Church of St. Saviour-on-the-Cliff, Shanklin

The church dates from 1869 to 1905 and was designed by the architect Thomas Hellyer. The Foundation stone was laid on Ascension Day 1867. The first phase comprising the Nave, Chancel, Vestry, and Organ Chamber was completed at a cost of £2,789. Bishop Vincent William Ryan, the first Bishop of Mauritius, consecrated it on 7 May 1869. The present Pulpit dates from 1903 and was designed and carved by Miss Editha Plowden. The original pulpit was taken to St John's Church, Bournemouth where it can still be seen today. The South aisle and Porch were added in 1871 and the North aisle and Church Hall in 1876. The Baptistry and the proposed Narthex in 1883 were added in 1905 and was the last of the…

In 1883 the Vicar, the Revd Charles I Burland, announced that it was proposed to complete St Saviours by the addition of "a heaven-pointing Tower with its suitable furniture of pealing bells" By early 1887 the tower and spire were completed and the peal of eight bells was installed the following year. The bells were manufactured by Mears and Stainbank of Whitechapel of London. Their total weight is some 75 cwt, with the Tenor alone weighing 18 cwt. The initial optimism which greeted this project has not been sustained. By 1900 the tower and spire were shrouded in scaffolding to enable repairs to take place. The bells were hung too high, and this, along with the unsteady structure, led to…