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The Chalet

Rylstone Chalet, which can be found at the end of Popham Road and 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 band rehearsals but also the Saturday Morning Brass Academy. The Band is very fortunate to have a historic Grade II listed building constructed in the style of a Swiss Cottage as its base in the beautiful Rylstone Gardens, which have been described as one of 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 by 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. Some visitors have remarked that they remember having tea on the balcony as a child!!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.

Restoration of the Chalet

The chalet is owned by the Isle of Wight Council, which has leased it to the Band – with STBB responsible for restoring the premises, which it has now completed, and its subsequent maintenance. When we took the building over, it had been unused for sometime and was certainly in need of substantial repairs. This work was urgently needed to bring the state of the building to a reasonable level and was split into phases. Phase 1 (Complete) Central Heating installed Phase 2 (Complete) Disabled toilet and a Disabled Access Ramp were installed in 2009, although the ramp handrails in October 2020 did receive a ‘facelift’. Phase 3 (Complete) With repairs to the chalet’s exterior completed, all scaffolding was removed and the restoration was signed off by the IoW Council. The council have acknowledged that a lot of effort has been put into the restoration by the band and that the work has been carried out to a high standard. Where possible, we strived to utilise the existing timber, however, in many cases we had no option but to replace those parts that have rotted and decayed. Our (very) small band of volunteers achieved: Installation of brand new guttering on the building. Repair and repainting of the facia boards on all sides. On the seaward facing side Manufactured six new lower balcony posts ourselves and successfully installed Manufactured new cross beams ourselves and they were successfully installed, connected to the new posts and the existing balcony supports New balcony floor boards to replace the rotten ones have been installed.  Unfortunately, many of the existing boards were found to be suffering from both dry and wet rot.  The ones that could be saved though were treated and reinstalled. We manufactured six new upper balcony posts ourselves, and installed. Remedial work carried out on the floorboard joists and the corner supporting beam and new floorboards installed. Skirting boards around the bottom of the new posts have been installed. New balustrade rails, as well as new and repaired individual panels, have been installed. Posts were painted with the top coat (twice), and the damage done to the paintwork by the scaffolding company was repaired. Phase 4 (Ongoing) Maintenance/decoration of the building. Phase 5 (to be done) Repairs to the veranda on the seaward facing side, which will need to be done professionally. Any donations whether large or small towards the upkeep of the building will be gratefully received.