Godshill Tourist Attractions
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It is worth making a detour inland from Shanklin to Godshill (4mi/6.5km west). This small well-kept village has thatched stone houses, a Methodist chapel dating from 1838, a small natural history museum, and a toy museum. The medieval St Lawrence's Church (14th century) in Godshill has the tombs of members of the Worsley family, and a 15th/16th century fresco in the South Chapel. The painting "Daniel in the Lions' Den" is probably the work of Rubens or one of his pupils.
Appuldurcombe House
Three-storied Appuldurcombe House, built in 1701 for Sir Robert Worsley and partly renovated in 1770 by James Wyatt, is reached by continuing through Godshill Park and across Stenbury Down. The most impressive manor house on the island before its destruction in World War II, it has been undergoing extensive renovation since 1988.
Appuldurcombe Falconry Centre
Falconry is one of the oldest sports in the world and visitors can experience the thrill of flying one of the trained birds.
Natural History Centre
The Natural History Centre in Godshill features a tropical aquarium, some 40,000 seashells and corals and a collection of minerals, precious and semi-precious stones. The collection is one of the largest of its kind in the south of England.
