Godshill Church between Newport and Shanklin, is the largest medieval church on the Isle of Wight, and among the top 10 most visited churches in the UK. The churchyard shown here, is unusual in that over 60 varieties of lichen flora, and over 125 different species of plants have been recorded, together with an unusually large number of double-headed gravestones. Ancient legend says that three times the early Christians tried to build a church one mile south of the present village, but each time at night the stones were removed and found again at the top of the hill. They felt this was an act of God, so eventually the church was built at the top.
|