Isle of Wight

Yarmouth Isle of Wight Lewis Topographical Dictionary of England 1845

2009-05-18T15:33:20Z

YARMOUTH (ST. JAMES), a market-town and parish, and formerly a representative borough, in the liberty of WEST MEDINA, Isle of Wight incorporation and division of the county of SOUTHAMPTON, 10 miles (W.) from Newport, and 94 (S. W.) from London, by Portsmouth, and 105 by Southampton; containing 567 inhabitants. This place, which derives its name from its situation on the river Yar, was formerly of much greater extent and importance than it is at present; it suffered severely from attacks of the French, by whom, in the reign of Richard II., it was pillaged and entirely burned, and on two subsequent, occasions it was nearly destroyed by them. The town field, laid out regularly in right angles, though now destitute of buildings, clearly appears to have been originally the site of a part of the town. Yarmouth is situated on a bank sloping to the sea, on the eastern point of land at the mouth of the Yar, and consists of several neat streets, for the most part running east and west: the houses, which are of freestone, are in general well built and of neat appearance, and public baths have been recently established. At its western extremity are a castle and small fort, erected by Henry VIII., the latter occupying the site of a church, or ancient religious house, and consisting of a platform with eight guns, and houses for the garrison.

Chessel Down Isle of Wight Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870

2009-05-09T10:48:03Z

CHESSEL DOWN, an eminence in the Isle of Wight; 6 miles WSW of Newport. An ancient Saxon cemetery here, investigated a few years ago, was found to contain spear-heads, swords, bronze buckets, gilt fibulae, silver spoons, gold rings, and other articles indicating considerable refinement and wealth.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

Chillerton Isle of Wight Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870

2009-05-09T10:47:08Z

CHILLERTON, a hamlet in Carisbrooke and Wootton parishes, Isle of Wight; 3 ¾ miles S by W of Newport. It has a post-office under Newport. Pop., 244. Chillerton vale is a fine narrow gorge intersecting the chalk downs.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

Shepherds Chine Isle of Wight Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870

2009-05-09T10:46:20Z

SHEPHERDS-CHINE, a picturesque chasm in the west coast of the Isle of Wight; 2 ¼ miles SE of Brixton. It began to be formed, in the latter part of last century, by a shepherd’s diverting to its site a rivulet which previously flowed in a channel to the W.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

Needles Cave Isle of Wight Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870

2009-05-09T10:45:33Z

NEEDLES-CAVE, a low gloomy cavern near the W extremity of the Isle of Wight; just within Scratchells bay, in the vicinity of the Needles. It penetrates the cliff to the extent of about 300 feet.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

Needles Isle of Wight Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales Circa 1870

2009-05-09T10:43:00Z

NEEDLES (THE), a group of insulated chalk rocks off the W extremity of the Isle of Wight; flanking Alum bay and the entrance to the Solent, 3 ½ miles SSW of Hurst castle, and 4 ¾ SW of Yarmouth. They originally formed the extreme W point of the middle range of the Isle of Wight downs; they were insulated by the disintegration of the rock in the direction of the strata’s fissures; they have a wedge-shaped form, which resulted from a highly inclined northward dip of their strata; they stretch out seaward, nearly in a straight line with the promontory of which they once formed a part; they will, in course of time, be extended landward, by the insulation, from the headland, of other masses similar to themselves; they are, at present, five in number, though only three rise boldly from the sea; they formerly included a tall, slender, conical pinnacle, about 120 feet high, known as Lot’s wife, which fell in 1764, and the stump of which now forms a dangerous reef; and they took their name of Needles originally from that pinnacle, but may be said to take it now from numerous spirelets which are presented on the profile of their E side.