Holystoning the deck.

Only the tower of the old church at St Helens Duvar [IOW] remains these days. The hostile weather conditions, lashing tides and lack of investment took its toll over the many years it stood. In the end the seaward facing side was bricked over and painted white in 1719 to provide a distinctive landmark for the passing Navy ships. Tradition has it that seafaring folk were some of the most superstitious with many rituals and rules to maximise their chances of survival at sea. Many of the stones of church were taken by the sailors and used to scour and whiten the decks. The stones were believed to bestow spiritual protection upon the vessels in a practice known as holystoning.

Arilx