About Us
St Nicholas in Castro is now part of the newly formed parish of Newport and Carisbrooke with Gatcombe.
St Nicholas is a chapel situated within the grounds of Carisbrooke Castle. It was originally a parish in its own right
serving the castle community and parts of Newport. The original chapel is mentioned in the Domesday Book
but has changed considerably over the years. It was for many years a roofless ruin. In 1904 it was completely rebuilt
under the patronage of Princess Beatrice and was originally dedicated to King Charles1 who was imprisoned in the
castle before his execution. However in 1929 it was rededicated as the Isle of Wight War Memorial.
Today the walls contain the names of the 1624 fallen island men from the two World Wars
The chapel is cared for by English Heritage who oversee Carisbrooke Castle. It is open to the public whenever the
Castle is open. The chapel no longer has a defined catchment area but services are held several times a year by
the congregation of St Mary’s Carisbrooke. Each year it is visited by many people seeking connections with their
ancestors.