St. Mary's Church, Brook

St Mary’s Church stands on a small rise above the village of Brook on the Isle of Wight. Built in 1864 by architect Willoughby Mullins, it replaced a 13th-century church destroyed by fire. The only remnant of the old building is the arch between the porch and nave. The church was funded by Charles Seely, a wealthy landowner and MP, whose family has memorials inside. Its plain stone walls and fine Victorian decorations remain in excellent condition. The small tower holds eight tubular bells, and the interior walls were left unplastered for a striking effect noted by architectural critic Nicholas Pevsner. The church has strong links with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Brook village had RNLI lifeboats from 1851 to 1937, and their service boards hang behind the font. The lifeboat service is also remembered in a memorial at the village hall. In the churchyard lie six Commonwealth war graves, including two First World War soldiers and three unidentified Merchant Navy seamen from the Second World War. There is also the grave of Squadron Leader Nigel Seely, son of Charles Seely, and Colonel Harry Gore-Browne VC, who won his medal in the Indian Mutiny. A memorial in the churchyard marks those killed in a 1957 flying boat crash. The church is grouped with two other nearby churches in the West Wight. Inside, a two-manual organ built in 1867 by Bevington adds to the building’s heritage. The churchyard offers quiet views over the village and surrounding countryside. The simple stone structure and well-kept grounds make it a peaceful place to visit.