Rylstone
Chalet, situated in the picturesque cliff top Rylstone Gardens, is the home of
Shanklin Town Brass Band. The Grade II listed building provides space not
only for the twice weekly band practices but also the Saturday Morning Brass
Academy. At present the Chalet is in the process of being restored and
once this is done the Band hope to open it up to the public and other groups.
The bandroom - Rylstone Chalet -
can be found at the end of Popham
Road in Rylstone Gardens.
RYLSTONE
CHALET
The Band is very fortunate to
have a historic Grade II listed
building constructed in the style
of a Swiss Cottage as its base.
Rylstone Chalet is located in the
beautiful clifftop Rylstone
Gardens, which have been
described as the most picturesque
in the south of England.
A sign outside the chalet says:
"This building in the
Swiss style is a good example of
nineteenth century romantic
architecture at the end of its
period in fashion. Built at the
same time as Rylstone Manor it
was designed to complement a
dramatic situation on the edge of
rugged cliffs and a wild sea
shore. The use of stone instead
of wood is unusual but consistent
in using a local material for an
idealised peasant home."
The building is based on the
design of a Swiss Cottage in the
grounds of Osborne
House in East
Cowes, the former home of Queen
Victoria. It has most recently
been used as the home of the Isle
of Wight Natural History and
Archaeology Society. Prior to
that it was used as a tea rooms
and cafe, and pictures from the
early 20th Century show bands
playing outside the chalet whilst
refreshments were served from the
veranda.
The chalet is owned by the Isle of
Wight Council, which
has leased it to the Band as a
community resource. STBB is
responsible for maintaining the
premises, and is currently
looking into a number of funding
avenues to ensure this happens.
The building has been unused for
sometime and is in need of
substantial repairs. This work is
urgently needed to bring the
state of the building to a
reasonable level, allowing it to
become a resource for the wider
community. If you are interested
in helping us make this a
reality, and give Shanklin a much
needed community resource, you
could support or
sponsor us,
either through resources,
equipment, time or money.
Inside the chalet are a number of
rooms, which allows the Band to
have full rehearsals and provide
individual tuition at the same
time. It is an amazing resource,
and the Band would like to share
it with the local community.
Band President
Dennis Wilby conducts the Senior
Band inside Rylstone Chalet
RYLSTONE
GARDENS
Rylstone Gardens sits on the
south side of Shanklin Chine, a
fissure in the cliff with plants
and waterfalls that is a popular
tourist attraction. The gardens
are equally popular amongst
Islanders and visitors alike, and
have a number of exciting
features - besides being the home
of the Band!
With beautifully landscaped
gardens overlooking Shanklin
beach, Rylstone is a quiet corner
of Shanklin easily accessible
from the Old Village. Red
squirrels, which only now exist
in a few parts of Britain, can be
found in the park. There is also
a tribute to Elvis Presley in the
north corner of the gardens,
obviously continuing a musicial
theme in Rylstone!
STBB plays on
the Bandstand, conducted by Band
President Dennis Wilby
Central to the
gardens - and across the park
from the chalet - is a prominent
bandstand. With the gardens
clearing into an open-air space,
surrounded by trees, it is ideal
for band concerts and is easily
the best venue on the Island for
outside performances. STBB, along
with other Island and mainland
bands, regularly performs on the
bandstand in the summer. The park
is soon filled with deckchairs as
a packed audience soak up the
sound of the Band broadcasting
across the gardens and beyond.
An audience
listens to STBB play with
Rylstone Chalet in the background
The gardens are
also home to crazy golf, a cafe
and the Rylstone
Manor Hotel. There
are steps all the way down to
Shanklin beach in the corner of
the gardens next to the chalet.
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