WB Web Sample Chapter History S2

© The Wight Book Ltd 2019
First published in the UK by The Wight Book Ltd 2019
ISBN 978-1-9160603-0-2
Published and Distributed by The Wight Book Ltd
East Quay, Kite Hill, Wootton Bridge, Isle of Wight, PO33 4LA
www.thewightbook.co.uk
Designed by Brian Marriott
Creative Design Production by Crossprint, Isle of Wight
Photo Editor Ben Wood
Copy Writing by Anmarie Bowler, Nicola Kearton and Roz Whistance
Print and Binding Consultant, Timothy J Sell
Printed in the UK by Holbrooks Printers Ltd
Norway Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO3 5HX
Case binding in the UK by Latimer Trend and Company Ltd
Slip case produced in the UK by Pollard Boxes Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by
any information retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher.
The authors and photographers represented in this book have asserted their
moral rights under the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
Every precaution has been taken by the publisher to verify the information in this book
at the time of publication. However, the publisher takes no responsibility for errors or
omissions. Nor does the publisher accept any liability for damages claimed to
have resulted from use of the information contained in this book.
The designers, photographers and writers of The Wight Book have made a balanced
judgement on the content that is selective and cannot hope to represent all the talent,
inventiveness and dedication within the business and community sectors of the Island.
We started this project on the understanding that there would be no advertising or politics,
and that everyone should be proud to be involved. A big thank you to all our sponsors
without whom this independent publication would not have been possible.

A Celebration of the Isle of Wight

CONTENTS
5
6 THE VISION
8 FREEDOM OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT
10 THE UK’S SOUTH ISLAND
12 WIGHT BOOK PHOTOGRAPHERS
14 A FASCINATING HISTORY
28 CULTURAL HERITAGE
34 STUNNING LANDSCAPES
48 ECOLOGY AND THE NATURAL WORLD
54 INFRASTRUCTURE – EMBRACING CHANGE
64 COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA
68 THE PLAYGROUND OF THE SOUTH
82 SAILING CENTRE OF THE WORLD
96 GREAT WIGHT EVENTS
112 SPIRIT OF INNOVATION
120 PROGRESSIVE INDUSTRIES
132 ISLE OF WIGHT ENTREPRENEURS
142 ECOLUTION – THE GREEN SOLUTION
146 CREATIVITY AT THE HEART OF THE ISLAND
160 A HOLIDAY LIFESTYLE
170 NATURAL ASSETS
182 DINING THE WIGHT
190 A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
198 A PLACE TO LIVE
212 A PLACE TO DO BUSINESS
220 A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
228 THE ULTIMATE WELLNESS TONIC
238 THE FUTURE
240 CONNECT
242 THE WIGHT BOOK TEAM
246 PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS
247 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
248 THE WIGHT BOOK SPONSORS
250 INDEX

THE VISION
BEHIND THE WIGHT BOOK

The Wight Book is a result of the creativity of talented, hard-working Island people, drawn together by
the belief that the Isle of Wight is a remarkable place to live, work and play.
Some years ago, I had an idea to make a film and to create a high-quality book to celebrate what
is best about the Isle of Wight, what it excels at now, along with its aspirations for the future. Part
advocacy and part artwork, The Wight Book is the realisation of that dream. Brian Marriott, my
co-author, and I intended the book to be produced independently of any institution, showcasing the
Island in pictures, words and opinions by people who care about its unique environment and sense
of community. We wanted to present our history, innovative DNA and cultural flair – in particular
our excellence in food production, opportunities for business and growing potential for quality in
architecture and housing.
Everyone who has contributed to this book deserves my congratulations on a job well done. Thanks
go to the photographers who captured the awe-inspiring images, to the local authors who wrote the
captivating forewords and the editorial staff who have helped to bring this book together. Thanks go to
the sponsors who have enabled this project to take place and to all those now involved in promoting
the book. Their names are included within the acknowledgment section of this book.
Christopher Scott
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
A labour of love …
Chris Scott said to me: “Brian, can you design a book about everything that’s great about the Island?” I
accepted the invitation as it appealed to me immensely – my whole working life has been engaged in
the creative industries. But as I started planning the content I slowly became aware of the enormity of
the task I had accepted. My conceptual layouts evolved into 22 sections covering most aspects of what
makes the Island “great”. It has also become a visual journey of what we hold as precious to us. This
book could not have been achieved without the support of a great team of professionals who have all
embraced the challenge, volunteering their time, skills and knowledge of this unique Island.
Brian Marriott
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
You never know what will pop into your inbox!
When I first received Chris and Brian’s formative ideas on The Wight Book, I was taken aback. It initially
felt too big, too ambitious to pull off. At the same time, it was the scale of the project that appealed
and I felt sure I didn’t want it to go ahead without me, so it didn’t take me long to sign up. That was
two years ago and if anything, the aspiration and breadth of the book has escalated as we head off
to the printers. To be fair my role as photo editor has been pretty straightforward. We are blessed on
the Island with many fine photographers and once we had settled on our team of 10, the book began
to take shape very quickly. Many of the photographers I’d admired from afar, so it’s been a great
experience to get to know them better and to go through their archives selecting the photography to
illustrate Brian’s 22 chapters. This book is a one-off, a never-to-be-repeated snapshot of life on the
Island in 2019. I hope you enjoy reading and re-reading The Wight Book. There are so many things that
make the Isle of Wight “great”.
Ben Wood

FREEDOM
OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT
As a tribute to certain outstanding individuals for their dedicated
services to the Island, the Isle of Wight Council bestows the title of
“Honorary Freeman of the Isle of Wight”.
The Isle of Wight Rifles was granted honorary Freedom in 2018, for
its “distinguished record” and acknowledged “bond of friendship”
between the soldiers and the people of the Island for over 100 years.
Members of the troop took part in the Gallipoli campaign in 1915.
In 2019 Dr Desmond Murphy was also bestowed with the honour
because of his vital role in the establishment and development of
the Mountbatten Hospice through his clinical leadership.

9
Dame Ellen MacArthur
made a Freeman in 2008
Christopher Bland
made a Freeman in 2008
Anthony Minghella
made a Freeman in 2008
Mary Ellis
made a Freeman in 2017
In landlocked Derbyshire at age four,
Ellen MacArthur dreamed of being a
sailor. Aged 28 she broke the record
for the fastest solo circumnavigation
of the globe in 2005. She was the
youngest woman in history ever to
make the voyage.
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust was
launched in 2003, offering sailing trips
that support young people in their
recovery from cancer, helping them to
rebuild confidence and engage with
life after treatment.
Sailing made Ellen acutely aware of
the finite nature of the resources that
she had on her boat, and she later
took her hardest decision: to use
her current fame to retire from
sailing in order to influence the way
the world thinks about reuse and
recycling. From Cowes she set up
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation
and works globally to promote
“the circular economy”, minimising
waste and making the most
of resources.
Describing himself as an inveterate
tinkerer with things mechanical,
Christopher Bland was chairman of
Hovertravel, working for the firm for
45 years. After National Service he
served an apprenticeship for Rolls-
Royce in Crewe and was sent to the
Isle of Wight to persuade engineering
firm Britten-Norman to buy RR
engines for the CC2 Hovercraft. He
then worked for Britten-Norman
and founded Hovertravel, which
offered a cross-Solent service from
Ryde to Southsea. He also founded
Hoverwork and ensured that both
companies became world leaders in
manufacturing.
He “crossed the floor” to become a
director of Red Funnel; was on the
Prisons Board and was Chairman
of the Health Authority. He became
High Sheriff of the Island in 1988, and
in 1995 was asked to become Lord
Lieutenant. He is known for driving
a Bond-style Aston Martin DB and
flying his Tiger Moth above his
West Wight home.
Brought up over his parents’ café in
Ryde, Anthony Minghella became
a playwright and acclaimed film
director. Perhaps his destiny was
shaped by the nightly soundtracks
of films booming into his bedroom
from the adjacent cinema. Certainly,
he always retained a great affection
for the Isle of Wight. The stamp he
put on his films was gentle and
intense, and he ultimately won nine
Oscars, including Best Picture and
Best Director, as well as the Academy
Award for Best Director for his film The
English Patient. He oversaw the music
of all his films, which included the
glorious Truly, Madly, Deeply, starring
Alan Rickman.
He was appointed a CBE in 2001 – a
step just below knighthood – in the
Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
He died following an operation in
2008, at the age of just 54.
As one of the few woman members of
the Air Transport Auxiliary, Mary Ellis
delivered around 1,000 Spitfires and
Wellington bombers to RAF airfields
during the Second World War. Flying
solo, and equipped only with a
compass, stopwatch and map, she
was often asked on her arrival: “Where
is the pilot?” Her work, risky and often
dangerous, meant that squadrons
always had aircraft to fight against
Nazi Germany.
As well as blazing the trail for
women RAF pilots, Mary went on
to become Europe’s first woman
air commandant. She managed
Sandown Airport for 20 years,
founding the Isle of Wight Aero Club
and inspiring other women to learn to
fly. She was granted Freedom of the
Isle of Wight in 2017, aged 100, and
died the same year.

PEAKE VIEWING: BRITISH ASTRONAUT TIM
PEAKE CAPTURED THIS PHOTOGRAPH OF THE
ISLE OF WIGHT FROM SPACE, ONE OF THE FIRST
BRITISH ASTRONAUT TIM PEAKE SNAPPED THIS
PICTURES HE TOOK DURING HIS OPERATION ON
INCREDIBLE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT FROM
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE. THIS WAS ONE SPACE OF THE STATION FIRST PICTURES IN 2016. THE
IT CLEARLY ASTRONAUT SHOWS TOOK THE DURING ISLAND’S HIS OPERATION ENVIABLE ON THE
RATIO INTERNATIONAL OF COUNTRYSIDE SPACE TO STATION TOWN. IN 2016.

THE UK’S SOUTH ISLAND
11
The largest island in England has been popular with holidaymakers since Victorian times, but
while its tourist credentials are long established, in other matters it was rather late coming
to the party. Vectis, as the Island was known, was one of the last places in the British Isles for
Christianity to take hold, and it was a pagan place of fear and dread when priest Eoppa arrived at
St Helens to enlighten the population in 661 AD.
The Island measures 37km east to
west and 21km north to south
It has an area of 380 km 2
Half of the Island is designated as an
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
It had a population in 2017
of approximately 141,000
The actual formation of the Isle of Wight is comparatively recent. It separated from the mainland
less than 10,000 years ago, and is the second largest English island by population, with 141,000
residents. It is one of the smallest ceremonial counties – though some claim it is larger than
Rutland when the tide is out.
There’s a certain sense of “so near but yet so far” about the Island that is both a blessing and
a curse to Islanders. Forget “as the crow flies”, modern-day “crow” Google Maps can be just as
insensitive to the implications of water when finding your nearest garage or Sainsbury’s. At its
narrowest point it is approximately 4km from “the North Island”; Ryde is 9km from Portsmouth
and Cowes 17km from Southampton. Newport in the centre is 120km from London. At least the
distancing by water and ferry has helped to preserve a uniquely attractive Island lifestyle,
which doesn’t require a passport. (You heard it here first.)
As one of its most famous 19th-century visitors wrote, “this Island is a little
paradise” – and that’s something we can all agree with Karl Marx about.
45km of the Island’s 110km of
coastline is designated as
Heritage Coast
The highest point on the Island is
St Boniface Down – approximately
241m in height
The Island has a single MP making
it one of the largest constituencies
in the UK
The Island has three principal rivers,
two of which have the
same name … Yar!
Yarmouth is the smallest
town in England
Bembridge is the largest “village”
in the UK

WIGHT BOOK PHOTOGRAPHERS
Thanks to our ten photographers and the many people who contributed their photographs
to this book. Without their generous help The Wight Book would just be white!
12
Stephanie Mackrill
Nick Edwards
Peter Mumford
Holly Jolliffe
Christian Beasley
I feel privileged to have a
job I love here. I moved
away from my press
photography roots to
concentrate on image
quality and build a career
at home. I continue to be
amazed at big business
on the Island, which has
enabled me to work hard
commercially. The Island
is the perfect backdrop
for me to specialise in
commercial lifestyle
and portraiture.
Since moving to the
Island in the 1980s, I
have mixed commercial
photography with a
career as a professional
engineer and ex-naval
officer. Now semi-retired,
I provide Cowes RNLI with
general PR photography.
I am currently working
on long-term projects
with commercial clients,
involving wildlife, marine
and coastal subjects.
I am one of 13 Brits to
be shortlisted in the
2019 Sony World
Photography Awards.
The sea has dominated
my entire professional
life. I was a commercial
diver then became a
shipbroker on the Baltic
International Shipping
Exchange. I returned to
the Island 25 years ago
to pursue my interests in
photography and sailing,
working as a marine
photographer. Operating
afloat from Cowes, I have
photographed thousands
of yachts and other craft
at the many regattas and
rallies. My work is featured
in the chapter: Sailing
Centre of the World.
After a decade of living
and working in London,
I returned in 2011 to
my home town, Ryde.
It’s been fantastic to
reconnect, to continue
the job I love but in a
greener, more beautiful
environment. My work for
Island clients consists of
interiors, still life, products
and food for editorial, PR
and web content. I work
on location and in my
garden studio.
I started taking
photography seriously
in 2012 when I joined
a camera club. It was
the weekly critiquing of
pictures that taught me
the visual language of
images. Photography
is now my passion and
my living, with much of
my work focusing on the
natural beauty of the
Island and its wildlife,
including its red squirrels,
for my pictures and
greetings cards.
www.stephaniemackrill.com
www.wightseen.co.uk
www.mumfordimages.com
www.hollyjolliffe.co.uk
www.beautifulwight.co.uk

For specific page credits for each
photographer see page 246.
13
Jason Swain
Gary Wallis
Julian Winslow
Neil Williams
Ben Wood
I feel very fortunate
to work as a full-time
photographer on this
fantastic island. It’s the
meeting of land and
sea along the beautiful
coastlines, and all the
activity that flourishes
between them that
provides my daily
inspiration. My work is
all about capturing the
ever-changing weather
and light, as well as
documenting the homes,
businesses and lifestyles
of the people who
live here.
I first learnt photography
at Sandown High School,
before Art College in
London where I stayed.
I’ve used many Island
locations for commercial
fashion assignments
for The Independent
Magazine, The Evening
Standard and various
clothing brands. I moved
back in 2011: I still work
in London but also on the
Island for Liz Earle, West
Bay Spa and Style of Wight
amongst others.
I’m an Islander born and
raised. Photography has
been my profession for
the last 13 years and has
taken me around the
world, but I never tire
of exploring the Island’s
places and people. My
latest personal work
explores this through
photographing places
where I played and
frequented as a child, and
the way the landscape has
shaped my experience
and become part of
who I am.
I never studied
photography formally
but was given a decent
camera for my 21st
birthday and went from
there. I had a portrait
studio in London, but
landscape photography
is my passion and once
I’d discovered the Island
there was no going back.
I show my eclectic work
in my seafront gallery in
Ventnor, where I happily
tell the story of the
photographs to visitors.
Anna and I first came
to the Isle of Wight in
1999 for part of our
honeymoon and decided
to relocate from London
there and then. As a
location photographer
specialising in
architecture, landscapes
and marine work the
Island has given me an
endless supply of subject
matter, dramatic lighting
and creative inspiration.
I can’t think of a better
place to be a professional
photographer.
www.jasonswain.co.uk
www.wallispictures.com
www.julianwinslow.com
www.neilwilliams.co.uk
www.islandimages.co.uk

PROFESSOR PAUL RICHARDSON
I studied history at Cambridge, and wrote
my first book, Britain, Europe and the
Modern World, in 1968. Subsequently
I worked as a publisher and academic
and have written on many subjects from
Chinese symbolism to the early history of
erotic photography. Moving to the Island
in 2002, I developed a keen interest in its
traditions and history. In 2017 my wife
Jo and I established Foreland Books, with
our first publication being her The Isle
of Wight Feast of Food and Drink.
Trail Blazers: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s
attachment to Osborne House led the great, the good
and the ordinary to discover the Island for themselves

A FASCINATING HISTORY
Every new arrival has left their mark, says Professor Paul Richardson as he
surveys the Island’s past – from when Wight wasn’t yet an Island to its
hostile invaders, Victorian celebrities and today’s festival-goers
15
The Isle of Wight has
played a greater part
in the nation’s history
than might be expected from
a scrap of land of less than
400km square. The evidence
is there in rocks, churches,
houses – you just need to
know where to look.
Before it was an island …
“Dinosaur Island” is a misnomer
since its rich finds of dinosaur
remains date back over 100
million years, while the Wight
emerged as an island less than
10,000 years ago. Humans had
arrived before that and excavated
artefacts, suggesting continuous
habitation from the Stone Age to
the arrival of the Romans.
The Age of Invasions …
The Roman invasion of 43 AD
was the start of four centuries
of peaceful occupation and
agricultural development,
evidenced by sites of Roman
villas, unearthed across the
Island. The Roman withdrawal
was followed by waves of
Norse invaders, with the pagan
Jutes in the sixth century being
conquered in the seventh by the
Anglo-Saxons from Wessex, who
massacred many Islanders and
converted the rest to Christianity
at sword point. The 10th and 11th
centuries saw numerous raids by
the Vikings, who left evidence of
their presence in archaeological
remains and in some place
names. The final successful
“invasion”, the Norman Conquest,
is more visible historically, in
churches, fortifications and
settlements.
Defence of the Realm …
From Norman times to the 20th
century the Island was critically
positioned to prevent invasion
from the Continent. The great
castle at Carisbrooke developed
as the power base for the Island’s
Governors. The Island suffered
attacks by the French during the
Middle Ages and Tudor times,
and Henry VIII undertook a major
programme of coastal fortification.
The Spanish Armada sailed by
and a major French attack in 1777
was aborted. But in the mid-19th
century Palmerston undertook
his massive defence programme
of fortifications around the South
Coast, including the Solent Forts.
In the Second World War the
Island was a radar base. It was
key to the Normandy landings for
invasion training, and with the
PLUTO (Pipeline Under The
Ocean: the oil supply line under
the Channel) submerging at
Shanklin. A brief incursion by a
German raiding party was hushed
up, but the Island did suffer
numerous air raids.
The Age of the Visitors …
The Island also attracted many
peaceful visitors over the same
centuries, but it really became
popular when Queen Victoria
and Prince Albert built their
favourite home, Osborne House.
The mild climate and charming
environment brought the great
and good, such as Tennyson and
Dickens, while Ventnor became
something of a safe haven for
continental revolutionaries: the
Italian liberator Garibaldi was
welcomed to the Island with
more enthusiasm than was the
Queen, much to her chagrin. Into
the 21st century the Island has
gradually transformed from an
old-style seaside destination to a
place of boutique hotels, celebrity
weddings and festivals.
Anglo-Saxons from
Wessex massacred
many Islanders and
converted the rest to
Christianity at
sword point
The Local History …
Alongside the national history of
warfare, monarchs and famous
visitors, the Island has had a local
history that has preserved so
much of its charm to the present
day. Its varied geology along with
the benign climate explains its
agricultural success, which has
produced farming dynasties,
delightful manor houses and
churches. Then there is the sea.
The Island’s seafaring heritage
has led to its marine, aviation and
modern high-tech industries. On
the darker side is a long tradition
of piracy, wreckers and smuggling
everything from brandy to
narcotics!
The Future History …
The Island has its own very
particular character. There has
periodically been suspicion
of “change”, dating from the
adoption of Christianity (allegedly
the last place in England to do so)
or the growing of turnips to feed
sheep (100 years after Norfolk).
Many common Island surnames,
Attrill, Squibb and Woodford, date
back centuries. The distinction
between caulkheads (at least
third-generation Islanders),
overners (permanent migrants
from “the North Island”) and
grockles (holiday visitors and
festival goers) remains, but the
Island culture is extraordinarily
open to outsiders.
It has also proved to be
exceptionally successful in
embracing innovation, whilst
retaining the characteristics that
define its special lifestyle. It is
no accident that the Island has
featured in fiction and film as
the location for post-apocalyptic
regeneration – remember The Day
of the Triffids? Hopefully it will not
come to that, but the Island could
be a model for a greener, gentler
yet thoroughly modern society.
A FASCINATING HISTORY

A FASCINATING HISTORIC TIMELINE
16
100m+ years ago
50,000+ years ago
The age of the dinosaurs
Old Stone Age - first hominids arrive
c10,000 - 4,500 BC
Permanent human occupation
- hunter-gatherers
c7 - 6,000 BC
The Island created
c3,000 BC
c1,500 BC
New Stone Age
- farming and trade
Bronze Age burial mounds
c750 BC
Iron Age remains
85 BC
43 AD
Invasion of the Belgae;
wine comes to the Island!
Roman general Vespasian
conquers the Island
410
c530
Romans withdraw from Britain
Jutes occupy the Island
9th century
Viking raids
686
Saxons take the Island
and impose Christianity
c1000
Saxon fort at Carisbrooke
1066
c1100
Norman castle built in Carisbrooke
Norman Conquest; Wight a
semi-autonomous fiefdom
1132
1293
The original Quarr Abbey built
Wight sold back to King Edward I
1377
Newtown, Newport and Yarmouth pillaged by the French
1536
Dissolution of the monasteries including Quarr
1545
Sinking of the Marie Rose; last attempted French invasion

17
1647-8
Charles I imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle
1809
A prison hulk in the Medina;
the prisons came a bit later
1833
The Yacht Club (1815) becomes the Royal Yacht Squadron
1851
The first America’s Cup
1890
The Island becomes an administrative county
1897
Marconi’s first commercial wireless
message from Alum Bay
1912
The new Quarr Abbey constructed
1952-60
Closure of most of the railways
1965-71
Rocket tests at the Needles
1968-70
The first Festivals;
Jimi Hendrix appears
August 1970
2016
Isle of Wight Day established
1777-8
Aborted major French invasion
1814
Ryde Pier constructed;
other piers came 1870s onwards
1820
Isle of Wight Steam Packet service
to Portsmouth
1832
Great Reform Bill;
Island MPs reduced from six to two
(then one)
1843
Blackgang Chine becomes a tourist attraction
1845
Victoria and Albert buy the Osborne estate
1850s/60s
Solent Forts and Palmerston fortifications; Needles Battery
1862
Cowes to Newport railway, the first in the Island network
1886
Solent tunnel proposed
1901
Queen Victoria dies at Osborne House
1940/42
Major air raids on Ventnor and Cowes
1944
Key role for the Island in the D-Day invasion
1965-79
Lord Mountbatten Governor and
Lord Lieutenant of the Island
1974
The Island becomes a ceremonial county
2002
The Festival revived

Northcourt House

IF WALLS COULD TALK ...
19
Carisbrooke Castle
In 1262, upon the death of her brother
the 7th Earl of Devon, Isabella de
Fortibus inherited the Lordship of the
Isle of Wight. She became the richest
woman in England, living most of her
days in Carisbrooke Castle. The Castle
served as a prison to Charles I before
he was tried and executed in 1649.
It was also the home to many of the
Island’s Governors.
Appuldurcombe House
Considered an English Baroque
architectural gem, Appuldurcombe
House began its life as home to the
Worsley Family and was once the
grandest house on the Isle of Wight.
In time, it came to be owned by Sir
Richard Worsley, 7th baronet, who
found a kind of fame when, in a
1782 court case, his wife admitted to
having 27 lovers.
Osborne House
Prince Albert and architect Thomas
Cubitt designed Osborne House, near
Cowes. Queen Victoria affectionately
referred to her husband as “Albert the
Creator”, but his vision would become
known as the “Osborne style”, and
influenced architecture throughout
the British Empire.
Newtown Town Hall
Newtown, once a major port,
was a prime example of a “rotten
borough” with 23 voters returning
two MPs until the Great Reform Act.
Dating from 1699, Newtown Old Town
Hall was saved in 1933 by the allfemale
Ferguson’s Gang who grabbed
headlines with the bizarre stunts they
employed when delivering muchneeded
funds to The National Trust.

Quarr Abbey
A Benedictine monastery outside
Ryde built in 1911-12. Architect
and monk Dom Paul Bellot chose
inexpensive Belgian bricks but he
recessed and castellated the humble
brick, recalling Moorish influences
and creating highly-faceted, lightreflecting
spaces ideal for prayer
and contemplation. It stands next
to the ruins of the original abbey
destroyed during the dissolution of
the monasteries in 1536.
The Roman Villa
Brading’s Roman Villa is located at the
foot of a chalk scarp. The archaeology
of the site shows that prehistoric
people were active here from at least
3000 BC. An award-winning Visitor
Centre and Museum offer unique
insights; the magnificently-preserved
mosaic floors, in particular, lay a
compelling civilisation at visitors’ feet.
DURING THE ROMAN
OCCUPATION, THE ISLE
OF WIGHT WAS KNOWN
AS VECTIS. MANY
ORGANISATIONS STILL
USE THE NAME TODAY

Nunwell House
This historic country house in Brading was occupied by the same family from
Norman times until the 1980s. Most famous in the family is Sir John Oglander,
a member of the House of Commons from 1625 to 1629, best remembered as a
diarist. His household accounts at Nunwell evolved into a personal diary that at
times of great private angst was written in Sir John’s own blood.
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Palmerston’s Follies
Commissioned in the 1860s by Prime Minister Lord Palmerston, this group of
sea forts was built to defend against invasion by Napoleon III. Fifteen years in
the making, the threat subsided by the time the forts were complete and they
became known as Palmerston’s Follies. Today two of these monuments to
Victorian engineering have been transformed into unique luxury hotels.

Peerless
The oldest and second longest of its kind, Ryde Pier celebrated its 200th birthday
in 2014. This gateway to the Island is brought to life in author Philip Norman’s
memoir Babycham Night. With longing and melancholy he recalls growing up on
the end of Ryde Pier, where his family owned a pub and attractions in the 1950s.
23

Sea and Society
While the Edwardians introduced yachting as sport for the elite classes, it was the
Victorians who made sport of seeing and being seen – often on the Isle of Wight.
Ferries allowed people to become seaside holidaymakers, while an enviable
rail network that crisscrossed the Island encouraged exploration. There was
even a ferry service from Ryde to Bembridge. In 1826 the Royal Yacht Squadron
introduced yacht racing to its annual regatta and soon it would become not just
a competitive sport but a definitive social scene. Known today as Cowes Week,
it remains one of the foremost events on the international yachting calendar
welcoming 100,000 people to its festivities each year. Today the RYS is honoured
to call Queen Elizabeth its Patron and Prince Philip its Admiral.
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THE ISLAND’S HIDDEN HEROES
It’s no surprise to those of us who live here that the Isle of Wight is a very special place.
What may give us pause is the number of people who have achieved innovative,
life-changing or awe-inspiring feats whilst on the Island
The Isle of Wight Hidden
Heroes Project shines a light
on these remarkable people,
telling the story of the Island
from the Dinosaur Age
through to the Facebook Era.
They might not be “heroes”
in the life-saving sense of the
word, but rather people who
have innovated, held seats of
power during difficult times,
inspired those around them
or they were just someone
who did things differently.
The project delves into the
past to bring them to life.
The campaign was designed
to reintroduce residents to
the incredible collection of
museums and galleries on the
Isle of Wight and strengthen a
sense of pride in the place we
live. The audience-engagement
programme was funded by Arts
Council England as part of the
larger Resilience Project.
The Hidden Heroes website
gives more details about the
seven headline heroes, others
nominated by experts from the
museums and galleries across
the Island, as well as those
nominated by members of
the public.
iwhiddenheroes.org.uk
Reverend William Fox
It all starts with dinosaurs
When Reverend William D Fox wasn’t
helping the local vicar, he spent
much of his days hunting for what he
referred to as “old dragons” on the Isle
of Wight’s beaches.
He discovered more species of
dinosaur than anybody else in the UK
and has more dinosaurs named after
him than any other Englishman. His
legacy – his fossil collection of over
500 specimens – was donated to the
Natural History Museum and is still
used today for study and reference.
Not a professional scientist, Fox could
well be history’s best example of a
very knowledgeable amateur fossil
collector. Over the years, his daily
excursions along the cliff paths and
beaches of West Wight yielded many
significant new fossil finds, including
Polacanthus foxii, Aristosuchus and
Hypsilophodon foxii.
Fox showed the importance of
amateur fossil hunting and collecting,
which is still accessible to all –
amazing new fossil discoveries are
being found every day on the Isle of
Wight. He is buried in the graveyard at
St Mary’s Church, Brighstone.
King Arwald
Last Jutish King
The Isle of Wight is known for
being fiercely independent and has
developed a sense of identity that
sets it apart from mainland thinking.
It’s probably not a surprise to find out
that in the early Middle Ages, while
the rest of England’s inhabitants had
been converted to Christianity at
sword-point, the Wightwarians, as
they were known at the time, were
still independently pagan. Arwald was
the last Jutish king to rule the Isle of
Wight.
The Romans had abandoned the
Island long ago, and from around
530AD, the Jutes, a people who had
migrated from Northern Denmark,
lived and ruled on the Isle of Wight.
King after king was toppled, until a
man called Arwald found himself in
control around the late 600s. King
Arwald presided over 300 families,
thought to be around 1,200 people.
In 686AD, Arwald died defending the
Island from merciless Anglo-Saxon
barbarians. His loss led to the Island’s
conversion to Christianity – the last
place in the England to convert.
Isabella de Fortibus
Our “Lady of the Isle”
Not many people can claim to have
owned an island and lived in a castle.
But in the 13th century a feisty, young,
single noblewoman suddenly found
herself with wealth and power thrust
upon her after she inherited the Isle of
Wight and moved into her new home,
Carisbrooke Castle.
Her name was Isabella de Fortibus and
she was known as the “Lady of the
Isle”. She was the Business Dragon of
her day, a strong-minded leader who,
together with her team of influential
legal and financial advisers, managed
the towns, forests and manor houses
on the Island.
In 1293, on her deathbed Isabella was
forced to sell the Island to Edward I,
but she’ll be remembered as an
amazing example of a powerful and
passionate woman who truly loved
the Isle of Wight. Isabella was the last
independent person with the title of
“Lord of the Isle of Wight” and she
held onto a strategically important
place at a time when England was
worried about a French invasion.

Julia Margaret Cameron
Pioneering photographer
Only receiving her first camera at
the age of 48 – a present from her
daughter after moving to the Isle of
Wight from London – who could have
known that this mother of five would
have such an impact on photography
and still be revered 150 years later?
In a scene then dominated by
men, Julia Margaret Cameron was
responsible for turning photography
into an art form, experimenting with
soft focus and pioneering the first
photographic close-up portraits.
She went on to inspire generations
of photographers, and to this day,
exhibitions of her work attract
photography disciples from around
the world.
Long before the introduction of
Instagram filters to add effects
to photos, Julia would include
imperfections such as fingerprints and
streaks. Those who chose to criticise
her work claimed this was due to her
technical inadequacies, but many
artists saw her work for what it was …
pure beauty.
Her home in Freshwater now houses
Dimbola Museum and Galleries, with
permanent displays and visiting
exhibitions.
Marion ‘Joe’ Carstairs
“The fastest woman on the water”
Female power-boat racer, Marion
“Joe” Carstairs was once dubbed “the
fastest woman on the water”. Openly
gay, she lived on the Isle of Wight in
the 1920s.
Her love of the water (and of
speed) led “Joe” here when she
commissioned powerboats from
celebrated boatbuilder, Sammy
Saunders. She later went on to set up
her own boat-building yard.
Her right-hand-man was an Isle of
Wight marine mechanic named Joe
Harris. It was said they were devoted
to each other, with the mechanic
sitting alongside “Joe” in every race,
ready to be flung from the boat when
it hit a crashing wave.
During the First World War she had
served with the American Red Cross
driving ambulances across France and
did the same later in Dublin with the
Women’s Legion.
The millionaire heiress (her
grandfather owned Standard Oil) led
an unconventional and eccentric life,
but had an enormous passion and
drive to succeed at any challenge she
set herself, inspiring and touching the
lives of others as she went.
John Ackroyd
Prolific innovator
During his working life, Ryde resident
John Ackroyd has been involved with
some world-leading achievements,
including building the first practical
electric city car (in 1970); designing
and building Thrust2 – the world’s
fastest vehicle at the time – and being
part of the team that created worldbeating
balloons.
John started his working life at
Saunders-Roe as an apprentice,
supplementing his meagre wages
where he could. All the time he was
eagerly gobbling up the skills the
renowned engineering company had
to offer. He was quickly noticed as
a man of strong talents, becoming
involved in ground-breaking projects
of the 1950s such as the earliest mixed
jet and rocket propulsion fighter jets
before working on the Enfield electric
car and Thrust2, both designed and
built on the Island.
John – and the many who worked
with him – are the embodiment of the
truth that anything can be achieved
on the Isle of Wight – and that the
Island is bursting with capability and
creativity.
Andy Stanford Clark
Internet superstar
Andy Stanford-Clark, or Andy SC to his
friends, currently works at the dizzy
height of Chief Technology Officer at
IBM UK – while calling the Back of the
Wight his home.
He’s been innovating since the age
of eight, and is responsible for cocreating
the messaging protocol
(MQTT) that underlies Facebook
Messenger, currently used by over 1.3
billion people a month worldwide.
These days he specialises in the
Internet of Things (IoT) – putting
sensors and tiny computers in pretty
much everything, and having them
chat away to the wider world about
what they’re up to. This might be
a mousetrap to announce that it’s
caught a mouse, or sensors in a car
that send information about wearand-tear
back to the manufacturer,
so they can help make sure it doesn’t
break down. The potential is huge.
Andy is a modern example of one of
the consistent threads that weaves
through Isle of Wight Hidden Heroes –
achieving remarkable things from the
Island by taking a unique, pioneering
approach to solving a problem. In
short, Thinking Differently.