Island Life Magazine Ltd June/July 2014 | Page 112

Old Village, heading towards Ventnor, was built during the reign of King Stephen, making it more than 850 years old, and for much of its time was the family chapel for Shanklin Manor. As Shanklin began to grow in Victorian times the Lord of the Manor gave the church to the town as the parish church for the Old Village, and it “O traveller stay thy has remained in many ways a true country church. Each weary feet, Drink of this fountain pure and sweet, spring and summer the churchyard is covered with It flows for rich & poor the a spectacular and colourful array of plants and flowers, same, Then go thy way and the church itself is remembering still, The not only historic, but very wayside well beneath the quaint and well worth a look inside. hill, The cup of water in Back in the centre of the his name.” Old Village stands Vernon Cottage, a tea room, tavern and restaurant, which also houses Shanklin Tourist open air venue for concerts Information. It was built in 1817 by the band and many others by Edward Vernon Utterson, through the summer months. an English lawyer, and talented St Blasius Church, at the artist whose works remain in extreme south of Shanklin Gardens. There is also a tea shop and crazy golf course, both of which are adorned with beautiful flower baskets during the summer months. The chalet in Rylstone Gardens is home to the very successful Shanklin Town Brass Band. Across from the chalet, the bandstand is a popular 112 www.visitilife.com