cross wall painting on the wall of St Stephen’s Chapel behind metal gates of the south transept. This dates from the C15th and depicts c=Christ crucified on a triple branched flowering lily. On either side are painted ‘curtain s’ that would have served as a back cloth to the altar beneath. It is the only example of a Lily Cross p=ainting in the UK and there are only two others in Europe. It was covered by lime wash during the Rreformation and was only rediscovered in 1842.

Also don’t miss the Consecration Cross painted on the wall to the left of the chapel. This is the only survivor of the 24 crosses (12 inside the church and 12 outside) which marked places anointed and blessed by the Bishop when the church was consecrated.

Take time to climb the hill to visit the church – it is worth the effort!
Written 30 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NLB07
Croydon, UK92 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Wonderful church fully open to the public which is becoming rarer these days without volunteers to man the building (our own is the same). Plenty of space for private prayer, ability to light a candle and lots of honesty boxes for visit donations, leaflets, publications on sale and so forth. Interesting plaques/memorials on the wall, plenty of signage and worth the hill/steps to enjoy the view from the top. Glad we managed to visit.
Written 5 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sammy Campbell
Lancaster, UK39 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
Beautiful location and church surrounded by gravestones as early as the 15th century. Enjoyed exploring the grounds and paying our respects. The grounds are very overgrown and unkempt in areas which feels a bit sad considering this is a 13th century building and is so worth preserving.
Written 22 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Snownado
Reading, UK231 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
Only managed to see the outside when we visited as it was still closed due to covid. Pleasant walk around the cemetery, some interesting history on the gravestones. Be careful on the steps up to the churchyard if it's wet, or take the other routes up.
Written 7 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stewart C
Chatham, UK1,105 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2018 • Couples
We visited the Church in Godshill on our last day in the island, we were making our way by car from Ventnor to Fishbourne for the ferry and had stopped off in Godshill to do some last minute gift shopping and also get something to eat.
There is ample (free) parking in Godshill itself though note that this facility is not available in the evening. The village is also served by public buses running between Shanklin and Newport.
The church is situated on a hill overlooking the village and so it’s a bit of a climb to get there, before we entered the church grounds we spent some time exploring the immediate surrounding area which contains some very picturesque thatched cottages.
When you reach the church it is surrounded by its churchyard containing many graves of some antiquity. The visitor enters via a porch and once inside there is a wonderful feeling of peace and calm. The church is not large with its Nave, one Aisle and a side chapel. The walls have some memorials including two large floor standing tombs and there is a large painting on the wall opposite the door of Daniel in the Lion’s Den.
With its flagstone floor and row of stone arches running down the middle supporting a wooden roof, the visitor can only imagine the births, weddings and funerals that have occurred here over the many years particularly when it was a parish church for a small farming community.
It is our tradition when visiting religious houses to light a candle in exchange fir a small donation and this facility as available here on the day of our visit.
Written 3 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maggie N
Ventnor, UK129 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2013 • Solo
It is an irony that although the unusual situation of this church has been the magnet for tourists to Godshill for many decades, the church itself rises above all the commercialism. It is still a haven of peace, away from the jostling crowds in the souvenir shops, cafes, pubs and tea gardens just a stone's throw below.

Legend has it that while the church was being built in the village, every night the stones were removed and found on top of the hill. This captures the imagination, but a much more plausible explanation is that the village lies in the flood plain of the Eastern Yar River and close to an extensive bog. However, the advantages of its situation are not in doubt. Its sturdy tower can be seen for miles around and the hilltop affords wonderful views across the valley to the parallel ridges of hills to the south.

The church itself is famous for its lovely Lily Cross wall painting, dating from the mid fifteenth century. It also houses some fine early sixteenth century monuments to the local landed gentry. The Worsley family, who lived for centuries at nearby Appuldurcombe House, have many memorials here. I particularly admired the beautiful and fascinating monument to Sir John Leigh and his wife, the realistic painting of Daniel in the Lions' den and the statue of St Peter with its fine detail, but there are many beautiful and interesting features in this church. Its double-naved plan makes it look light and spacious and there are very useful information boards that you can borrow as you walk around. A guidebook, postcards and information leaflets are on sale.

I was amazed to see a large group of tourists photographing the cluster of thatched cottages at the entrance to the churchyard and then vanish back down the hill. They don't know what treasures they missed.
Written 17 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PhilipSutcliffe1958
Beaconsfield, UK61 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Couples
A lovely local church in a picture book setting, often with local produce for sale via an honesty box.
Written 27 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Buddapies
Bedfordshire, UK183 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
Godshill is a lovely village and the church does not disappoint. The walk up the steep hill is worth it. The grounds are kept lovely we had a look at some of the head stones to see the history of people who lived there. Inside the church what a lovely surprise, pictures on the wall the alter, you did not feel you were creeping around the church. We took the easier slope back to the village and got some amazing photographs of the church and the surrounding cottages,truly picture postcard pictures.
Written 15 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael C
Derby, UK1,975 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Couples
This could be a fascinating church but there seems that no consideration has been given to history. One massive monument is hidden behind the organ, and then we had to move table to even get a glimpse of it. Another gorgeous monument is hidden behind curtains, and when we did discover it, we found a black wheely bin standing in front of it. We felt no sense of spirituality whatsoever within this church. Not an enjoyable experience.
Written 19 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alandnikki
Potters Bar, UK242 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018 • Family
After visiting the Model village and a Tea shop, we ventured up the hill as recommended to visit the main church. we'd already seen the miniature version in the model village, so it made sense to visit the real church.

It's a pleasant walk up the road or there is a little path you can use. Inside the Church, there was a lot of information available. It was surprisingly large inside and pleasing to see so many visitors appreciating this amazing building. From the outside, there are amazing views of the surrounding area, so if you are in Godshill, i'd recommend a visit.
Written 3 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Godshill Church

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