Isle of Wight Things to Do

  The Needles
by devat81
 
  • The Needles
      The Needles
    by devat81
  • Needles from Old Battery
      Needles from Old Battery
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  • We at Sandown Bay
      We at Sandown Bay
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  • The Town Side
      The Town Side
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  • Farm House
      Farm House
    by devat81
 

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Pretty villages, quaint pubs

by Spincat

Isle of Wight was mostly associated in my mind with beach holidays, but there is wonderful countryside inland, and some very pretty villages - I recommend doing a tour inland and not just sticking to the coast. This is Britain's smallest county and it would make a good place for a walking or cycling holiday. There are high chalk down to the West and South of the island. We drove through lusher greener farm country to get to the delightful village of Shorwell (we look the tiny roads from Cowes). The picture was taken in the garden of the Crown Inn at Shorwell: we watched the baby moor hens and fat trout for hours over lunch. Shorwell looked like it was relatively unspoilt, - not too many retirement bungalows! Details of the pub are given below. The famous village of Godshill is probably best visited very early in the morning : a place off a biscuit tin - very pretty thatched cottages, but...

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Brading Roman Villa

by Spincat

In the mid-C19th, two Victorians, in the manner of the time, decided to dig an area of farmland between Sandown & Bembridge, where strange artefacts had been turning up. They began digging and quickly unearthed the lovely Bacchus panel. The villa was recently saved by lottery money. It is a great place to visit, on a sweep of downland, with fine views. A good family trip - there are lots of 'activities' of an imaginative kind. The story of the villa is told around the walls, perhaps a little twee-ly, by the villa's owner. He was one Palladius, an exiled Roman official, who had a lucky escape from being executed when Caesar Gallus conveniently died before sentenced was passed. His successor banished Palladius to the terrible island of Vectis on the fringes of Empire. In Roman times, the villa would have been on what was then a sea inlet above Sandown. A great forest covered the north of...

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Osbourne House

by Spincat

Osbourne House was Queen Victoria's pile overlooking the English Channel. I can only describe the style of the exterior as Victorian Italianate. And the interior, I can only describe as extreme. If something didn't have a bow or curlique or heroic greek insignia or something oriental and exotic on it, then you probably won't find it here!Don't let it put you off: this is a fascinating place to visit. From the first moment we drove up to the front of the house in a pony and trap (50p... and the pony is called Magic!), we were in fantasy land. Apart from the extraordinary public rooms, you see an imaginative display of life below stairs, with particular reference to the tasks of the royal table setters. You'll also nursery life: some fascinating displays of family history and a strange picture of the lives of the royal children.. a long way away from the rest of the household - basically,...

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Victoriana and Arts & Crafts - architecture

by Spincat

The presence on the island of Queen Victoria, at Osbourne House, and her Poet Laureate, Tennyson, drew eminent Victorians to the island. Darwin and Thackeray lived here for a time. The main picture is of Tennyson's home, at Freshwater: Farringford House, now a lovely hotel. The building was begun early in C19th but was later embellished with the gothic detail you will see in rooms, particularly around the doorways and windows. You can stop here for coffee or a drink, and you can wander into some of the public rooms where memorabilia and paintings of the poet and his entourage are well displayed. http://www.farringford.co.uk/Nearby, at Freshwater bay, is another gothic building, Dimbola Lodge, home of the photographer, Julia Margaret Cameron, with whom it is said Tennyson had an affair. The building is open ot the public. On the other side of Farringford House, on the road to Yarmouth,...

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The Solent Sea Forts RN History Museum

by budapest8

By the time the forts had been completed, the "invasion" scare had long since passed and although the forts were armed and re-armed as technology advanced, they were never needed in the capacity in which they had been planned for. Even though they were armed during the First World War, two were used as naval signal stations and a line of concrete blocks and piles protected the coast and harbour from enemy attack. After suffering years of neglect, there was not a great role for the forts during the Second World War either. They were not able to support heavy anti-aircraft guns for general air defence. However, they were brought to war-readiness for the seizure of French warships anchored off Portsmouth in 1940, after the fall of France. This was the only time that their armament was trained on the targets for which they had been originally built. The seizure was completed with little...

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The Solent Sea Forts RN History Museum

by budapest8

With the advances in steam propulsion, defence policy of old, where warships could maintain a close blockade on enemy ports, was no longer viable. Additionally, advances in ordnance manufacture had improved range and accuracy, giving an enemy the chance of bombarding coastlines from the sea and out of the range of coast defences. The government set up a Royal Commission into the issues and their conclusions were that a ring of new detached sea forts should be constructed. The conclusions were debated in Parliament and the Fortifications Act passed in 1860. However, two of the forts, including Spitbank were struck from the plans but under pressure, they were re-instated two years later.The forts were designed by Captain E H Steward, who was part of the staff of the Assistant Inspector General of Fortifications, Colonel W F D Jervois. The ironwork and shields were designed separately by...

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The Solent Sea Forts RN History Museum

by budapest8

From the Royal Naval Museum Library, 2005The information in this fact sheet is correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the library for a bibliography of further reading materials, if available INFORMATION SHEET NO 88.SOLENT FORTSThe four Solent forts were built for the protection of Portsmouth and it's harbour from sea attack and bombardment. The most likely "enemy" was the French. At the same time, land forts in Gosport and Portsdown were also built to counteract any other land or sea attack. They were never used in anger and have become known locally as "Palmerston's Follies" after the Prime Minister of the time. Horse-Sands, No Mans Land and St Helen's were constructed between 1865-80. Spitbank was started two years later in 1867. Another fort, on Ryde Sand, was abandoned...

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Isle of Wight Forts

by budapest8

Forts on the Isle of WightIn the late 1850s onwards, following the threatened invasion from France, several forts were also built on the Isle of Wight. These include: * Old Needles Battery - a museum owned by the National Trust. * New Needles Battery - also owned by the National Trust, but as it isn't a pretty cottage that can be used as a picture on the front of a box of fudge they don't care about it. * Hatherwood Point Battery * Warden Point Battery * Fort Albert - now flats. * Cliff End Battery * Fort Victoria - contains a planetarium, Britain's largest model railway, an aquarium, sunken History Museum and a large country park. * Golden Hill Fort - put up for sale in January 2002 - asking price: £1,000,000. * Freshwater Redoubt - a very nice café. * Bouldner Battery * Sandown Barrack Battery - now part of the Battery Gardens park, with the Barracks now part of the Heights swimming...

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Palaces on the Isle of Wight

by budapest8

Palaces on the Isle of WightThere have also been Palaces on the Island as well. In the 1790s, two castles were built at East Cowes. One was called East Cowes Castle and was more of a mansion than a castle; it should not be confused with the original castle. It was built by John Nash, the famous architect who designed Regent Street and Regent's Park in London. Sadly, it no longer exists.The other, Norris Castle, does still exist. It is a romantic castle featuring both square and round towers. Although designed as an imitation castle and not a real one, it is still impressive, especially with the enormous cellars below, and the spectacular sea view.They were palaces for the wealthy, and not royalty, yet there is a Royal Palace in the form of Osborne House. Queen Victoria (1837 - 1901), despite having Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Brighton Pavilion to live in, did not rate any...

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The Isle of Wight Castles and forts--Cowes

by budapest8

Cowes CastleCowes Castle, on the other hand, has a long and distinctive history involved in yachting, being the home of the Royal Yacht Squadron. It was from Cowes Castle that the original America's Cup in 1851 started. Only once did it fire its guns in anger: during the English Civil War in 1642. The canon now begins the races that take place there, including the Admiral's Cup and the Round-the-Island Yacht Race. In 1650, Sir William D'Avenant was held in Cowes Castle. He was the godson of William Shakespeare and was Poet Laureate after Ben Jonson, and rumours at the time suggested that he was Shakespeare's son, .There are three ways to enter the Royal Yacht Squadron's headquarters: 1. Be royalty. 2. Be a multi-millionaire who owns several yachts and knows how to sail them. 3. Be able to sail to the local standard.However, the local standard not only includes Ellen MacArthur MBE, but...

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Fun things to do in Isle of Wight

Top 3 Hotels in Isle of Wight

The Channel View Hotel  Shanklin

 1 Review and 68 Opinions  We have just returned from a most excellent stay in this hotel, excellent in ALL respects. The... 

 Hotels in Shanklin

Channel View Hotel  Sandown

 1 Review and 67 Opinions  Unfortunately I received a very nasty bout of food poisoning whilst staying at this hotel. I missed... 

 Hotels in Sandown

Lakeside Park Hotel  Ryde

 135 Opinions

 Hotels in Ryde

200 Hotels in Isle of Wight
 
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Reviews and photos of Isle of Wight attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Isle of Wight sightseeing.

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Things to Do: Cities in Isle of Wight
  1. Sandown Things to Do
  2. Ryde Things to Do
  3. Freshwater Things to Do
  4. Newport Things to Do
  5. Yarmouth Things to Do

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Questions and Answers

northeast80 profile photo

Q:  Hi All Has anyone ever cycled round the Isle of Wight? I've found a few routes and wondered if anyone had any suggestions. We... 

puerto_lover profile photo

A: IOW is a brilliant place to explore and especially out of school holiday season. I don't think it matters which way round you go as it is a circle and sooner or later you... 

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