Brannon's Picture of The Isle of Wight

R'S EXC

-port. But generally, its landscapes are more distinguished for beauty than sublimity, and hence the very appropriate designation of "the Garden of England!" an emphatic compliment cheerfully paid by the thousands annually visiting its shores for pleasure or for health: and perhaps there is scarcely another spot in the kingdom, of the same narrow limits,

rmixtur

groves, of op

ns, villas, castl

ls with ambient

ion court the l

the agitated and boundless Ocean,-as a rapid and magnificent River,-or reposing in all the glassy tranquillity of a spacious land-locked Bay:-now

may seem that we are rather disposed to exaggerate the picture; but not so, as would certainly be attested by every one who had visited the island: for here the scene is ever enriched by magnificent ships of war, innumerable merchant-vessels, and splendid pleasure-yachts, safely lying at anchor or gaily sailing about in every direction; and what moving object in the world can surpass, in

waters of the

, and perhaps several men-of-war, which have put in through distress of weather, or been detained by contrary winds, will all at the same moment weigh anchor at the first favorable change. [Footnote: The glories of the olden time have of late yea

culiar and acknowledged local advantages, but equally so from those adventitious and auxiliary circumstances that are derived from the present rail-road conveyance from the metropolis: and from the shortness and perfect safety of the passage across-being little more than an hour from Southampton, and only half that time from Portsmouth; the former an important m

le retreat to the valetudinarian and nervous invalid: indeed all the alterations which have latterly been made, or are now in progress, tend to soften, embellish, and in point of convenience to improve the face of the country. On this subject however it will be a question with many persons of good taste, whether any of these artificial operations are really improvements upon the native character of the i

the present, to prove the above a

INTS TO

. But allow a full week, and that will suffice to render it a very pleasant trip. If, for example, you come to Southampton, sleep there, or at least tarry a few hours in the examination of it: then take the last steamer to Cowes or Ryde, and sleep there the first night: next morning commence the regular Tour of three days, dining and sleeping twice or thrice at one or other of the inns situated on the rocky side of the island, to enjoy at the same time the more unusual feast of a wide prospect of the sea, and

k of the Island,) being washed by the impetuous tides of the ocean, presents a very different aspect, showing the resistless progress of the waves:-and hence perpendicular cliffs of great altitude, precipitous slopes constantly detaching large masses of earth and rocks, and all the pict

dest charms are

on commanding knolls: and many of the highest hills are adorned by a light-house or signal-station-some lofty obelisk, tower, or mill; so that in every directio

Extent, C

d from the Hampshire coast by a strait called the Solent Sea, varying from three to seven miles in width: and bounded by the British Channel on the south-the nearest part of the French coast being Cherbourg (18 league

nd owing to the dry and highly cultivated face of the country: but it was left to an eminent

ghout the year, for a large class of invalids. On this account, the Isle of Wight claims our particular attention, as it comprehends within itself advantages which are of great value to the delicate invalid, and to obtain which, in almost any other part of Engla

tis: but its modern name is derived from Wect, With, or

d by an isthmus stretching from Gurnet, near Cowes, to Leap, on the Hampshire roas

that stretch lengthways through the middle of the island, abutting the ocean at Freshwater on the west, and Bembridge on the east:-and a still loftier range, variously composed of chalk, firestone, &c.,

own and Wootton.-The Medina, whose source is in the south, and which joins the sea at Cowes, divides the island into two hu

y consequence is carried on (with the exception of the lace-factory near Newport,) Corn being the

elancholy catastrophe of shipwreck; though the danger is now of course diminished by the establishment of Light-houses-especially of the new one near Niton.-Owing to this cause, and to the precipitous nature of the coast itself, the island presents few points favorable to an enemy's landing, and even those were

riculture,

its smallness, easy access, and the various nature of its c

ches long, to an almost impalpable powder; and yet show no other indication of their fracture than very fine lines, until the investing chalk be removed, when they fall at once to pieces! But the separate flints or nodules in the body of the ch

ss the middle of it from east to west; while the strata on each side are horizontal; they consist of ... a very thick stratum of clay and sand (obser

or instance, between Blackgang Chine and the Freshwater Cliffs, the loss of land has been estimated (from the successive removals of paths and hedges,) to exceed 200 feet in breadth in less than a century; while in the neighbourhood of Ryde it is known that the bed of a valley formerly accessible to the sea is now rather above its highest level; and even in 1760, when Fielding visited t

from the quarries of Binstead, the body of Winchester Cathedral was built. All the houses a

s was formerly believed to run through the central downs, and Sir Rt. Worsley actually sunk a shaft for it near Bembridg

xcellent brick-earth abounds in almost every part of the island: common native alum, copperas, specimens of petrifactions, and many curious varieties of sea-weeds

erent,-a stiff clay predominating on the north side, which is extensively covered with wood, while the south side is principally

ough affording a great variety of soil, the island is upon the whole well calculated for farming as may be inferred from its proverbial fertility; "it was many years ago computed to produce as mu

the county: and there is scarcely any peculiarity observable either in the system of Husba

as in fact erased all insular peculiarities. But the following extract from the Memoirs of Sir John

f the Islanders i

was by his command, with a pound of candles hanging att his breech lighted, with bells about his legs, hunted owte of the island; insomuch that owre ancestors lived here so quietly and securely, being neither troubled

owns: and many thousand lambs are annually sent to the London markets. From the improvements effected in Husbandry, there are now nearly suf

nned the timber of the island, which is principally oak and elm, and is found

recorded, a squirrel might have run on the tops of the trees from Gu

ting: many have been killed, but they are still breeding rapidly in the favorable fastnesses of the more rocky and woody districts. Otters too are frequently seen.-Game is abundant, particular attention having been paid to it

who perhaps never heard their unrivaled notes, the opportunity would prove not the least gratifying circumstance in a day's pleasure. On fine

dge: in the latter, the eagle has been known to build its eyry, and in the time of queen Elizabeth they

remely plentiful, small, but peculiarly sweet. Numbers of porpoises are seen rolling along in the Solent Sea and Southampton Water; sharks are frequently observed off the back of the island, and sometimes even the grampus pursuin

graphy an

ngst the most eminent

ard VI, and a zealous protestant, but being induced during the following reign to make a public recantation, hi

he above, was born at Godshill: he shone in divinity and liter

ary: was esteemed, from his extensive eruditio

wers in almost every branch of art and science, was born at Fres

in the reign of Queen Anne: he headed Sir George Rooke's squadron in the attack on Vigo harbour, where a numerous

he local history, though the annals of a small dependent isle li

ave been mentioned in the national history, had it not been for the imprisonment of fallen royalty in the case of Charles I. Its situation certainly exposed it to the attacks of Danish pirates, and subsequently of the French; but these distant events constituting but a

e experienced much resistance from the natives, as no remains of their military works have be

ed British by a colony of his own countrymen; and Ceadwalla of Murcia, who having seized it in 686, was so incensed at the idolatry of the inhabitants, that he resolved at

ured or destroyed one large fleet, laden with the spoils of Hampshire and the Wight: but under the weak and disordered reigns of his successors, the northern pirates seem to have taken possession of this defen

rench landed at St. Helen's; they were soon repulsed by the islanders, though the warden, Sir Theobald Russell, was amongst the slain. About this time a variety of excellent regulations were made by the inhabitants for their bette

here were no forts to obstruct an enemy's landing; Carisbrooke Castle standing in the centre of the island, could only serve for a partial retreat: and serious ravages might be committed ere any assistance

ommanded by the governor, Sir H. Tyrrel-and moreover suffered considerable loss by an ambuscade at a place near Newport, still called Deadman's Lane; [Footnote: A tumulus where the slain were buried, at the south entrance to the town, was exultingly named Noddie

e fleet made a threatening demand of a subsidy, the islanders were so elated at their past success, that they invited the French to land and tr

odville, having raised a body of about 500 men, passed over to the continent in aid of the Duke of Bretagne against the king of France. At the battle of St. Aubin the Bretons were routed, and the islanders, whom hatred or contempt of the French probably impelled to

them; it was next proposed in a council of war to fortify and keep possession of the island, but this being considered impracticable by any number of men that could then be spared from the ships, they proceeded to pillage and burn the villages, till the inhabitants, being reinforced, attacked and drove them off with the loss of many men, and one of their principal officers. King Henry VIII, in order to prevent a repetition

ison of Carisbrooke Castle, which, with the other forts, were delivered to the parliamentary troops; and on the arrival of the Earl of Pembroke, the gentlemen and principal farmers assembled at Cowes, and tendered him

quite free and unrestrained in his actions and company; but afterwards his liberty was gradually abridged, his confidential servants removed, and himself imprisoned within the castle; the various unsuccessful attempts that were made to effect his escape only serving as a pretext to in

any families to retire hither: a circumstance that for the time rose the farm-rents in the proportion of 20 per cent. The subsequent local history presents nothing of any interest, with

ly it long continued, till the alienation of it was obtained by Edward I, for a comparatively small sum. The last grant was to Edward de Woodville in 1485; from which time there have been successively appointed by the Crown,-wardens, captains-and governors of the island: but the powers attached to the office have gradually declined, and at present it is a mere title, u