Statement of Significance

The parish of Ryde, All Saints’, formed in 1867, was the last of the Victorian Church of England parishes for the growing town, carved out of the historic parish of Newchurch. The resultant landmark church, majestically overlooking the town and Solent (and used for years as a navigational aid), was built to a decorated Gothic design of Sir Gilbert Scott and could be described as the crowning glory of that era. Some even refer to it as “the cathedral of the Island”. Its foundation stone having been laid in 1870, the church was consecrated in 1872 and the tower and spire completed in 1882. An elegant vestry was added in 1891, designed by Pemberton Leach. In the 1960s a modest utilitarian church hall, with kitchen (now improved), committee room and lavatorial facilities (now with ramp and access for wheelchairs), was built onto the south west of the building (concealed from both the north and east elevations which form the building’s frontage). The incumbent is “the Vicar of Ryde” and the church is still referred to as “The Parish Church”.

The present parish extends to the shore on the north boundary, to the edge of the Binstead estate on the west, to Haylands residential area on the south, and takes in a large part of the town centre to the east. There is also a detached part of the parish to north of Havenstreet, including Brickfields. The population of the parish is some 7,000, with a mix of housing/populace: shops, businesses, flats, large houses, small terraces, housing association accommodation, nursing/care homes and several schools (two primaries, one CofE VC middle, one high, and the Island’s main independent school, Ryde School). The parish includes a proprietary chapel, St. James’s, with an emphatic Reformed tradition, and also the redundant chapel of ease, St. Thomas’s.

All Saints’ has had a major role in the life of the town, especially for civic events, and there is now once again a Town Council with its Mayor. The church, which can seat up to 600, is served by a modest but very useful car park within its curtilage, is well-heated, has excellent acoustics, and is a popular venue for concerts. All Saints’ is used by different community groups for special services, and the town’s annual Remembrance commemoration is held here. It is hoped to make even better use of the church as a centre of excellence for music and the arts.

The regular worshipping life of All Saints’ is founded on its strong choral tradition, use of the Book of Common Prayer and traditional style of liturgy. Average attendance on a Sunday is about 135, with 108 communicants, and the parish contributes in full its diocesan quota of £36,500. All Saints’ clergy (Incumbent, and one non-stipendiary Assistant Curate) take some three dozen funerals each year, half a dozen weddings and a few baptisms. The future of All Saints is likely to be shared with the adjoining parish of Swanmore, S.Michael & Angels (to the south of All Saints’), which has a more Anglo-Catholic flavour, but - like All Saints’ - is also under a “flying bishop” and within the traditional wing of the Church of England.