The history of the Isle of Wight has been described over the last few hundred years in many great books and articles. Of all the counties in the United Kingdom the Isle of Wight is one of the most written about. I have read many of these books and articles. One article written in 1836 and published in a supplement of The Penny Magazine in that year covers the early history pretty well. To read this click on the picture below.
The file is quite large but well worth loading. It is amazing to read something 170 years old. It is well written and accurate. It covers the extremely bloody past and talks of the beauty of the many areas of the island. Some of the points made are remarkable. For instance the time to cross The Solent is no different today, at times it takes longer! It also mentions the first attempt to seal off Brading Haven and reclaim some 800 acres of land. Of course this was doomed to failure at this time. This supplement gives an interesting look at what our ancestors have had to endure and enjoy on the Isle of Wight.
The Isle of Wight has been famous for various things through history but one which has always shone through above the rest is the scenery and fresh air. This has been the main selling point for holidays to the island through the ages and the building of hospitals for recuperation purposes. Many travel books have been written over the last few hundred years. All express the feeling of how beautiful the Isle of Wight is. This has not changed too much over the centuries. The Tour of the Isle of Wight, written by J Hassell and published in 1790, is a great example of a good period view of not only traveling around the Isle of Wight but also of getting to the island. To browse this book online click on the image to the right.
