From Queen Victoria’s royal palace and seaside home at Osborne House to Carisbrooke Castle, which is famous for being the home of King Charles I during his confinement, the Isle of Wight has a rich and wonderful history with a wealth of fascinating attractions to enjoy and explore all year round.
Why not enjoy living history at the Brading Roman Villa and Isle of Wight Steam Railway or discover our prehistory collecting fossils on the beach or at Dinosaur Isle?
Perched high above the Needles at the extreme tip of the Island, with unrivalled views of the Solent and unspoilt countryside, is the Needles Old Battery a Victorian fort built in 1862 and used throughout both World Wars. The Battery’s fascinating story is told in a series of newly recreated, atmospheric rooms.
Dinosaur Isle is Britain’s first purpose built dinosaur museum and visitor attraction; based in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. The Island’s diverse geology contains a wealth of fossils that tell us much about the past and gives clues to the effects of possible future environmental changes.
“It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot” – such were the words of Queen Victoria after her first visit to Osborne. No trip to the island would be complete without a visit to this royal seaside palace where Queen Victoria lived with her beloved Prince Albert and their nine children.
The Islands oldest tourist attraction truly is a spectacle of nature. Carved by Mother Nature’s own hands over thousands of years, the stunning tree lined gorge that is Shanklin Chine cuts its mark from Shanklin Old Village to the sandy beach and esplanade far below.
Explore our little gem at Bembridge – the last surviving windmill on the Isle of Wight. It is a Grade 1 listed building and one of the island’s most iconic images. Built around 1700, it last operated in 1913 but still has most of its original machinery intact.
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway passes through five miles of unspoiled Island countryside between Wootton, Havenstreet, Ashey and Smallbrook, recapturing the days of the branch line railway. Brought to life again are those perky tank engines and quaint, wooden-bodied carriages which were once such a familiar sight.
The only working Water Mill on the Isle of Wight is situated just outside the pretty village of Calbourne. The village itself named after the stream or ‘bourne’ that powers the millstones which still produces between 30 and 40 tons flour the ‘traditional way’.
There has been an Abbey at Quarr on the Isle of Wight since 1132 and it played a central part in the life of the Island until its dissolution by Henry VIII. The Quarr Abbey that stands alongside the ruins of the former building today belongs to the Solesmes Congregation group of monasteries.
Brading Roman Villa is one of the finest Roman sites in the UK. Our award winning Visitor Centre and Museum offers a unique insight into Roman life in Britain from beautifully preserved mosaic floors to an extensive collection of Roman archaeology.
Award winning museum, licensed café, shop, meadow trail and garden.
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