Isle of Wight

by A. R. Hope Moncrieff

Westward, the crumbling cliffs of the coast are fringed by groups of hotels and lodging-houses growing along Christchurch Bay to Highcliffe Castle, which was recently selected as Kur-ort for the Kaiser, who here seems to have profited by the mild air and by the views of the Isle of Wight that are the chief attraction of this shore. He may also have admired the prospect on Hengistbury Head, which some stories make the scene of the first German invasion of England. Then beyond the mouth of the Stour and Avon, are reached the purlieus of Bournemouth, where the Island drops out of sight.

On the other side, between Lymington and Southampton Water, extends to the Solent a heathy projection of the New Forest, not so much known to strangers as it deserves. The centre of interest here is the ruined Beaulieu Abbey, from the materials of which Henry VIII. is said to have built Hurst Castle, while its foundation is the one good deed recorded of King John, and that wrung out of him with as much pain as was Magna Charta. The legend goes that this graceless king, bearing a grudge against the Cistercian Order, had persuaded or compelled its abbots to attend a parliament at Lincoln, where he threatened to fling them under the feet of wild horses. But at night he was terrified by a dream: brought to trial before a nameless judge, with the churchmen he had menaced for witnesses against him, he found himself condemned to a severe scourging at their hands, like his father’s chastisement for the death of Thomas à Becket. And lo! when he awoke, the lashes had left no visionary smart. So he saw wise to make expiation for the sacrilege he had meditated; then his repentance took the established form of building and endowing a Cistercian Abbey at Beaulieu. The remains still make a hoary show by the Beaulieu River, further down which Buckler’s Hard was once a building place of men-of-war; and at the mouth was an old ferry to the Island. There is not much traffic now about this muddy shore, near which, towards Lymington, Sowley Pond takes rank as the largest Hampshire lake. The Solent, here locked in by the Isle of Wight, has the aspect of a great lake in views that Cobbett took to bear out the title Bellus locus, vernacularly corrupted into Bewley. And, as I have given a catalogue of novels dealing with the Island, let me mention an excellent one, Mr A. Marshall’s Exton Manor, which clearly has for its scene this edge of the New Forest.

The chief Solent ferry is, of course, at Portsmouth, whereof tourists might do well to see more than is seen from the railway line to its pier, the main knot of Isle of Wight communications, while by Gosport and Southsea, on either side of the town, are alternative crossings to Ryde. Portsmouth is not so rich in antiquities as Southampton, its most notable buildings being the fine modern Church of Portsea, one of the grandest town-halls in England, and the largest Naval Barracks in the world; but it is an ancient place, interesting as our chief marine arsenal, which in case of war might become a Sebastopol or a Port Arthur. Like Plymouth, it is rather a group of towns, Portsmouth, Portsea, and Southsea, run together beside the wide inlet of the harbour, on the other side of which stands Gosport. Naturally it has a marked naval flavour, strongest on the Hard, familiar to so many generations of Jacks and Sues, behind which the narrow main street of Landport makes such a lively scene of a Saturday night. Off Gosport Hard is moored the old Victory, whose deck no Briton can tread without pride, nor would a generous enemy be unmoved on the spot where “mighty Nelson fell,” and in the gloomy cockpit where he died. Portsmouth has for another shrine the birthplace of Charles Dickens, at No. 387 Commercial Road, Landport, now cared for as public property and containing a collection of relics. Walter Besant was also a native, who has celebrated the scenes of his boyhood in Celia’s Arbour.

The great sight is the Dockyard, over which all visitors who can glory in the name of Briton are conducted by its garrison of Metropolitan Police; but foreigners must bring special credentials for admission. A visit to the enceinte of fortifications cannot be recommended, as these are of a modestly retiring disposition, and make a purposed blank on the faithful Ordnance Survey maps. Beyond the fort-crowned Downs behind, some fine country may be reached by tram; but the scenery of the low island on which Portsmouth has its site, too much consists of bastions, barracks, prisons, and other useful, but unlovely institutions.

Southsea, the moral West End of Portsmouth, which is at its east end, holds out most attractions to tarrying strangers. It seems a favourite place of residence or sojourn for retired or idle officers of both services, who enjoy the stir of parades and regimental bands, and the view of the Solent always alive with yachts, steamers, and men-of-war; but it is not so well adapted for a quiet family bathing-place, unless to the taste of nursery maids, who here would be well off for red-coated and blue-jacketed “followers.” A special feature is the wide Common cutting off the houses from the sea-front, with its gay piers and long esplanade leading round the modernised walls of Southsea Castle. Hence let us take our last gaze upon the wooded shores of the Isle of Wight, where, four or five miles off across the Solent, Ryde steeple stands up as the starting-point of our arm-chair tour, now to be ended, I trust, with the reader’s gratuity of good-will towards his cicerone.

INDEX

[A], [B], [C], [D], [E], [F], [G], [H], [I], [J], [K], [L], [M], [N], [O], [P], [Q], [R], [S], [T], [U], [V], [W], [Y], [Z]

Adams, Rev. W., [84]
Afton Down, [103]
Albert, Prince, [107], [151]
Alexandrian Pillar, [92]
All Moonshine, [137]
Alum Bay, [115]
Alverston, [62]
Amours Anglais, [128]
Approaches to Island, [17], [154]
Appuldurcombe, [52]
Arnold of Rugby, [148]
Arreton, [57]
Ashey Down, [57]
Atherfield Point, [99]
Back of the Island, [77], [92]
Badd, E., Epitaph on, [31]
Barton Manor-house, [150]
Battenberg, Prince of, [11], [151]
Battenberg, Princess Beatrice, [11], [46], [152]
Beaulieu, [168]
Bembridge, [60]
Bembridge Down, [61]
Benedictine Monks, [27], [53]
Benson, story of, [64]
Bevis of Hampton, romance, [41], [158]
Binstead, [25]
Black, William, quoted, [90]
Blackgang Chine, [97]
“Blue Slipper,” the, [77]
Bonchurch, [83]
Bordwood Forest, [62]
Bouldnor Cliffs, [123]
Brading, [54]
Brighstone or Brixton, [101]
Brook Point, [102]
Buddle Inn, [89]
Calbourne, [124]
Cameron, Mrs, [106]
Captains of the Island, [8]
Carisbrooke, [36]
—— Castle, [39]
Caves at Freshwater, [112]
Chale, [98]
Chale Bay, [96]
Charles I., imprisonment of, [41]
Chines, formation of, [74]
Clarke, Sir James, [78]
Climate, [14]
Colepeper, Lord, [9]
Colwell Bay, [118]
Compton Bay, [102]
Consumption Hospital, [88]
Cook’s Castle, [74]
Cowes, [139]
Cripple Path, the, [89]
Culver Cliffs, [61]
Dairyman’s Daughter, The, [58]
Davenant’s Gondibert, [145]
De Montague, “Count.” See Benson
Dewar, Mr G. A. B., quoted, [29]
Downs, the, [2], [48], [53], [62], [82], [92], etc.
Dunnose, [75]
East Cowes, [148]
Egypt Point, [146]
Elizabeth, Princess, [35], [44]
Empress Eugenie, escape of, [23]
Englefield, Sir Henry, quoted, [22], [98], [115]
Eurydice, loss of the, [75]
Fairfax family in America, [10]
Farringford, [106]
Fielding at Ryde, [20]
Fishbourne, [27]
Fitz-Osborne, William, [7]
Flora Vectensis, [16]
Foghorns, [94]
Foreland, the, [60]
Fossil Forest, [102]
Freshwater, [104]
Freshwater Bay, [104], [112]
Garde Family, [50]
Gatcombe, [53]
Geology of the Island, [2], [100]
Gloucester, Duke of, [44]
Godshill, [49]
Gosport, [169]
Governors of the Island, [10]
Grange Chine, [101]
Gurnard Bay, [48], [147]
Hammond, Colonel, [41]
Hamstead Ledges, [123]
Harringford, [62]
Haven Street, [28]
Headon Hill, [117]
Highcliffe Castle, [167]
History of Island, [5]
Holmes, O. W., quoted, [15]
Holmes, Sir Robert, [120]
Hopson, Sir T., [121]
Horsey, Sir E., [8], [13], [34]
Howells, Mr W. D., [81], [166]
Hulverston, [102]
Hurst Castle, [44], [118], [167]
Industries of the Island, [13]
Invasion, alarms of, [95], [122]
Isabella de Fortibus, [8], [62]
James, Rev. E. B., [38], [56]
Jane the Young Cottager, [55]
Jeffrey, Lord, quoted, [73]
John, King, [149], [155], [168]
Keats in the Island, [47], [73]
Ken, Bishop, [101]
King of the Island, [8]
King’s Quay, [149]
Kingston, [100]
Knighton, [58]
Ladder Chine, [99]
Lake, [62]
Landslip, the, [85]
Lira, Monks of, [7]
Lisle Family, [27]
Longfellow in the Island, [73]
Long Stone, the, [101]
“Lot’s Wife,” [114]
Luccombe Chine, [75]
Lugley Stream, the, [33]
Lymington, [17], [119], [167]
Main Bench, the, [113]
Mantell the geologist, quoted, [102]
Medina River, [3], [34], [48], [139]
Meredith, Mr George, quoted, [126]
Merston Junction, [49], [62]
Military Road, the, [100]
Moberley, Bishop, [101]
Monks’ Bay, [84]
Morland, George, [122]
Morley, Henry, [39]
Mottistone, [101]
Naval College at Osborne, [153]
Needles, the, [114]
Netley, [154]
Nettleston Green, [31]
Newchurch, [62]
New Forest, the, [157]
Newport, [33]
Newton, [123]
Niton, [90]
“Noah’s Nuts,” [111]
Nodes, the, [113]
Norris Castle, [149]
Northwood, [147]
Novels about the Island, [125]
Nuns from abroad, [147]
Nunwell, [55]
Oglander, Sir John, [11], [26], [31], [47], [50], [54], [139]
Osborne, [149]
Osborne, Dorothy, [38]
Pan Down, [49]
Parkhurst Forest, [46], [123]
Peel’s Fair Isle, quoted, [100]
Population of Island, [4]
Portsmouth, [17], [169]
Pound Green, [106]
Priory Bay, [31]
Puckaster Cove, [89]
Puckpool Fort, [30]
Quarr Abbey, [25]
Queen’s Bower, [62]
Railways of Island, [17], [33]
Ralph Roister Doister, [124]
Redvers Family, [7], [25]
Rew Down, [83]
Reynolds, J. H., [35]
Richmond, Rev. Legh, [55]
Rocken End, [96]
Roman villas, [6]
—— Brading, [57]
—— Carisbrooke, [39]
Ross, Alexander, [38]
Rowborough remains, [48]
Royal George, loss of, [22]
Royal Yacht Squadron, [144]
Ryde, [19]
St Boniface Down, [82]
St Catherine’s Down, [92]
St Catherine’s Point Lighthouse, [93]
St George’s Down, [48]
St Helens, [31], [59]
St John’s, [28]
St Lawrence, [88]
Sandown, [62]
Sandrock, [90]
School Green, [106]
Scott, Sir W., quoted, [48]
Scottish Soldiers in Island, [47]
Scratchell’s Bay, [113]
Sea View, [28]
Seismological Observatory, Dr Milne’s, [49]
Sewell, Elizabeth, [16], [84]
Shanklin, [72]
Sheepwash Green, [106]
Shide, [49]
Shipwrecks, [96]
Shorwell, [100]
Simeon, Sir John, [36]
Solent, the, [1], [28], [143], [154], [168], [170]
Solent Tunnel, proposed, [120]
Southampton, [17], [155]
Southsea, [170]
Spithead, [22]
Spring Vale, [30]
“Squadron,” the, [144]
Steephill Castle, [81]
Stephens, William, [38]
Sterling, John, [84]
Swainston, [124]
Swinburne, Mr A. C., quoted, [89]
Temple, Sir W., [39]
Tennyson, Lady, [110]
Tennyson, Lord, [14], [106], [111], [148]
Totland Bay, [117]
“Turf Frauds” case, the, [70]
Tyndall, Professor, [113]
Udall, Nicholas, [124]
Undercliff, the, [77]
Vane, Sir H., [44]
Ventnor, [78]
Victoria, Queen, [149]
Walpen Chine, [99]
Ward, W. G., [147]
Wardens of the Island, [8]
Webster, T., quoted, [85], [116]
Week Down, [83], [92]
Whippingham, [151]
Whitecliff Bay, [61]
Whitwell, [53]
Wilberforce, Bishop, [101]
“Wilderness,” the, [48]
Wilfred of Selsey, [7], [56]
Wilkes, John, [63]
William the Conqueror at Carisbrooke, [7]
Wishing Well, [82]
Woodvile, Sir E., [8]
Wootton, [27]
Wordsworth in the Island, [112]
Worsley Family, the, [49]
Worsley, Sir R., [8], [52]
Worsley Monument, [53]
Wroxall, [75]
Yar, the Eastern, [3], [59], [62]
Yar, the Western, [3], [104], [118]
Yachting, [142]
Yarborough, Lord, [52]
Yarbridge, [57]
Yarmouth, [119]
Yaverland, [61]
Zangwill, Mr I., quoted, [126]