History and Antiquities.--The Isle of Wight was conquered by Claudius, A.D. 43. In 495 it was conquered by Cerdic the Saxon, who settled here many of his own countrymen. In 661 Wulfhere, king of Mercia, subdued it. Not long afterwards it was subjected and compelled to embrace Christianity by Ceadwalla. From the 8th until early iu the 11th century it was several times plundered by the Danes ; and in 1052 Earl Godwin, who had been banished by Edward the Confessor, made a descent on it, and plundered it. William the Conqueror bestowed it on his kinsman William Fitz Osborne, and created him Lord of the Isle of Wight. A succession of Norman lords held it till 1445, when Henry VI. created Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, King of Wight, and crowned him with his own hands. The kingly title however was not continued, and the last of the lords was the Earl Rivers, who was beheaded by Richard III. iu 1483. During the period that it was held by these lords it was frequently threatened by the French, and sometimes plundered by them. One of the last of their actual descents was in the reign of Richard II., when they con quered all the island except Carisbrooke Castle, but retired on receiving 1000 marks from the inhabitants. On the succession of Henry VII., Sir Edward Widyille, or Woodville, brother to the late Earl Rivers, was made captain of the isle of Wight, and the title was held by his successors for a considerable period. The last captain was the Earl of Portland, who was displaced by the Parliament, and the Earl of Pembroke was appointed governor in Ilia place. He was succeeded by Colonel Hammond, and during his governorship Charles I. fled to the Isle of Wight after his escape from Hampton Court. Ile arrived there November 1st, 1647. He was not strictly confined at first, but was so afterwards, when he made several unsuccessful attempts to escape. A conference between Charles and the Parlia
ment was held in the school-room of the Free school of Newport, which lasted some weeks. On the 29th of November, 1649, he was seized and conveyed to Hurst Castle. The title and offico of governor of the Isle of Wight is still continued.
The Isle of Wight does not abound in antiquities. Barrows are found on the downs, but there are no traces of Roman forts or camps, or of Saxon warfare. Carisbrooke Castle is the only ancient fortress. During the rule of the lords of Wight, whose power and privileges were almost regal, the present village of Cariabrooke was the capital of the islaud, and Cariabrooke Castle was the residence of the lords. The castle stands on a lofty eminence, and the keep still higher on an artificial mound. Fitz Osborne the Norman built the castle, and included the keep within the ditch with which he surrounded the whole. The castle was successively enlarged by subsequent lords. Lord Widville, or Woodville, built the main gateway, which is very handsome, in the reign of Edward IV.; the arms of Woodville appear on its front. There were several conventual establishments in the island, but none of large size except Quarr Abbey, which was founded in 1132. It was dissolved by Henry VIII. It was bought by a mer chant of Southampton, who swept away everything except some masses of the long walls, which inclosed an area of 30 acres, a build ing which has been called the Refectory, but on no good authority, and a few fragments of gables, arches, and doorways, which still remain. Carisbrooke Priory is entirely demolished, except the church, which is now parochiaL Some of the parochial churches are as old as the Norman conquest. Yaverland church is one of the most ancient. The entrance-door is arched, and has some curious Norman moulding's.