The church of All Saints, Godshill, was one of those given by FitzOsborne to the abbey of Lire. It stands in the midst of one of the prettiest of the Island villages, and occupies a fine sight with an extensive prospect. An old legend, still current in the parish and district tells how the inhabitants, when first Christian preaching had won them to the true faith, began to build a church on a level place a mile to the south-west of the present village, but as fast as they laboured during the day, when nightfall came the stones mysteriously disappeared, and were at last found on the top of the hill. Recognising that this must be the will of God, they decided that the church was to be completed on this lofty site, and from that time both the church and the village, which grew up around it, have been known by the name Godshill. Isaac Taylor, in his Words and Places, considers that the site consecrated to Christian worship.
On the suppression of the alien priories in 1414, Henry V gave the rectory and advowson of Godshill to the newly founded Carthusian house at Sheen. After the general dissolution of the monasteries the church again reverted to the Crown, and was given by Charles 1 to Queens College, Oxford.
The church consists of chancel, nave, south aisle, transepts, south porch and west tower. It is the largest old church of the island, having a total inside length, exclusive of the tower, of 90 feet and a width of 67 feet across the transepts. The history in stone of the fabric is not of much interest; with the exception of a 13th century fragment of a piscina, the work is entirely of the Perpendicular style of the 15th century. The tower, which is of three stages, had the highest division renewed in the 18th century, having been struck and much damaged by lightening.
The south door is the original one of the 15th century date; it has an exceptional lock.
The south transept is the most interesting part of the fabric. It has a cradle roof, with carved springers and bosses. Over the south window of this transept is a curious little bell-cote, supported on corbels, which probably served for the Sanctus bell of the altar of this transept. Here was a chantry of late endowment whose chaplain served, according to frequent custom, as schoolmaster. After the suppression of the chantries, the school was partly re-endowed as a “Free Grammar School” and had the old chantry house assigned to it, but since 1813 it has only served as a n elementary school.
The north transept was rebuilt as a mortuary chapel for the owners of Appuldurcombe. Set into the north buttress is a marble tablet inscribed “In memory of Thomas Allenstone, Mason, who died Oct. Ye 28th, 1743, aged 77 years” It is suggested that this was the mason entrusted with the work of rebuilding.
There are several monuments of interest. The oldest and most noteworthy, standing under an archway between the chancel and its south chapel, is the tomb of Sir John Leigh and Agnes, nee Hatchet, his wife. It is constructed of Caen stone; the canopy is richly foliated, and is a singularly fine example of monumental work of the days of Henry VIII. The effigies of the knight and lady are well executed in Derbyshire alabaster; the knight’s feet rest on a boar, and on the back of the boar are two tiny figures of bearded “weepers”, with cowls over their heads and beads in their hands. The last representative of the Fry family, who obtained Appuldurcombe in the time of Henry VI., died without issue, and his widow Agnes, of this monument, daughter of John Hatchet of Woolverton, married Sir John Leigh of More, Dorset, bringing to him the Appuldurcombe estates. Anne, the sole issue of this marriage, brought that property to her husband Sir James Worsley in 1511, whose family held it for three centuries.
The crucified Christ, shown to the left, long-limbed and thin to the point of emaciation, has a short loincloth and what looks like a spiky cap of thorns, rather than the more usual woven thorn-wreath. The branching lily has three stems, no doubt to symbolise the Trinity. The whole painting is of very high quality, particularly the lily itself in a delicate grey-green pigment, perhaps malachite. It has been dated to around 1450. It is likely that there were once similar paintings in many other churches, all of which are now lost, or at least well hidden. It is likely that it was the work of an itinerant wall-painter, going from place to place, probably all over Europe, painting these crosses, and other designs, for nothing more than the glory of God; and his keep.
Against the north wall of the chancel is the monument to Sir James Worsley and his wife, who are represented kneeling at faldstools embellished with their respective arms; this monument, as well as the one to Sir John Leigh, are dateless. Against the south wall of the south chancel is a somewhat extravagant monument to Captain Richard Worsley, son of Sir James, which blocks up a window. The long epitaph gives 1565 as the date of his death.
The early Jacobean Holy Table of good design was apparently the gift of Launcelot Coleman, of Bridge Court; at all events it bears his name in large lettering. Against the north wall hangs a painting of Daniel in the lion’s den, “a reputed Rubens.”
Transcribed from “County Churches by J Charles Cox, LL.D., F.S.A. Pub. 1911.
