St John the Evangelist, Wroxall
An Iron Church, surplus after St Michael's Church, Swanmore was built, was moved and re-erected at Wroxall in 1864 to serve as a school during the week and on Sundays, a Chapel of Ease to the mother church, All Saints Church, Newchurch. The building was erected on a piece of ground at the corner of Cleveland-wood, generously given by George Young, Esq., of Apley Towers.[1]
The current church of St John the Evangelist in Wroxall was built in 1875 to replace the Iron Church which had become too small. Originally the church consisted of a chancel, nave, south porch and a small western belfry housing one bell; the architect was Mr. Theodore Ridley Saunders, of Ventnor, and the builder and contractor was Mr. Henry Moses, of Wroxall; the building cost about £1,300[2]. It was consecrated on the 21st December 1877.
Wroxall became a separate parish in 1907.
In 1911 the tower and belfry was built by public subscription to house the clock which had been presented to the parish by the late H. C. Millett, a Crimean veteran who had served as a church-warden.
In 1935 a carillon of eight bells was installed in the belfry by public subscription; these are called “The Silver Jubilee Bells” as memorial to King George V and Queen Mary’s Silver Jubilee in 1935.
