Isle of Wight Heritage

Built for the age of steamers, railways and royal patronage, Bembridge’s Royal Spithead Hotel once stood among the Isle of Wight’s smartest seaside destinations.

A 15-year-old Isle of Wight girl became the youngest person to receive Lloyd’s medal for bravery and endurance on 11th June 1926 - 100 years ago today.

After an exhausting overnight count in Newport, Conservative Andrew Turner won the Isle of Wight constituency 25 years ago today.

Whether it was Newport, Ryde, Cowes, Shanklin or Sandown, generations of Islanders grew up with their local 'Woolies'.

Large crowds gathered on Birmingham Road on 30th May 1901 - 125 years ago today - as Cowes celebrated the arrival of an impressive new Methodist church.

One of the Isle of Wight’s grandest homes became an inferno on 1st June 1951 - 75 years ago today - when flames ripped through St Lawrence Hall near Ventnor.

While many of the Isle of Wight’s great seaside hotels have fallen into decline, Ventnor’sThe Royal Hotel still overlooks the bay much as it did in Victorian times.

For generations of Islanders, no trip into Newport felt complete without a visit to Dabell's – the department store at the heart of the High Street for decades.

King Edward VII’s reign almost ended before it had properly begun when he narrowly escaped disaster aboard a yacht off Cowes on 22nd May 1901.

A notorious Ryde pub once branded the “grottiest in Britain” was given the green light for demolition 20 years ago today, on 19th May 2006.