Brading is a small town picturesquely situated near the head of Brading Ilaveu, on the slopes of two opposite hills on the south-east side of the island, 7 miles E. by S. from Newport : population of the parish 3046 in 1851. The market-house and town-hall is a small structure. The church is large, and has some portions of Norman date. The Independents have a chapel, and there are National and British schools. A sample market for corn is held on Monday. Fairs are held on May 12th and November 2nd.
Newtown, situated on the north-west aide of the island, at the top of the metuary of the Newtown River, 5 miles W. by N. from Newport, is a decayed municipal borough, and, until the Reform Act, was a parliamentary borough, which returned two members to the House of Commons. It is now a very small place; it is a chapelry iu Calbourrie parish, containing in 1851 only 21 houses and 86 inhabitants. At high-water vessels of 500 tons can come up the estuary of the New town River, in the creeks of which are several salterus, now little used. The place was burnt by the French in the reign of Richard II. The ruins of a church, and is town-hall now used as a school-room, are the chief relics of the town.
The following are the only villages which require notice ; the population, when not otherwise stated, is that of the parish in 1851 :— Arreton, population 1912, is a long straggling agricultural village, situated on the southern elope of Arreton Down, 3 miles S.E. from Newport, and contains an old church, and an endowed parochial school. Binstead,•population 317, is prettily situated one mile W. from Hyde. It is chiefly occupied by genteel villa-residences, several of which are of quite recent erection, and some of a superior class. The church is a very elegant new building in the early English style. Bosch arch, population 523, is on the south side of the island, adjoining Ventnor on the cast. The old church, of Norman date, is now dis used, a very elegant new gothic church having been lately built. A handsome school-house was erected at the same time. Bonchurch is a favourite residence and resort of bathing visitors, on account of its mild and healthy climate and picturesque situation. Calbourne, popu lation 695, is an old-fashioned and secluded agricultural village, 5 miles W. by S. from Newport. The church, of the early English date, has a curious square tower. including Parkhurst Prison, the House of Industry, end the Albany Barracks, 7530—is pleasantly situated on the Medina, one mile S.W. from Newport.
Cariebrooke lo said to have been at °tie time the capital of the islaud, but to have decayed as Newport rose Into consequence. The chief object of lutenist is Cariabrooke Castle. formerly the residence of the lords of Wight, and subsequently of the governor of the island, but now a mere ruin. It is noticed more particularly at the end of this article. There are also some slight remains of a Cistercian priory. The parish church is a portion of the original priory church. There are a Primitive Methodist meeting house and an Infant school in the village. There are large corn-mills on the river. Parkhurat Prison, or Reformatory for Juvenile Offenders, is in Carisbrooke pariah ; It is an extensive and well-arranged edifice. Near the Reformatory is the Mouse of Industry, or workhouse for the whole of the Isle of Wight. Near these, and also in Carisbrooke pariah, arc the Albany Infantry barracks. The scenery around Cariabrooke is very beautiful. Chale, population 629, is on the south aide of the Island, at the western extremity of the Uudercliff, about 9 miles S. by W. from Newport. It is an agricultural village, but is much resorted to by tourists on account of Black Gang Chine, one of the most remarkable of the chines, or narrow gorges, through which the streams of the island find their way to the sea, and which form a peculiar natural feature of the Isle of Wight. The cliff over which the stream falls is only about 40 feet high, but the rocks behind it rise to a great altitude, and the cliff scenery generally is here of a very bold and picturesque character. The church is of the reign of Henry I.; thero is an Endowed parochial school. Freshwater, population 1393, is on the left bank of the Yar, 3 miles S. by W. from Yarmouth. The old village consists of a few houses, situated by the church, near the head of the aretuary of the Var. The church is an ancient cruciform structure, with a rather singular tower. The Wesleyan Methodists have a chapel, and there is a Free school. Freshwater Gate is a collec tion of new villas, lodging-houses, baths, &c., and is much resorted to in summer for sea-bathing. The chalk-cliffs between Freshwater Gate and the Needles are the loftiest in England. The Needles light
house, erected on the summit of the cliff overlooking the Needles rocks, is in Freshwater pariah. Gods/ill, population 1316, is an agricultural village built on the sides of an irregular hill, the summit of which is crowned by the church, which is a handsome building, partly of the decorated and partly of the perpendicular period. There is a Free schooL In the parish is Appuldercombe, for a long period the most celebrated mansion in the Isle of Wight. It is a large and stately edifice, standing in the midst of an extensive, well-wooded, and picturesque park. It was the family seat of the Worsleys, and con tained the splendid collection of pictures, books, and antiquities collected during many years at a vast expense, and illustrated in a well-known costly work, the 'Museum Worsleianum.' Helen's, St., population 1948, is situated opposite the well-known roadstead, St. Helen's Road, near the mouth of Brading Harbour, 4 miles E.S.E. from Hyde. The old church of St. Helen's stood close by the shore; but having become endangered by the incroachments of the sea, it was pulled down, except the tower, which has been strengthened, and now serves as a sea-mark. A new church was in 1719 erected on a more elevated site; it was almost entirely rebuilt in 1831. A district church is at Oakfield. There are National schools. Many of the inhabitants of St. Helen's are pilots, who mostly reside at Sea View, which place is resorted to for sea-bathing. Sites, population 684, is near the south shore of the island, 8 inflect S. from Newport. The church is ancient ; there are a Baptist chapel and a Free schooL A chalybeate spring of some reputation is at Sandrock. At St. Cathe rine's Point is a handsome lighthouse, erected in 1840; it is 125 feet high to the top of the lantern. Sundown is a hamlet in Beading parish ; the population Is not returned separately. It stands facing Sandown Bay, about a mile and a half S. by W. from Brading. Within the last few years Sandown has been much resorted to by summer vimitors. The situation is eminently picturesque, and com mands a noble sea view. A new gothic church, it street of good shops, and several excellent villa-residences have been erected. Shanklin, population 355, is at the eastern extremity of the Undercliff, 4 miles S. by W. from Eroding. The villsge is chiefly dependent on the numerous visitors who resort hero during the summer. The church is very ancient The Independents have a place of worship. The scenery around Shanklin is very beautiful ; but the chief attraction of the place is Shanklin Chine, the most visited and most picturesque of the chines. It is a winding chasm or cleft in the rocks, which termi natea in a narrow fissure about half it mile from the shore; at the further end a waterfall being formed by the stream, which has in course of ages worn away the chasm. The aides of the chine are to a great extent overgrown with trees and shrubs. Ventnor, population 2569 in 1651, is beautifully situated on the Undercliff, about 9 miles S.S.E. from Newport. Ventnor has within tho last 25 years increased from a mere hamlet of a few rude cottages into a well-built watering place. It was indebted for its rise to having been recommended by some eminent physicians as the most suitable part of the Undercliff for invalids and others requiring a mild climate. It now contains a handsome gothic church with a spire; places of worship for Wesleyan Methodists, Independents, Bible Christians, and Plymouth Brethren ; National and British schools ; a literary and scientific institution, and a mutual improvement society; handsome baths on the beach; several excellent hotels; numerous villa-residences, some of them of a superior class ; a kiud of park called Madeira Vale; some superior shops ; a branch bank of the National Provincial Dank of England ; and a savings bank. An Improvement Act for Ventnor was obtained in 1844. ll'aippingharn, population of tho parish, which includes East Cowes (noticed under Corms], 3100, is situated on the right bank of the Medina, 3 miles N. by E. from Newport. The church is a neat cruciform buildiug of some antiquity. There is no village properly so called ; the only reason for noticing it here is that Osborne, the seat of her Majesty, is at Whippingham, about three-quarters of a mile from the churoh. Osborne, since it has become the posseeeion of her Majesty, has been enlarged, and now presents an extended facade in the Italian palazzo style, with a lofty campanile. Standing on a con siderable elevation, it commands a magnificent prospect.