All Saints' Church, Freshwater is a
parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...
in the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
located in
Freshwater, Isle of Wight
Freshwater is a large village and civil parishes in England, civil parish at the western end of the Isle of Wight, England. The southern, coastal part of the village is Freshwater Bay, named for the adjacent small cove.
Freshwater sit ...
.
History
The church is medieval. It is one of the oldest churches on the Isle of Wight, and was listed in the
Domesday Book
Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...
of 1086. Mark Whatson is the pastor of All Saints, which is an Anglican church in the
Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth
The Diocese of Portsmouth is an administrative division of the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England. The diocese covers south-east Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The see is based in the City of Portsmouth in Hampshire, where ...
. A primary school associated with the church is nearby.
Memorials
There is a marble memorial commemorating
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (; 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of ...
in All Saints Church. His wife
Emily Tennyson, Baroness Tennyson, son
Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson
Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson, (11 August 1852 – 2 December 1928) was a British aristocrat who served as the second governor-general of Australia, in office from 1903 to 1904. He was previously Governor of South Australia from 1899 to ...
and other family members are buried in the church cemetery. The church is also the site of a memorial to Tennyson's son, Lionel Tennyson, who died of
malaria
Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
in 1886. Inside the Church there are memorial plaques to members of the Crozier Family who resided nearby. Lady Mary Martin is also remembered on a plaque, her maiden name being Crozier. Admiral Crozier is buried near to Lord Tennyson in a large Table Tomb. The lychgate was built compete with roof in memory of The Crozier Family.
The churchyard contains 20
Commonwealth war graves, 15 of
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, including an unidentified seaman, and five from
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, a member of the Tennyson family being among the former.
CWGC Casualty Record, The Hon Harold C. Tennyson.
Parish status
The church is in a united parish with St Agnes' Church, Freshwater.
Organ
The organ was built in 1905 by Henry Speechley and Sons.
A specification of the organ can be found on th
National Pipe Organ Register
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freshwater, All Saints
Church of England church buildings on the Isle of Wight
Grade II* listed churches on the Isle of Wight