Isle of Wight

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The Isle of Wight is an English island and county, off the southern English coast, to the south of the county of Hampshire. Popular from Victorian times as a holiday resort, the Isle of Wight is known for its natural beauty and as home to the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes, a town that hosts a world famous annual regatta. The island is the smallest ceremonial county in England. It is also the most densely populated county with a population of around 133,000.

Geography

Isle of Wight is approximately diamond in shape and covers an area of 147 square miles (380 square km). Slightly more than half of the island, mainly in the west of the island, is designated as the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The island has 99.6 square miles of farmland, 20 square miles of developed areas, and 57 miles of coastline. The landscape of the island is remarkably diverse, leading to its oft-quoted description of "England in Miniature". The main rivers are the Medina and the Eastern Yar. The Island is the only place in England where the red squirrel is flourishing, with a stable population.

Industry

The largest industry on the Isle of Wight is tourism There is a strong agricultural sector including sheep, dairy farming and arable crops. One of the most successful agricultural products is crops grown undercover, particularly salad crops, including tomatoes and cucumbers. The Isle of Wight has a longer growing season than much of the United Kingdom and has led to the success of vineyards, including one of the oldest in the British Isles, at. Lavender is also grown for its oil.

History

The island was known to the Romans as Vectis. After the Roman era, the Isle of Wight was settled by the Jutes, and formed a separate Kingdom. Later, in 686, the island was conquered by Wessex and the native royal family was exterminated. The Normans created the title of Lord of the Isle of Wight. The island remained independant of the crown until it was sold by the last Norman Lord to Edward I in 1293. Henry de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, was crowned King of the Isle of Wight by King Henry VI but he died in 1445, aged 22 with no children to succeed him and the Kingdom expired with him.

Places of Interest

Alum Bay, Appuldurcombe House, Arreton Manor, Bembridge Windmill, Blackgang Chine, Botanic Gardens, Carisbrooke Castle, Dimbola Lodge, Dinosaur Isle, Fort Victoria, Godshill Village and Model Village, Golden Hill Fort, Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Mottistone Manor Gardens, Newtown Old Town Hall, Osborne House, Puckpool Park and Puckpool Battery, Quarr Abbey, Robin Hill, Roman villa at Brading, Roman villa at Newport, Sandown, Shorwell, Spithead Fort, St Helens Duver, The Needles, The Old Battery museum and tearoom, Yarmouth Castle .