St Boniface Church, Bonchurch

Coordinates: 50°36′00″N 01°11′13″W / 50.60000°N 1.18694°W / 50.60000; -1.18694

St. Boniface Church, Bonchurch is a parish church in the Church of England located in Bonchurch, Isle of Wight.

History

The church dates from 1847 and 1848 by the architect Ferrey.^[1] It replaced Old St. Boniface Church, Bonchurch. The church is cruciform in shape with a south porch and two north vestries. The bell turret contains a single bell which weighs 4cwt and is tuned to the key of Eb. Much of the funds for building the Church were paid for by Captain Swinburne, father of Algernon Swinburne.

On the screen dividing the Rectors Stall from the nave is a memorial to Lord Admiral Earl Jellicoe of the Battle of Rutland who worshipped here.

Tryptich East Windows are an early work by William Wailes. Much of the stained glass is by Henry Holiday and Shragley and Hunt.

Parish Status

The church is within a group which includes:

• Old St. Boniface Church, Bonchurch
• St. Boniface Church, Bonchurch
• Holy Trinity Church, Ventnor
• St. Catherine's Church, Ventnor

Burials

• Algernon Charles Swinburne 1909. Poet
• Henry De Vere Stacpoole 1951. Author

Organ

The church has a pipe organ by Forster and Andrews dating from 1872. It is a two manual tracker organ. The organ casing was brought forward on a canopy above the console in the 1930s by Herbert Morris which hold the Great Open Diapason pipes.

The first organist of the Church was Miss Elizabeth Sewell whose brother was the founder of Radley College, Oxford. Miss Gwladys Williams LRAM was Organist and Choir mistress here from 1921 to 1978. Mr. Ian D. Snow MBE LRAM LTCL was organist here from 1978 until 2006. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

References