Holy Cross Church, Binstead

Holy Cross Church stands in Binstead, a village on the Isle of Wight between the coast and the inland centre. Built in the 11th and 13th centuries, the church’s chancel still shows herringbone masonry from the earliest period. The nave was rebuilt in 1844 and widened in 1875 with a north aisle added. A small bellcote from 1925 holds a bell that once belonged to Quarr Abbey before the abbey fell into ruin. In 1969 a serious fire damaged much of the interior, but the church was restored and rededicated two years later. The churchyard contains unusual features such as a sheela na gig carved on a gateway, locally called the Saxon Idol. Among the graves is that of Thomas Sivell, shot by customs officers who mistook him for a smuggler. More recently the churchyard became the resting place of Nicholas Dingley, known as Razzle, drummer with the band Hanoi Rocks. New stained-glass windows designed by Lawrence Lee replaced those lost in the fire. The church also houses a pipe organ built around 1897 by Hele & Co. Visitors find a quiet church set back from the village with a small graveyard of weathered stones. The interior shows simple early architecture alongside later additions. The organ stands in the west end, its pipes rising above the pews. Outside, the sheela na gig on the gateway draws attention for its unusual carving. The churchyard offers views across fields towards the coast. The overall atmosphere is peaceful, with only the sound of wind through the trees.