The present Church was built in 1087 A.D

This is the only Church on the Isle of Wight, dedicated to S. Edmund, the last King of East Anglia, martyred by the Danes A.D 870.

He was bound to a tree and shot at with arrows.

Arms of S. Edmund can be seen in various parts of the Church.

A quick look around the Church andyou will see

• Norman entrance doorway
• A list of rectors from 1283
• Under carpet are tombs
• 13th Century Lancet windows
• 'E' for Edmund can be seen all around the Sanctuary walls
• The window commemorating legend of Edmund with the Danes head cut off and a wolf guarding it, untill Edmund's followers came to bury his body
  

The St Edmund's Church Building Trust

Due to changes within the Church of England there was in the mid 1990s, a threat to close some churches. Wootton , having two buildings serving the same Parish was vulnerable.

St. Edmunds Church building could not be expanded, so that the sister church of St. Mark's would become the main worship centre, and St. Edmund's would be made redundant and closed.

Because of this possibility, the Archdeacon of the time, the Revd Tony Turner suggested that we set up the St Edmund’s Church Building Trust , a charitable Trust to help maintain the building and keep this valuable spiritual and historical heritage for the village.

In the event of the church being declared redundant under the Pastoral measures Act the Trust would have legal rights regarding the use of the building.

The Trust was launched at our first Annual Open Weekend, August Bank Holiday 1996. A Friends section was initiated whereby members of the public could join and produce support and funding for the Trust, with a Management Committee as controlling agents.

The Trust Deed was produced in July '97 with the legal expertise of Tony Turner and our own Peter Smith, with David Poore becoming the Founder Trustee with Mrs. Stolworthy and Mrs. Hames.

St Edmund’s church is over 900 years old and as such is a spiritual and architectural treasure. The aim of the St Edmund’s Church Building Trust is to maintain, repair and refurbish the fabric and fittings of this ancient Parish church, in order to ensure that it remains in a condition worthy of its heritage.

If you would like to take part in the future care of this lovely building please contact or send donations to :-

Mrs. Doreen Gazey,
Secretary
Friends of St. Edmund’s,
26 Whitehead Crescent,
Wootton,
Isle of Wight, PO33 4JF

(any cheque's to be made payable to the ”St. Edmund’s Building Trust”).

Please note that if you subscribe under the terms of Gift Aid, the Trust will be able to claim back the tax at no extra cost to yourself. The only requirement is that you are a taxpayer.