Church Of All Saints

Parish church located on Church Hill in Godshill. The Church of All Saints displays building work spanning from the early 14th century to the 18th century, with the lower part of the west tower, chancel east window, south chapel windows and transepts dating to the early 14th century. The Perpendicular arcade to the nave and chancel, comprising 6 bays and replacing an earlier early 14th-century arcade, is characteristic of later medieval work. The south transept roof dates to the 15th century, the top of the tower to the 16th century, and the south aisle west window to the 17th century. Further 17th-century additions include the nave north window and south transept bell cote. The 18th century saw remodelling of the north transept, Worsley chapel and south porch.

The building is constructed of Isle of Wight stone rubble with ashlar quoins and sports a tiled roof. The plan comprises a double three-bay nave leading to a double three-bay chancel without division, with the north now used as a chapel, along with north and south transepts, a south porch and west tower.

The west tower, lower part early 14th-century, is square in plan with three stages and stepped buttresses. The lowest stage features an arch with double cusped head and quatrefoil window above. The middle stage has an early 14th-century lancet. The top stage, dating to the 16th century, contains stone double lancet bell openings with pierced stone screens. A crenellated parapet with eight pinnacles crowns the tower, with a cornice adorned with grotesque waterspouts.

The double nave is Perpendicular with angled buttresses. The south aisle west window, early 17th-century, comprises four bays with arched mullioned and transomed window beneath hood moulding. The south side displays one double lancet with hood moulding and one triple lancet. The north side has two buttresses, one cinquefoil-headed lancet and a wider arched window with drip moulding.

The south porch, mid-18th-century, is gabled with kneelers and features a round-headed arch with keystone and impost blocks, stone benches with wooden seats. To the right of the south door stands a medieval stoup, restored in 1918.

The south transept is early 14th-century, with a south window displaying triple cinquefoil-headed lights with trefoils above in an arched window with hood moulding. Angled buttresses are present, and a 17th-century sanctus bell is set in a niche in the gable.

The south chancel features three arched windows to the south with double trefoiled heads and trefoil and quatrefoil motifs above. The east window displays reticulated tracery. The north chancel has an east window with intersecting tracery and one double trefoiled window with trefoil and quatrefoil motifs above.

The north transept, early 14th-century in origin, was remodelled in the 18th century to form the Worsley chapel. It has angled buttresses, deep plinth and a round-headed window with keystone and impost blocks.

Interior: The naves contain a 15th-century Perpendicular six-bay arcade with octagonal columns on square bases. The roof comprises tie beams, collar beams, purlins and brackets. The south door, late medieval, consists of six planks studded. An early 14th-century arch provides passage through to the west tower with three continuous chambers. Opposite the south porch hangs a painting attributed to Rubens or his school depicting Daniel in the Lions' Den. Three hatchments adorn the interior. A monument to Sir Richard Worsley, Bart., Comptroller of the Household, Privy Councillor and Governor of the Isle of Wight (d.1803), stands in the south west of the nave. It comprises an oval stone plinth bearing an oval stone sarcophagus, fluted at the ends with carved foliated side panels, six clawed feet and a Vitruvian scroll panel above the plinth.

The north chancel features a trefoliated piscina in the north wall, a late 17th-century communion rail and a late 17th or early 18th-century painting of the Ten Commandments held by a prophet and a soldier with sunrays between. A monument to James Worsley (d.1787) on the left side of the north transept, by Bingley of London, is a wall tablet with black marble obelisk and white marble urn with grieving female mourner. A monument to Reverend Francis Worsley (d.1808) is a wall tablet with black marble obelisk and white flaming urn. A monument to Sir John Leigh and his wife (d.1529), positioned between the chancel and north chapel, features alabaster effigies on a chest with quatrefoil motifs and above, four-centred arches with cusping and sub-cusping. Tracery panelling within and traceried spandrels are present, with cresting bearing three angel busts holding shields.

A monument to Sir James Worsley of Appuldurcombe (d.1536) and his wife (d.1557) stands in the chancel north wall, showing two kneeling figures with lecterns in an architectural surround with Ionic pilasters and frieze with sinuous foliage and central mask. The apex and corners of the pediment bear putti holding shields. A monument to Richard Worsley (d.1565) in the south wall of the north chancel is a large standing monument with strapwork plinth and Vitruvian scroll, pilasters, helm and gauntlets above. A monument to Stuart Worsley (d.1708) in the east wall of the north chapel is an elaborate wall plaque with drapery, central shield, mourning cherubs in the corners and winged death's head below. Smaller and plainer 18th-century marble tablets to members of the Worsley family are also present.

The north transept was entirely remodelled to accommodate the large monument to Sir Robert Worsley (d.1747) and his brother, a very large monument in the Roman style inscribed in the manner of Scheemakers. It comprises pink columns and pilasters supporting a pediment with triglyph frieze, metopes depicting wolves' heads and wreaths, crowned by military trophies. In the centre stands an obelisk and plain tapering sarcophagus with two draped busts in Roman costume. Two mourning putti, one bearing an anchor and the other leaning against a column, stand before the pilasters.

The south transept features a fine 15th-century wagon roof with plastered panels, central boss and grotesque heads on arches. The east wall contains a celebrated 15th or early 16th-century wall painting of Christ hanging from a foliated cross of three boughs in leaf.