St Olave's Church
To visit the church website, please visit: https://stolaves.church
About St Olave’s
St Olave’s Church is a beautiful 13th-century Norman church located within the parish of Gatcombe. Although not geographically central to the parish, it is just a short drive from Chillerton or a pleasant walk across the footpath from the top of Brook Lane.
Surrounded by a peaceful and well-maintained churchyard, St Olave’s remains an important historic and community landmark within the parish.
History of the Church
St Olave’s was originally built in the 13th century as a chapel serving the Estur family of Gatcombe House. The manor later passed to the Worsley family, who continued to support the church financially.
St Olave, the church’s patron saint, was an 11th-century King of Norway who was killed in battle.
Over the centuries, the church has seen many additions and restorations, including:
- A 15th-century tower
- Three 17th-century bells accessed via a spiral staircase
- Historic grotesque carvings beneath the tower parapet and south door
- Additional buttresses added to support the structure
- A rebuilt porch completed in 1910
Historic Features
The church contains several notable historic features, including:
- One of the oldest stained glass windows on the Isle of Wight
- Chancel and pulpit windows designed by William Morris and his group
- A Jacobean altar table
- Memorials to Captain Charles Seely
- A wooden effigy of an unknown crusader
- An early Purbeck marble font lined with lead
Services & Information
Church services are listed on the noticeboard outside the church and on the A Church Near You website.