St. Mary's Church, Brighstone
Coordinates: 50°38′32″N 01°23′39″W / 50.64222°N 1.39417°W
| St. Mary's Church, Brighstone | |
 St. Mary's Church, Brighstone
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| Denomination | Church of England |
|---|---|
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | www.brighstonecofechurches.co.uk/brighstone.asp |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Mary |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Brighstone |
| Diocese | Portsmouth |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Clergy | |
| Vicar(s) | Revd Malcolm Williams |
St. Mary's Church, Brighstone is a parish church in the Church of England located in Brighstone, Isle of Wight. The churchyard contains a memorial stone to George Albert Cairns VC.
Contents |
[edit] History
The church is medieval dating from the twelfth century[1]. The short tower contains a ring of 6 bells all cast by Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1961. The largest weighs 7cwt. The spire was added in the 17th century.
[edit] Today
The church holds an annual Christmas tree festival (the Brighstone Christmas Tree Festival) in conjunction with the one at Mottistone that has become a popular tourist attraction.[2]
This event occurs in four locations:
- St Mary's Church, Brighstone
- Brighstone Methodist Church
- St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Mottistone
- Wilberforce Hall,Brighstone.
Several hundred entries are created by individuals, groups and businesses, making it one of the biggest festivals of its type.[citation needed]
[edit] Parish status
The church is grouped with:
- St. Mary's Church, Brighstone
- St. Mary's Church, Brook
- St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Mottistone
[edit] List of incumbents
Three former Rectors have become Bishops:
- Thomas Ken hymn writer
- Samuel Wilberforce - the youngest son of William Wilberforce
- George Moberly - became Bishop of Salisbury
[edit] Organ
The church does not have a pipe organ but instead has an electric one at the west end of the nave. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.
[edit] References
- ^ The Buildings of England, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Nikolaus Pevsner
- ^ islandpulse.co.uk/b2/brighstone-christmas-tree-festival-2009
