CARISBROOKE
Wihtgarasburh (ix cent.); Caresbroch, Carebroc,
Karisbroch (xii cent.); Kaerbroc, Carrebroc, Karesbrook (xiii cent.); Karesbrouk, Caresbroke, Karsbroke (xiv cent.); Casebroke (xv cent.); Carbrough
(xvii cent.).
Carisbrooke, once the most extensive parish in the
West Medine—originally stretching from sea to sea
and including the parish of Shorwell, which was
separated from it in the 14th century—has had the
parishes of Newport, (fn. 1) Northwood and West Cowes (fn. 2)
taken out of it. Part of Chillerton was transferred
from Wootton to Carisbrooke in 1882, and at the
same date Whitcombe, formerly in the parish of
Gatcombe, became part of Carisbrooke. (fn. 3)
The village, now joined to Newport, lies along the
slope of the road to Shorwell, with a main street
bordered by an irregular line of cottages and houses.
The 'Eight Bells,' 'Castle,' 'Red Lion' and 'Cutters
Arms' are inns of the 18th century, the first possessing a notable bowling-green. At the upper end
of the village street stand the church of St. Mary and
the Priory Farm. The Isle of Wight Lunatic Asylum
at Whitecroft, (fn. 4) the Albany Barracks, (fn. 5) the convict
prison and the workhouse (fn. 6) are within the parish
boundary, which also includes Parkhurst Forest and
the hamlets of Bowcombe, Gunville and Chillerton. (fn. 7)
The manor-house at Rowborough lies under the
down of the same name adjoining the road from
Carisbrooke to Shorwell. The original 17th-century
house was of the smaller type of yeoman dwelling
with stone mullioned windows and coped gables. In
the 18th century the central block was added, to be
followed in the middle of the next century by an
eastern wing, thus bringing it more into the form
of the usual 16th–17th-century manor-house type.
The main room in the old part to the west has oak
moulded ceiling beams with heart-shaped stops.
Idlecombe, (fn. 8) a holding on the west side of the road
above Bowcombe, has a timbered house, plastered
over, and oak beams with 16th-century stops.
There are brickworks at Gunville, where bricks and
tiles of excellent quality are made. At the entrance
to the village are the waterworks and pumping
station supplying the town of Newport from a reservoir on Alvington Down. The Convent of Our
Lady of Reparation, adjoining the cemetery on Mount
Joy, was erected in 1866, and in 1906 a community
of Benedictine nuns acquired Carisbrooke House,
opposite the pumping station.
The parish contains 7,849 acres of land, of which
about 2,200 acres are arable, 4,100 are permanent
grass and 1,500 woodland. (fn. 9) There are also 24 acres of
foreshore, 8 acres of land covered by water and 4 by
tidal water. There is an infants' school, built 1836,
and Council schools at Carisbrooke and Parkhurst.
Alexander Ross, D.D., a Puritan divine who is mentioned in Hudibras, was vicar of Carisbrooke, 1634–53.
Henry Morley, the author and translator, Principal
of University Hall, Gordon Square, 1882–90, died
at Carisbrooke in 1894. He was connected with the
management of Dickens' journals, Household Words
and All the Year Round from about 1850 to 1865. (fn. 10)
Place-names which occur in connexion with
Carisbrooke are Deucumbe, Slocomb, Trendellond,
Hathewardcumbe, (fn. 11) Assebrigge, Rogedon, Kytebrigge,
Stichesfled, (fn. 12) Ganlonde, Levedilonde, Bywes, Cranecombe, Wermeslade, Paythforlang, Whytherthull,
Wyndeyate, Playstowe (la Plechestowe), Tonnrig, le
Colepe, (fn. 13) Coppedehulle, Vernislade, Grimespitte (fn. 14)
(xiii cent.), the foss Brienni (fn. 15) (xiv cent.), Gladhous,
Forsteswell (fn. 16) (xv cent.), Idlescombe, Garlantysbury,
Clerkynlane, Cloppyshay, Fygeryslane (fn. 17) (xvi cent.).
CASTLE and MANOR
CASTLE and MANOR of CARISBROOKE and
the LORDSHIP OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT.—
Carisbrooke, the chief stronghold in the Isle of Wight in
early times, may be identified with 'Wihtgarasburh,'
where Cerdic and his son Cynric gained a decisive
victory over the inhabitants of the Island in 530. (fn. 18)
Cerdic gave the Island to his nephews Stuf and
Wihtgar, (fn. 19) and as the latter was buried at Carisbrooke in 544 (fn. 20) it had perhaps been his place of
residence. Possibly King Ethelred lodged at Carisbrooke during his visit to the Island in the winter
of 1013. (fn. 21) At the Conquest the whole Island was
granted by the Conqueror to William Fitz Osbern.
He was killed at Ravenchoven near Cassel in 1071,
and was succeeded by his son Roger. (fn. 22) The latter
was imprisoned in 1078 for his rebellion against
William the Conqueror and died in prison. (fn. 23) The
king took possession of the Isle of Wight, and at the
time of the Survey the castle, which stood upon a
virgate of land in the manor of Alvington, belonged
to King William. (fn. 24) The lordship and castle were
granted with the Isle of Wight to Richard de Redvers
about 1100, (fn. 25) and from this date followed the descent
of Christchurch Twyneham (fn. 26) (q.v.) until granted to
Edward I by Isabel de Fortibus in 1293. Edward II
granted the castle with all his manors in the Isle of
Wight in June 1308 to Peter de Gaveston and
Margaret his wife, the king's niece, (fn. 27) but this grant
does not seem to have included the lordship of the
Island, which evidently remained with the Crown.
In August 1309 Peter and Margaret surrendered these
possessions in the Island to the Crown in exchange for
the earldom of Cornwall and other estates. (fn. 28) The
castle and manor of Carisbrooke were then granted
in December 1312 by Edward II to his infant son
Edward Earl of Chester, (fn. 29) who held them on his
accession to the throne as Edward III in 1327, the
profits of the castle being reserved to his chamber (fn. 30)
until 1355–6, when he granted the same to his
daughter Isabel for life. (fn. 31) She married Ingram de
Couci, who was created Earl of Bedford in 1366.
On the accession of Richard II in 1377 Ingram
resigned all his English honours and the castle and
manor of Carisbrooke reverted to the Crown. (fn. 32) In
1385 the king granted them for life, together with
the lordship of the Isle of Wight, to William de
Montagu Earl of Salisbury, (fn. 33) who had been made
constable of Carisbrooke in 1382. (fn. 34) He died on
3 June 1397, (fn. 35) and on the following day the Island,
castle and manor were granted to Edward Earl of
Rutland for life. (fn. 36) He was created Duke of Albemarle
in 1397, but was deprived on the accession of
Henry IV in 1399, and in 1405 the Island and castle
were granted to Joan of Navarre, consort of Henry IV. (fn. 37)
However, in December 1409 the Island, castle and
manor were restored to the Earl of Rutland, then Duke
of York, (fn. 38) who held them at his death in 1415. (fn. 39)
They were confirmed in 1415 and 1422 to his
widow Philippa Duchess of York, (fn. 40) who died in
1431. (fn. 41) Henry V in 1415 had granted the reversion
of Island, castle and manor in tail-male to Humphrey
Duke of Gloucester, (fn. 42) who entered into possession
and settled the same on himself and his wife Eleanor
and their heirs male, with reversion to the king. (fn. 43)
Eleanor, however, was convicted of treason and
imprisoned in 1440, (fn. 44) and on the duke's death in
1446–7 without legitimate children these possessions
reverted to the Crown.
Redvers. Or a lion azure.
De Fortibus. Gules a cross paty vair.
Edward, Earl of Chester. ENGLAND with a label argent.
Couci. Barry vatr and gules.
Montage, Earl of Salisbury. Argent a fesse indented of three points gules.
Richard, Duke of York. FRANCE quartered with ENGLAND with the difference of a label argent with nine roundels gules thereon.
Richard Duke of York,
father of Edward IV, seems
to have had some title in the
lordship of the Isle of Wight,
as he appointed a steward
there about 1450, (fn. 45) but in
1452–3 the king granted the
Island and the castle and
manor of Carisbrooke to
Edmund Duke of Somerset,
who died holding them in
1455. (fn. 46) They were confirmed in 1457–8 to his son
and successor Henry, (fn. 47) after
whose attainder in 1461 and
death in 1464 (fn. 48) they again reverted to the Crown.
In 1465 the castle was granted for life to Geoffrey
Gate, lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, (fn. 49) who undertook to defend and govern the Island at his own
expense. (fn. 50) However, he surrendered his right in
the next year, and the Island, castle and manor were
granted in tail-male to Sir Anthony Wydvil Lord
Scales, (fn. 51) after whose execution at Pontefract in June
1483 (fn. 52) the Island, castle and manor again reverted
to the Crown. (fn. 53) However, in 1485 they were
granted in tail-male to Sir Edward Wydvil, brother
of Sir Anthony. (fn. 54) He, however, died without issue
the same year, and in 1495 a grant of the castle and
manor of Carisbrooke was made to Sir Reginald Bray
for life. (fn. 55) After that time no further grants of the
castle or of the lordship of the Isle of Wight are
recorded, but both remained Crown possessions.
Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. FRANCE and ENGLAND quartered in a border gobony argent and azure.
Wydyil. Argent a fesse and a quarter gules.
Bray. Argent a cheveron between three eagles' legs razed sable.
Whenever the castle of Carisbrooke passed during a
minority or for any other cause to the Crown a
constable or warden had been appointed during the
king's pleasure. (fn. 56) The following is a list of early
wardens down to the beginning of the 14th century:
William Briwere, junior (1217), (fn. 57) Waleran Tyes
(1224), (fn. 58) Savery de Mauleon (1227), (fn. 59) the Bishop of
Winchester (1233), (fn. 60) Benedict (1269), (fn. 61) Hugh de
Hanneby (1270), (fn. 62) John Hardington (1277), (fn. 63)
Humphrey de Dunster (1294), (fn. 64) Nicholas du Bois
(1309). (fn. 65)
After the death of Sir Reginald Bray, the last grantee
of the castle, the office was granted under title of
'captain' of the castle. Thus Sir Nicholas Wadham
became captain in 1509, (fn. 66) James Worsley, yeoman of
the robes, in 1520, (fn. 67) Thomas Lord Cromwell in
1538, (fn. 68) Richard son of James Worsley in 1540, (fn. 69)
Captain William Girling in 1553, (fn. 70) William first
Marquess of Winchester before 1560, (fn. 71) Richard
Worsley in 1560, (fn. 72) Edward Horsey in 1565, (fn. 73) George
Lord Hunsdon in 1583, (fn. 74) Henry Wriothesley Earl
of Southampton in 1603, (fn. 75) Edward Lord Conway of
Ragley (fn. 76) in 1624, (fn. 77) Richard Lord Weston of Neyland
in 1631, (fn. 78) Jerome Weston his son in 1633, (fn. 79) Philip
Herbert Earl of Pembroke in 1642, (fn. 80) Colonel Robert
Hammond in 1647 (fn. 81) —while Hammond was governor
of Carisbrooke Charles I was confined there from
November 1647 until — November 1648, (fn. 82) and
Colonel William Sydenham was appointed governor
in 1649.
Jerome Earl of Portland was reinstated in 1660,
but surrendered the office in 1661, when it was
granted to Thomas Lord Colepeper. (fn. 83) Sir Robert
Holmes was appointed in 1669, (fn. 84) John Lord Cutts
in 1693, (fn. 85) Charles second Duke of Bolton in 1707, (fn. 86)
General John Richmond Webb in 1710, (fn. 87) LieutenantGeneral William Cadogan (created Lord Cadogan of
Reading in 1716 (fn. 88) ) in 1715, Charles third Duke of
Bolton in 1726, (fn. 89) John Duke of Montagu in 1733, (fn. 90)
John Viscount Lymington in 1734. (fn. 91) Charles third
Duke of Bolton was reinstated in 1741, (fn. 92) John Lord
Lymington, then Earl of Portsmouth, in 1746. (fn. 93)
Thomas Lord Holmes was appointed in 1763, (fn. 94) Hans
Stanley in 1765, (fn. 95) Harry fourth Duke of Bolton in
1767. (fn. 96) Hans Stanley was reinstated in 1770 (fn. 97) and
given a life grant of the office in 1774. (fn. 98) Sir Richard
Worsley, bart., was appointed in 1780. (fn. 99) Harry Duke
of Bolton was reinstated in 1782. (fn. 100) Thomas Orde,
afterwards Lord Bolton, was appointed in 1791, (fn. 101)
James Edward Viscount Fitz Harris and Earl of
Malmesbury in 1807, (fn. 102) William Lord Heytesbury in
1841, (fn. 103) the Rt. Hon. Charles Shaw Lefevre Viscount
Eversley in 1857. (fn. 104) H.R.H. Prince Henry Maurice
of Battenberg was appointed in January 1889, (fn. 105) and
on his death in 1896 his widow H.R.H. Princess
Henry of Battenberg succeeded to the office. (fn. 106)
The castle stands on the chalk spur jutting south
into the Bowcombe valley, and was early a place of
defensive retreat. The original earthworks inclose
a parallelogram of some 7 acres practically cut in
halves by the 11th-century defence. (fn. 107) It is unlikely
there was much in the way of stonework before the
advent of the de Redvers, lords in the 12th century. (fn. 108)
Richard de Redvers probably raised the base of the
curtain wall, (fn. 109) but the chief building was done by
his son Earl Baldwin, who raised 'a castle stately,
built of hewn stone and strengthened by great
fortifications.' (fn. 110) It was during the tenure of his
younger son William de Vernon that the present great
hall was built. (fn. 111) In 1270 Isabel de Fortibus began
somewhat extensive building operations lasting over a
period of twenty-three years, (fn. 112) which gained for her
Island residence the title of the 'New Castle of
Carisbrooke.' Few additions were therefore made
beyond necessary repairs (fn. 113) till the appointment of
John de Langford as Warden of the Island and
Constable of the Castle in 1334, (fn. 114) when the defence
was brought up to date by the addition of the drum
towers to the gate-house (fn. 115) and an advanced building
at the head of the keep steps, while the castle bridge
was repaired (fn. 116) 'by command of the king for fear of
invasion of the island' and a well rope of over 200 ft.
provided. In all a considerable sum of money (over
£10,000) was expended during Sir John de Langford's
tenure under the supervision of the king's surveyor,
William Kekewich (fn. 117) (de Kekenwych). In 1377 the
French, landing on the northern shore, burnt
Yarmouth and Newtown and advanced to the siege
of Carisbrooke Castle, successfully defended by the
then constable, Sir Hugh Tyrrel (fn. 118) —the only siege
it ever sustained. In the following years much work
was done on the castle, (fn. 119) and in 1380, on information of an intended invasion, the castle works were
surveyed and strengthened. (fn. 120) The building to the
south-east of the Great Hall was practically reconstructed during the twelve years' tenure of William
Montagu Earl of Salisbury (1385–97). (fn. 121) Anthony
Wydvil Lord Scales carried forward the architectural
history of the castle by raising the drum towers of
the gate-house, (fn. 122) rebuilding the detached offices in
the south-east angle of the curtain wall, and adding
the present hall and staircase to the residence. For
the next hundred years practically nothing was done to
the domestic buildings, which, when Sir George Carey
was appointed constable in 1583, were in such an
uninhabitable state that the queen's surveyor, Richard
Popinjay, was called in to report, (fn. 123) with the result
that further work was undertaken. This consisted in
a new kitchen on the site of the Countess' chamber
with a connecting lobby for service to the Great Hall,
the reconstruction of the buildings under the north
curtain, a remodelling of the north-east annexe to the
hall, in which was placed a staircase, the conversion
of the chapel of St. Peter into living rooms, the
addition of a mezzanine floor to the constable's
lodgings, and finally the raising of the Great Hall to
two stories. In his new quarters Sir George lived
and entertained somewhat lavishly, (fn. 124) though at the
same time finding opportunity for a careful inquiry
into the state of the Island defence, to which he called
Sir Francis Walsingham's attention in January 1584,
when sending him news of the Armada preparations
brought to the Island by Jacob Whiddon the sea
captain. In consequence a government survey was
made, (fn. 125) and in March 1587 work, consisting of
repairs to the keep and curtain wall and the digging
of an outer trench, was begun. (fn. 126) The gentry and
yeomen sent their carts to draw material while the
meaner sort laboured themselves on the trenches. (fn. 127)
This hasty work of a temporary nature was, when the
danger had passed, pronounced insufficient for its
purpose, and Gianibelli, (fn. 128) the eminent Italian
engineer, was consulted. In 1597 he came down
from London, and the result of his visit is seen in the
outer line of defence inclosing the bowling green,
consisting of a stone revetted bank and ditch with
flanking bastions at the angles and ravelins protecting
each face. (fn. 129) The two 'cavaliers' with their platforms
were not finished till 1601 and 1602, (fn. 130) and must have
taken the place of former flanking towers. In spite of
all this work, in 1636 the then governor, Jerome Earl
of Portland, had to report adversely on the state of
the castle and suggest a survey, which, however, led
to nothing.
On the dismissal of Jerome Earl of Portland as a
loyalist and Papist from office in 1642 the castle was
taken by the Parliamentarians, (fn. 131) and during the
Commonwealth period it was kept in an effective state
of defence, £246 being spent on repairs to the walls
and gate-house in 1658. (fn. 132) However, under the
Restoration governors—the Earl of Portland, who was
restored, Lord Colepeper and Sir Robert Holmes—
little seems to have been spent in repairs, and it was
not till the appointment of John Lord Cutts in 1692
that building operations began again. (fn. 133) These were
evidently confined to the domestic buildings where
the new governor kept open house, and to him may
be ascribed the removal of the 16th-century floors and
the insertion of a new staircase in the chapel of
St. Peter. In 1724, during Earl Cadogan's term of
office, £800 was laid out in repairs to the castle. (fn. 134)
In 1738 Lord Lymington practically destroyed the
ancient chapel of St. Nicholas, erecting on the old
foundations a miserable stone-faced edifice with wood
mullioned windows, at the same time Georgianizing
the Great Hall by a plaster coved ceiling and a plaster
enriched mantelpiece. Gradually the buildings under
the north curtain fell into ruin, and the governor's
apartments by the 19th century were in a state of decay
that must have rendered them well-nigh untenantable,
until Thomas (Orde) Lord Bolton during his term of
office (1791–1807) did some repairs to the governor's
residence. (fn. 135)
In 1856 Mr. Philip Hardwick, a well-known classic
architect, was called in and given a free hand, with
not too happy results. (fn. 136) In 1890 the window of
the Countess' chamber against the north curtain was
unblocked. In 1897 the accumulated soil was
removed from the inside of the keep, disclosing the
walls of the intra-mural buildings, while a year later
the gate-house had its floors and roof replaced and
was opened as a museum in memory of H.R.H. Prince
Henry Maurice of Battenberg.
The 16th-century gateway on the far side of the
ditch forms the entrance to Gianibelli's outer defence.
It has a four-centred arch, over which is a tablet
inscribed E R 1598. The main entrance over the
15th-century bridge spanning (fn. 137) the moat is through
the main gate-house. The earliest gate-house was of
the 12th century, to which a fore-building was added
in the 13th century, (fn. 138) to be followed in the 14th
century by the drum towers, which were raised in the
following century some 10 or 12 ft. (fn. 139) The grooves
of the three portcullises still remain, and the holes on
either side in the basement of the flanking towers for
the drawbridge chains, while on the first stage of the
fore-building the sockets for the portcullis gear are
still in existence. The inner double gate with its
wicket is a fine example of 15th-century carpentry.
The 16th-century guard-house at the foot of the
steps (fn. 140) leading to the upper stage of the gate-house
remains as it was built in 1583, and is now used as a
porter's lodge.
The chapel of St. Nicholas, practically rebuilt in
1904 as a memorial to Charles I, is of ancient foundation, being mentioned in Domesday. (fn. 141) That a chapel
existed on the site in the 13th century is clearly
proved by the bases of the buttresses and the jambs of
the north door.
A plan of 1583 gives a building divided into a
nave and chancel, or a chancel and presbytery, by a
screen, (fn. 142) with double east and north lights and single
windows in the south wall. In 1734 it had become
so decayed that Lord Lymington, the then governor
of the Island, took down the old walls to within 3 ft.
of the ground, and on this base reared a brick and
stone structure with wooden windows. In 1856 this
chapel was unroofed and converted into a pseudo
ruin, in which state it remained till rebuilt in 1904,
when the old floor level was discovered and re-used.
The present building is of 15th-century detail, with
an open stone screen at the west end, over which is
a gallery. It is lighted by two screen windows in
the side walls and a lofty traceried window at the
east end, below which is a canopied reredos. The
sacrarium walls are panelled to the plate, with niches
for statues. At the west end is a corbelled bell-cote,
in which hangs the Dutch bell from the Haverkamps
foundry at the Hoorn, dated 1781.
Opposite the chapel under the north curtain are
the ruins of what are known as the 'officers' quarters,'
built on the site of the old kitchens (fn. 143) in the reign
of Elizabeth. Beyond these to the east are the
16th-century kitchen and offices built by Sir George
Carey on the site of the lord's private apartments. (fn. 144)
The earlier 13th-century embayed window of the
'Countess' chamber' was unblocked in 1891. Of
the domestic buildings opposite the gate the Great
Hall (fn. 145) and the present dining-room retain their
original chimney-pieces of the latter part of the 14th
century. In the east wall of the former an interesting
12th-century window still remains, and in one of
the bedrooms above the latter an early 14th-century
chimney-piece. The basement is lighted by two fine
square-headed and transomed windows of eight lights
with massive moulded lintels ornamented with shields
for blazonry. From this room a stair leads to the
undercrofts of the chapel of St. Peter and Great
Hall. (fn. 146) The room above was till 1856 lighted by
two lofty double-light windows which have now been
formed into one expanse of glass. The stair leading
from the dining-room to the former Great Hall was
inserted c. 1700 (fn. 147) in the chapel of St. Peter, which
had in 1583 been desecrated by the insertion of
floors and windows to gain more accommodation.
This chapel was built by Isabel de Fortibus in 1269, (fn. 148)
and still retains the arcading on the north wall and
the seating of the mullions of the east window of
four lights. (fn. 149) The present entrance to the deputygovernor's residence is in the angle of two towers
erected in the 13th century and remodelled respectively in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The present well-house was built in the 16th
century on the site of a former one, (fn. 150) and seems
always to have had a great wheel which originally
stood east and west. (fn. 151)
The present stables and offices in the south-east
angle under the east curtain date from the 14th to
15th century, and retained until 1907 a small
chimney-piece of the period, now in the governor's
apartments. A good deal of work here was destroyed
in 1856, among the rest a good corbelled chimneyshaft, and the buildings generally have been much
modernized.
The keep is one of the few in England retaining
its original polygonal form and is reached by seventyone steps from the base-court level. The walls reared
on an artificial mound (fn. 152) are of the 12th century with
an entrance having a barrel vault of the 13th century and a fore-building, having a quadripartite vault
springing from angle corbels, of the 14th century, at
which period a garderobe was inserted in the east
wall. In 1897 a removal of the débris revealed the
walls of a 13th-century building with a fireplace and
remains of rooms against the south wall. Under the
north wall is an Elizabethan well-house containing
the old well (fn. 153) with its socket for a great wheel.
The curtain wall is in a good state of preservation
and the rampart walk is complete except at the back
of the present stables, where it has fallen away and is
bridged by a rustic bridge. In the south-west and
south-east angles are two flanking towers or 'knights,'
remodelled respectively in 1601 and 1602, (fn. 154) the
latter being built round an earlier defence called
the Mountjoy Tower. Midway between these is a
projection on the wall which may have originally
been the base of another flanking defence. Just to
the north of the gate-house are corbels in the wall
formerly supporting a brattice, and on the east face,
at the junction of the curtain with the ramping wall
to the keep, is an advanced tower defending an
eastern gate.
The outer defences of 1597–1600 have orillons
in the re-entering angles, a very early instance of
such a defence, and incorporate the early barbican
on the west face outside the gate. (fn. 155) A platform
on the north face inside the outer lines defends the
12th-century sally-port at the foot of the keep steps.
PARKHURST FOREST
PARKHURST FOREST was originally of far
greater extent than it is at the present day, since it
comprised some 3,000 acres (fn. 156) and extended from
the left bank of the Medina to the Newtown estuary.
Some 350 acres, cut off and inclosed for the king's
use before 1086, were later known as Carisbrooke
Park or Watching or Waching Park, (fn. 157) now represented by Park and Great Park. This park, said
in 1086 to have absorbed half a hide and all the
meadow land of the manor of Watchingwell, (fn. 158) was
possibly that which frequently occurs in 14th-century
documents as 'the old park.' (fn. 159) As Carisbrooke Park
it was granted in 1630–1 to Philip Mainwaring,
Henry Knollys and Stephen Smith. It then contained 322 a. 3 r. (fn. 160) In 1650 it contained nine score
deer of various sorts. (fn. 161)
Parkhurst Forest (fn. 162) seems to have followed the
same descent as the castle of Carisbrooke (fn. 163) until the
end of the 14th century. After that time it apparently remained with the Crown (fn. 164) and is entered
as 'the king's forest' in some old maps as late as
1791. For many years before its disafforesting,
which took place in June 1812, (fn. 165) it was nominally
held by the Governor of the Island, but it was really
a common for the whole neighbourhood. (fn. 166) At the
time of its disafforesting it contained about 2,500
acres, including the inclosed part, 415 acres in
extent. (fn. 167) The uninclosed portion of Parkhurst
Forest was sometimes known as Avington Park or
Forest and is so called in Speed's map of the Island
in 1611. (fn. 168)
At the close of the 13th century the bailiwick was
granted by Edward I to Robert le Sauser (fn. 169) and
supported a chief forester with two foresters under
him and two park keepers.
In 1333 sundry poachers were prosecuted for
entering the king's park at the Old Park and Parkhurst Chase and taking deer, (fn. 170) and it is evident
these two inclosures were distinct (fn. 171) and were especially impaled for hunting purposes, as Edward III
required John Maltravers as service for lands in
Dorset to attend him for a day at Carisbrooke in the
season of buck hunting, (fn. 172) and there were continual
Crown prosecutions for poaching. The Constable
of Carisbrooke Castle was also keeper of the forest,
as appears by grants from time to time. (fn. 173) Richard
de Redvers granted the Newport burgesses right of
pasture in the fringe of the forest towards the town, (fn. 174)
which came later to be termed the wood ovis. (fn. 175) In
1619 Hunnyhill, (fn. 176) the verge of the forest towards
Newport, which consisted of some 30 acres given
the town in 1413 by Agnes Attelode and John
Earlsman, (fn. 177) was inclosed by Lord Southampton for
the maintenance of the grammar school at Newport, (fn. 178) and in the charter of 1684 to the borough
of Newport Hunnyhill was confirmed to the grammar
school. (fn. 179)
The burgesses had an ancient custom of going on
the Sunday after May Day into the forest and cutting
green boughs to adorn their houses, (fn. 180) but this and
the indiscriminate collecting of firewood being extensively abused was abolished in 1622. Parkhurst
seems to have been a sort of playground for the
Newport people, and in 1596 Sir George Carey,
about to leave the Island and take up his father's
title and position of Lord Hunsdon, invited the inhabitants to a love feast and merrymaking in the forest,
which was carried out with all the lavish affectation
of the period. (fn. 181) Four inclosures were made for a
buttery, a kitchen and two dining halls. There was
a stage play and much firing off of ordnance and
toasting. A Morris dance was performed by the
young farmers to a musical accompaniment and the
whole was stage-managed by John Harvey of Alvington. In the 18th century Parkhurst was the scene
of drillings and reviews, and the erection of barracks
in 1799 made it a military centre. At present the
forest comprises some 1,000 acres of government
land and is practically closed to the public. A grant
was obtained in 1772 from the Crown of 80 acres
in Parkhurst Forest for a house of industry. (fn. 182)
MANORS
In 1086 the manor of BOWCOMBE
(fn. 183)
(Bovecome, xi cent.; Bovecombe, xiv
cent.; Bocombe, xv cent.; Bewcombe,
xvi cent.; Buccomb, xvii cent.), which had belonged
to Edward the Confessor, was held by King William
in demesne, (fn. 184) and apparently included the present
parish of Carisbrooke. Before the Conquest it
had belonged to the royal manor of Amesbury
(co. Wilts.), but Earl William Fitz Osbern had
secured it in exchange for three manors in Wiltshire which had been thegn land. (fn. 185) However, in
1078 it belonged to the king, and, until the 16th
century, followed the descent of the lordship of
Carisbrooke (fn. 186) (q.v.).
After the castle became permanently a Crown
possession the manor of Bowcombe was apparently
leased separately. (fn. 187) An inquiry into the state of the
Island made in 1583 showed that various captains of
the Island had enjoyed leases of the manor, and
though there was no evidence that it belonged to the
demesne of the castle the Islanders desired it to be
annexed to the captaincy, in order to help in the
maintenance of the castle household. (fn. 188) However, in
1593 the site and demesne lands of the manor were
leased to Clement Dawbney for twenty-one years,
after the expiry of a similar lease made in 1581 to
Sir Edward Horsey. (fn. 189) In 1608 Joan Fashye widow
claimed to hold the site of the manor of Bowcombe
by indenture from Lady Elizabeth Hunsdon, (fn. 190) and
two years later the site was leased to William Haynes
of Chessington for sixty years. (fn. 191) In 1625 Charles I,
at the request of Christopher Earl of Anglesea, granted
the manor in fee farm to Henry Knollys and his
heirs. (fn. 192) Henry was succeeded in 1638 by his son
Henry, (fn. 193) and in 1671 Thomas Knollys senior and
Thomas Knollys junior sold it to William Stephens. (fn. 194)
In 1728 the manor was sold by William Stephens
and Mary his wife and their son William to John
Blachford of London, (fn. 195) in whose family (fn. 196) it was
still vested in 1795. (fn. 197) The estate now belongs to
Sir Charles Seely, whose father purchased it of
Sir Richard Simeon.
At least three surveys of the manor of Bowcombe
still exist, one taken in 1299–1300, (fn. 198) another in
1608, (fn. 199) and a third in 1728. (fn. 200)
The manor of ALVINGTON (Alwinestune, xi
cent.; Alwinton, Alfinton, xiii cent.; Alventon, xiv
cent.) was held before the Conquest by Donnus, but
had passed before 1086 to the king. (fn. 201) The intermediate owner was probably William Fitz Osbern, for
the castle of Carisbrooke had been built upon a
portion of this manor, and its assessment had therefore been reduced from 2½ to 2 hides. (fn. 202) The overlordship of the manor remained in the honour of
Carisbrooke Castle. (fn. 203)
In 1227–8 half a knight's fee in Alvington, Shide
and 'Hedenesham' belonged to Simon de Daventry
and Joan his wife, apparently in right of Joan as
the daughter of Lucy wife of Thomas de Parco, who
held a third of the estate. (fn. 204) In 1262–3 the manor
passed by exchange from John de Argentein to
William de St. Martin and his wife Amphyllis, with
settlement on William's heirs by Amphyllis and
remainder to her heirs. (fn. 205)
William was succeeded in
1290–1 by his son Reginald
de St. Martin, (fn. 206) who settled
the manor in 1306 upon
himself and his wife Eleanor
and upon their younger son
John. (fn. 207) Reginald died about
1314–15, (fn. 208) and his son John
about 1326–7, (fn. 209) leaving as
his heir his nephew Laurence
son of Laurence de St. Martin,
a minor whose custody was
committed in 1326–7 to
Isabel de Hastings, (fn. 210) in the following year to John
Maltravers, (fn. 211) and again in 1330–1 to Isabel. (fn. 212)
Laurence received livery of the manor in 1340, (fn. 213)
and dying in 1385–6 left as his heirs his greatnephew Thomas son of Laurence Calston, son of
Joan his sister, and his nephew Henry Popham son
of Sibyl, Laurence's second sister. (fn. 214) The manor of
Alvington from this date followed the descent of
Binstead (fn. 215) (q.v.) until 1547, when John Wadham
sold it to John and Alexander Harvy, (fn. 216) who in
1551 settled it on themselves and the heirs of
Alexander in tail-male, with contingent remainders in
tail-male to Ralph and Thomas Harvy. (fn. 217) Alexander,
who survived John, died without male heirs, whereupon
Ralph succeeded. On his
death in 1559 the manor
passed to his son John, (fn. 218)
who was succeeded by a son
and grandson of the same
name. (fn. 219) The latter sold the
manor in 1640 to Barnabas
Leigh. (fn. 220) The manor was
sold by the Leighs to the
Millers, and it was held in
1732 by John Miller, who
seems to have inherited it
from his grandfather Sir John
Miller, bart., of Chichester, who died in 1721. (fn. 221)
John succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his
father Sir Thomas in 1733, (fn. 222) and was succeeded by
his son Sir Thomas in 1772. (fn. 223) Sir Thomas paid
rent to the Crown for the manor under the name of
Carisbrooke in 1780, (fn. 224) and was still holding it in
1795. (fn. 225) In 1873 John Bonham Carter, M.P., and
others conveyed the manor known as the manor or
lordship or reputed manor or lordship of 'Alvington,'
otherwise 'Alvington and Carisbrook,' to James
Luxton Manning, whose representatives in 1907 conveyed the same (or rather the manor, manor-house
and such lands as had not been sold previously) to
the Rev. William Robert Kelleway Baulkwill, the
present owner. (fn. 226)
St. Martin. Sable six lions or.
Miller, baronet. Argent a fesse wavy azure between three wolves' heads razed gules.
The mansion-house and principal farm of Alvington
seem to have been sold by the Leighs to Mr. Pike, at
whose death they passed to Sir John Carter. (fn. 227) Dame
Dorothy Carter and Arthur Atherley were holding
the estate in 1812, as devisees under the will of
Sir John Carter. (fn. 228) This was included in the sale
of the manor, and at present belongs to the Rev.
W. R. K. Baulkwill. (fn. 229)
The manor lands of Alvington seem to have been
cut up, since the hamlet of Gunville and a large
brick works now stand on them.
In 1602–3 a dispute arose between John Harvy,
lord of the manor of Alvington, and the Crown,
concerning the impounding of the cattle of the former,
which often strayed into Parkhurst Forest from the
common in Alvington called the Lawnes, bordering,
without hedge or ditch, on Parkhurst Forest. (fn. 230)
Besides the tenants of Alvington Manor, those of
the tenement called Park Place or Parkhouse and two
of the tenants of the manor of Bowcombe had
pasture on the Lawnes. A survey of the common
was taken in 1364–5. (fn. 231)
The estate known as URRYS PLACE was held of
the Abbess of Wilton. (fn. 232) It is probably to be
identified with half a carucate of land and rent in
Carisbrooke, given in 1250–1 by Thomas Daccumbe
and Muriel his wife to Alice Abbess of Wilton. (fn. 233)
In 1327 a messuage and a carucate of land in Carisbrooke were settled upon Robert son of William
Urry and his wife Isabel, (fn. 234) and in 1362 Robert
Urry sold a messuage and 2 carucates of land to
Laurence de St. Martin, lord of Alvington. (fn. 235) From
that time this land descended with Alvington (fn. 236) (q.v.),
being evidently incorporated in the latter, since it is
not mentioned by name after 1502. (fn. 237)
At the final dissolution of the alien priories
CARISBROOKE PRIORY was granted by Henry V
in 1415 to the priory of Sheen in Surrey. (fn. 238) The
prior evidently leased it in 1504 for twenty-five years
to Sir John Leigh, who in 1505 was given royal
dispensation to hold the same. (fn. 239) This lease passed
to Sir James Worsley by his marriage with Anne
daughter of Sir John Leigh, and Richard Worsley,
son of Sir James, obtained a renewal of it. (fn. 240) In
1570–1 Sir Francis Walsingham, who had married
the widow of Richard Worsley, was given a thirty-one years' lease of the site, beginning from the expiry
of the last lease. (fn. 241) From Sir Francis it passed in
1590 to his daughter Frances, then wife of Robert
Devereux Earl of Essex, afterwards wife of Richard
Earl of Clanricarde. (fn. 242) The site was leased by James I
in 1606 for forty years to Sir Thomas Fleming,
whose interest passed in 1613 to his son Thomas. (fn. 243)
In 1628 it was granted by Charles I to Edward
Ditchfield, John Highlord and other trustees for
the Mayor and citizens of London, to whom the
king owed large sums. (fn. 244) Sir Thomas Fleming was
then in possession of the lease, but conveyed it in
1634 to John Bromfield. (fn. 245) Bromfield mortgaged
the site in 1646 to Thomas Overman, (fn. 246) but it
probably remained with the Bromfields, and is said
by Worsley to have been purchased of them by
Mr. Dummer, who held the estate in 1780 and in
1795. (fn. 247) A manor of Carisbrooke, probably to be
identified with this estate,
was, however, in 1762 in the
possession of Sir John Miller, (fn. 248)
and it was probably of him
that it was purchased by Mr.
Dummer. From the latter it
passed apparently to Sir John
Carter, for in 1812 it was
held under his will by Dame
Dorothy Carter and Arthur
Atherley. (fn. 249) It was still in
the possession of the Carter
family in 1859, (fn. 250) but was
held in the following year by
Thomas Chamberlayne. (fn. 251) It
had passed before 1878 to
Mr. Tankerville Chamberlayne, (fn. 252) the present owner.
Chamberlayne. Gules a cheveron engrailed or between three scallops argent.
Remains of the monastic buildings are incorporated into the Priory Farm-house.
The estate at Carisbrooke, subsequently known as
the manor of CARISBROOKE, held by the abbey of
Lire, or by the Priors of Carisbrooke as representatives
of that abbey, seems to have been acquired gradually
by a series of small gifts of land in the parish.
William de Vernon confirmed to the monks land
around Carisbrooke which Peverel de Argentein and
William his brother gave them. (fn. 253) Robert Wymond
gave half an acre lying in the southern part of the
new castle of Carisbrooke, and Joan daughter of
Robert and wife of William Urry confirmed the
grant. (fn. 254) Thomas de Daccumbe gave a messuage and
20 acres of land in Bowcombe in 1253–4, (fn. 255) and in
1271–2 William de la Mare and Margery his wife
gave 5½ acres in Carisbrooke. (fn. 256) Isabel de Fortibus
Countess of Devon gave 10 acres of land to the
priory, (fn. 257) and in 1311 Reginald de St. Martin gave
8 acres and 3 roods of land in Carisbrooke. (fn. 258) This
manor passed, with the rest of the possessions of the
priory, to the priory of Sheen, and followed the same
descent as the site of the priory (fn. 259) (q.v.).
The Abbot and convent of Quarr held various
parcels of land in Carisbrooke by grant and purchase. (fn. 260)
In 1086 there was a mill in the manor of Bowcombe, (fn. 261) the site of which is possibly to be identified
with that of the paper mill which formerly stood on
the left of the road leading from Clatterford to Froglands. (fn. 262) There were two mills in the manor of
Alvington at the time of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 263)
Carisbrooke Mill, which is now the pumping-station
at the waterworks, belonged to the manor of Alvington. (fn. 264)
The priory of God's House,
Southampton, held half a
knight's fee at COSHAM in
the 13th century, (fn. 265) and held
the same until the Dissolution, (fn. 266) when it passed with
God's House to Queen's College, Oxford, (fn. 267) who are the
present owners. It lies between
Newport and Shide and is
now cut up into building
plots. (fn. 268)
Queen's College, Oxford. Argent three eagles gules the first eagle having a pierced molet or of six points on his breast.
Isabel de Fortibus confirmed land at ROWBOROUGH (Rowbere,
Rowebergh, xiii cent.; Ruburghwe, xiv cent.;
Roughberough, xv cent.) to the Abbot and convent
of Quarr, (fn. 269) who in 1284 obtained a grant of free
warren there. (fn. 270) In 1399–1400 the abbot demised
the manor and a pasture called Rurygge to John
Harding of Shorwell and Joan his wife and Richard
Passelewe for their joint lives, on condition that,
among other things, they should build a house
with a small hall in the middle, a small chamber
at one end and a space at the other end for eight oxen
and four horses. (fn. 271) In 1499 the abbot leased to Simon
Payne for eighty-one years his manor of Rowborough,
with its members called Roughrigge, Breyanesheth,
Shortrigg, Raudon and Salynglond or Saltlond. (fn. 272) The
grange of Rowborough was among the possessions of
the abbey at the Dissolution, (fn. 273) and was granted in
1544 to John and George Mill. (fn. 274) In 1588–9
Richard Mill, nephew and successor of George, (fn. 275) sold
to Barnabas Leigh all that messuage or tenement
called Rowborough, except the estate of Dowsabella
Mill, widow, and of Henry Ryves, under the will of
George Mill. (fn. 276) The estate apparently descended in
the family of Leigh, for in 1780 the heirs of John
Leigh paid a rent of 6s. 8d. for Rowborough. (fn. 277)
Rowborough was held in 1860 by the Hon.
W. H. A. A'Court Holmes, and was purchased
of him (then Lord Heytesbury) in 1874 by
Charles Seely, to whose son Sir Charles Seely it
now belongs. (fn. 278)
The manor of CHILLERTON (Celertune, xi cent.;
Chelerton, xiii cent.; Celierton, xiv cent.) was held
before the Conquest by Blacheman in parage. In
1086 a certain Geoffrey held the 2 virgates comprising the manor, one of Gozelin son of Azor, the
other of William his brother. (fn. 279) Being held of the
honour of Carisbrooke, (fn. 280) Chillerton probably passed
like Bonchurch to the Lisles of Bonchurch and
Wootton, for it was held in demesne by John de
Lisle towards the end of the 13th century, (fn. 281) and
free warren there was granted to John son of John
de Insula in 1306. (fn. 282) The manor descended with
that of Wootton (fn. 283) until the sale of Wootton to James
Burton. Chillerton was perhaps sold at about the
same time, and belonged in 1782–3 and 1790–1 to
the Bonham and Carter families. (fn. 284)
It had probably lost all manorial rights before
1662–3, for it is then called Chillerton Farm. (fn. 285)
The principal landowner at Chillerton at the present
day is Sir Charles Seely, bart., whose father Charles
Seely purchased Chillerton in 1873. Part of Chillerton was transferred from Wootton to Carisbrooke in
1882. (fn. 286)
In 1255–6 Sibyl daughter of Serlo and Joan
daughter of John Paulin gave to John son of William
de la Styele 5 acres of land in CLATTERFORD
(Clatreford, xiii cent.) in exchange for a quitclaim
by him to them of a messuage and 15 acres of land
there. (fn. 287) About 1279–80 a thirteenth of a knight's fee
in Clatterford was held by John Goldsmith (Aurifaber)
of the honour of Carisbrooke, (fn. 288) and he or a descendant
of the same name held it in 1333–4. (fn. 289) In 1346
Ralph de Wolverton was holding this estate, which
had formerly belonged to his father John de Wolverton, (fn. 290) and it is probably to be identified with that
which in the beginning of the 16th century belonged
to the Marshals, William son of John Marshal
having given it in 1507–8 to his grandson Thomas,
whose heir seems to have been his cousin Margery
Salesbury. (fn. 291) Sir John Oglander, writing at the end
of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century, says
that James Rookley lived at Clatterford, and adds
that his family had possessed an estate there since
the time of Edward I, as a deed of Isabel de Fortibus
showed. (fn. 292) In 1780 Daniel Collins paid a fee-farm
rent of 2s. for Clatterford, and the estate was bought
about 1850 by Mr. Cooke. It was sold in 1906 by
the executors of his son Russell Cooke to Sir Charles
Seely. (fn. 293)
The manor of HALDLEY (Heldelie, xi cent.;
Haldele, Hardley, Haddele, xiii cent.) and ROWRIDGE (Rueregge, Rugherigg, Roughrigge, Rourigge,
Rughbrigge, xiii cent.).—The king held the manor
of 'Heldelie' in demesne at the time of the Survey,
and it had formerly been held of Edward the Confessor by Cheping. (fn. 294) In 1255–6 Jordan de Kingston
released to Ralph de Gorges and Ellen his wife all
his right in the land held by Ralph and Ellen in
Haldley and Rowridge. (fn. 295) The overlordship seems
to have remained with the Gorges family, following
the descent of Knighton in Newchurch (fn. 296) (q.v.).
In 1279–80 William Gilbert held the manor as
an eighth of a knight's fee, for a rent of half a mark
to Lady Ellen Gorges. (fn. 297) At the beginning of the
14th century the estate was held jointly by William
Gilbert and Sibyl wife of William Gilbert. (fn. 298) In
1346 a quarter of a fee in Haldley and Rowridge
which formerly belonged to William Gilbert was held
by John Gymmynges and his coparceners. (fn. 299) The
same estate 'which was to have been granted to John
de Sperlyng in tail' formed part of the possessions of
John de Lisle of Gatcombe at his death in 1369, (fn. 300)
and evidently passed with Gatcombe to the Bramshotts, as William Bramshott was in possession in
1428. (fn. 301) In 1431 John Holcombe of Afton and
John Lisle of Calbourne held an eighth of a knight's
fee in Haldley and Rowridge. (fn. 302)
In the reign of Henry VIII Sir Robert Wallop
claimed to be seised of the manor of MARVELL or
MARVYLDE
(fn. 303) in the Isle of Wight. He complained that Thomas Goter of Newport and others
by command of John Bayley came by night to his
manor and riotously entered it and 'leyde traynys of
strawe rounde abowte the howse and sette fyre in yt
and lyke to have burnyd the howse and to have
smotheryd and slayne the men beyng wythin.' (fn. 304)
Bayley, however, stated that he had been possessed of
the manor for thirteen years and that Sir Robert
Wallop with a company of men had come to the
manor and ejected his tenant. (fn. 305) The manor appears
to have belonged to John Bayliff in 1558–9, and in
1572 Mark Harley of 'Marvel' granted to Philip
Andrews an annuity of £5 from the site of the manor
called Marvell alias Quidington. (fn. 306) This manor is
probably to be identified with Marvell Farm, to the
south of the town of Newport, but its further history
has not been discovered.
CHURCH
Of the Island churches that of ST.
MARY of Carisbrooke ranks first in
importance as befits the church of the
chief manor. Standing on the high ground to the
north of the village it forms a worthy pendant to its
neighbour the castle, and though shorn of its conventual buildings in the 15th and deprived of its
chancel in the 16th century it still remains with
its fine nave and lofty tower unrivalled among the
ecclesiastical buildings of the Isle of Wight. (fn. 307)
The present church can hardly be on the site of
the Domesday church of the manor of Bowcombe,
as the ground it is built on must have been, like the
castle, within the manor of Alvington.
It is probable, as tradition has it, that the church
of Bowcombe given to Lire was higher up the valley,
and that the convent served it with a priest. This
church must have been built previous to the grant,
i.e. before 1066, and have become unnecessary when
the present church was erected (fn. 308) on the new site
opposite the castle. As the two clerks serving it,
Geoffrey and Stephen, had to be provided for, Baldwin
de Redvers, in his grant of confirmation to Lire,
c. 1133, (fn. 309) stipulated that they should hold the
new church for their lifetime, after which it was
to revert to the convent, who were either to hold
it 'or to send monks into it,' for which each
priest was to pay 30s. yearly to the mother church
of Lire. (fn. 310)
Plan of Carisbrooke Church
The earliest building was evidently of the aisleless
type, (fn. 311) and was certainly in existence in the first quarter
of the 12th century. The end of the century saw it
converted to the uses of a conventual church, with
claustral buildings (fn. 312) to the north and an aisle to the
south. It is evident that this aisle, built 1170–80,
was originally intended to extend the whole length
of the nave, and for some reason (fn. 313) was shortened
soon after the arcade was built, as the pier (fn. 314) is built
round the second westernmost column, and not bonded
into it. A connecting arch was then thrown across
the intersection of the broad and narrow aisle and the
wall carried on southward, while at the same time a
south door was inserted at the junction of the earlier
thick south wall with the widened aisle. Of 13thcentury work proper the only evidence is a credence
and a sepulchral recess in the south wall of the aisle,
the recesses in the wall of the cloister south ambulatory,
and the windows in the east wall, uncovered in 1907.
The 14th century left no changes in the church, (fn. 315)
but after the grant to Sheen by Henry V further alterations were carried out. The priory buildings were
pulled down as no longer necessary, (fn. 316) large windows
were inserted in the north and south walls-the
external recesses in the north wall being built in and,
to strengthen it, two massive buttresses erected—and
finally the fine tower added at the west end. In the
reign of Elizabeth the chancel was pulled down by
the then leaseholder, Sir Francis Walsingham, (fn. 317) and
an east window inserted in the space inclosed by the
chancel arch.
By the beginning of the 18th century the church
had got into a bad state of repair. 'The weather
beat into the body of the tower.' The stair turret
with the weather-cock was 'quite decayed.' Both
church and tower 'wanted pointing, not having been
pointed within memory, the Copings and water tables
all round the church were loose, the Ivy had wrought
and grown into the churche itselfe and a principal
Buttresse which supports the East end of the church
was ready to fall down.' Such is the account given
of the state of the structure in a MS. in the parish
chest dated 1710. Further repairs were carried out
at the end of the century, according to the church-
wardens' accounts, and in 1806—the date cut on the
west face—the tower was re-pointed.
In 1872 the porch was re-roofed, the original floor
of the church restored and a new window inserted in
the south wall west of the porch. A systematic and
conservative repair in 1907–8 resulted in the dis-
covery of the small round-headed lights of the early
church and the interesting openings in the east wall.
The entrance to the church is by the south porch
built in the 16th century, the tower door being only
used by the ringers. The south doorway, opening
into the narrow part of the south aisle, is of transi-
tional 12th–13th century style, having angle columns
with foliated capitals slightly later than the archway to
the south chapel with its singular pier, already described.
The nave arcade, 1170–80, has shafts with escalloped
capitals and pointed arches with two rings of splayed
voussoirs with label mould over. In the spandrels of
the two westernmost arches there are signs of the
windows (fn. 318) of the early church, circa 1120, the only
portions of the original building remaining. The
windows in the south aisle and the north wall are of
the 15th century, probably inserted when the fine
western tower was added in 1471, the date on a
tablet on its western face (fn. 319) borne by two couped
figures. The tower, which is entered through a four-
centred spandrelled door, is of four stages, with angle
buttresses extending to the uppermost, and an hexagonal
stair-turret at the south-west angle. The top finishes
in an embattled cornice with pinnacles at the angles
and in the centre of each face, and is ornamented
with three string-courses having grotesque carvings at
intervals, the whole being built of squared local freestone
from the Upper Greensand formation. (fn. 320) On the
south face is a clock, placed there in 1844. The
earlier 15th-century east window of the south aisle
has been blocked, and a late 16th-century window
inserted, probably by Sir Francis Walsingham, when
the chancel was destroyed, at which time the nib of
the chancel north wall was made into a buttress,
covering the jamb of a 12th-century door (fn. 321) forming
the monks' entrance to the quire. The 12th-century
chancel arch has been cut into at the apex, probably
in connexion with a rood-loft. The openings in the
east wall, brought to light in 1907–8, are somewhat
puzzling. The centre round-headed light at the apex
belongs to the 12th-century church, and was opened
and restored in 1872. The other windows are all
of two lights, and belong to the 13th century, the
one in the south-east angle having evidently been
inserted to light a loft or gallery entered by a door in
the opposite angle 16 ft. from the floor level. (fn. 322) In
the north-east corner is a splayed recess having some
connexion with a nave altar here.
Just to the north of the east window of the south
aisle is a long, narrow 15th-century niche, originally
with a canopy over, (fn. 323) probably an image bracket.
In the outside of the north wall are two sepulchral
recesses, c. 1190 and c. 1260, the westernmost being
the earlier. (fn. 324) That to the east is more elaborate,
having outer and inner engaged columns and general
detail of 1260–70. On the plaster at the back are
scratched various figures in early 15th-century costume,
a single-masted ship, a shield of arms, and sundry un-
intelligible legends. (fn. 325) When these recesses were
opened in 1891 an incised Purbeck grave slab was
discovered in the cloister walk. It is of the 13th
century, and commemorates Aveline Passelewe, a
member of an Island family holding land in the
south. (fn. 326) In the south wall of the aisle is a low, flat
arched recess of the 13th century, to which period
belongs the incised slab of a prior, and the stone
coffin and grave slab now in the porch. (fn. 327) The
elaborate 16th-century tomb in the north wall to
the Lady Margaret, wife of Sir Nicholas Wadham, (fn. 328)
represents her kneeling in the centre of six crippled
figures, three on either side, (fn. 329) the whole being sur-
mounted by a richly foliated canopy with a central
angel figure bearing a shield with 1 H S. There is
a curious painted wood tablet in memory of William
Keeling, groom of the chamber to James I and general
for the ' Honourable East India Adventurers,' who
died at Carisbrooke in 1619. On the north wall
is a good Renaissance monument to Sir William
Stephens, kt., Lt.-Governor of the Isle of Wight,
and lord of Bowcombe in Carisbrooke, who died in
1697, his wife Elizabeth 1692, and his brother Henry
1689, with, adjoining it, memorials to Mary daughter
of Sir Richard Newdigate of Arbury, bart., and wife
of William Stephens of Barton, who died in 1740,
and Thomas Serle 1760. On the west wall of the
south aisle is a tablet to James Haskoll, died 1780.
There is a 17th-century oak pulpit with panelled
back and canopy—a later addition, (fn. 330) bearing the
date 1658—and a font of the time of Elizabeth,
made up with cement and having a pyramidal oak
cover. On the north wall hangs a panel of the royal
arms of Anne, and over the south door an early one
of Victoria.
The tower contains a peal of eight bells, founded
in 1770, (fn. 331) and a clock with the inscription 'This
clock put into complete repair and sold to the parish
of Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, by John Moon & Sons,
1844.'
The plate consists of two flagons of 1753–4, a
chalice and paten of 1750, a chalice and paten for
the sick of 1750, and an alms dish of 1750, all given
by Elizabeth Lady Miller at the respective dates;
also two chalices and two patens of 1756–7 and an
alms-dish of 1729.
The registers are in three volumes (fn. 332) : the first
contains all entries from 1572 to 1653; the second
births from 1653 to 1660, baptisms 1661 to 1672,
marriages 1652 to 1659, burials 1653 to 1662; the
third baptisms from 1661 to 1696, marriages 1662
to 1691, burials 1662 to 1672.
ADVOWSON
The original church of Carisbrooke
was in the manor of Bowcombe. In
1086 the monks of Lire held the
church with a virgate of land, and of this virgate
Humphrey held a portion where he had eight men
paying 5s. William son of Azor also held 2½ acres
on which he had four houses, but both Humphrey
and William held without the consent of the priest.
There were also belonging to the church twenty
messuages inhabited by bordars and a mill and all
the tithes of Bowcombe. (fn. 333) This church with the
tithes had evidently been granted to the abbey by
William Fitz Osbern. (fn. 334) Baldwin de Redvers Earl
of Exeter, probably the first of that name, granted to
the abbey of Lire (fn. 335) the advowson of the new church of
Carisbrooke. (fn. 336) Godfrey Bishop of Winchester (1184–1204) confirmed to the Abbot and convent of Lire
the advowson of Carisbrooke and tithes in Bowcombe
and elsewhere, and gave them licence to appropriate
the church of St. Mary of Carisbrooke to their own
uses. (fn. 337) William de Vernon confirmed the charter
of his ancestors, and at that time there belonged to
Carisbrooke Church the chapels of Northwood, Shorwell, and Newport, and the chapel of the Infirm. (fn. 338)
The advowson remained with the Prior of Carisbrooke,
the representative of the abbey of Lire in the Isle of
Wight, until its suppression, (fn. 339) but the presentations
were frequently made by the king, the priory being
in his hands on account of war with France. (fn. 340)
When the priory of Carisbrooke was granted in 1415
to the prior of Sheen the advowson of Carisbrooke
Church passed with it, and the presentations were
made by the priors of Sheen from that time until
the Dissolution. (fn. 341) The tithes passed with the advowson, and both were granted in 1558 to John
Bishop of Winchester. (fn. 342) The advowson and rectory
of Carisbrooke were also included in the lease of the
priory to Sir Francis Walsingham in 1570–1, (fn. 343) and
other lessees of the priory seem occasionally to have
presented to the church and held the rectorial tithes. (fn. 344)
In 1626 the advowson of Carisbrooke, with the
chapels of Newport and Northwood, was granted
by Charles I to the master and scholars of Queen's
College, Oxford, (fn. 345) and it has since remained with
them. (fn. 346)
The advowson of the PRIORY of Carisbrooke
was apparently vested in the Abbot of Lire or his
procurators. (fn. 347) Isabel de Fortibus Countess of
Albemarle laid claim to the presentation, but in
1279 her claim was disallowed, and she was ordered
to make good any damage she had done to the Prior
of Carisbrooke. (fn. 348)
The chapel of St. Nicholas in the castle of Carisbrooke is mentioned in the Domesday Survey as
being endowed with land at Shalcombe. (fn. 349) It
was given to the abbey of Quarr by Baldwin de
Redvers (1107–55), and was confirmed to the abbey
by his two sons Richard and William. (fn. 350) The
advowson remained with the abbey until the Dissolution. (fn. 351) It afterwards became and is still vested in
the governors of the castle, but the living has for
many years been a sinecure, and the chapel was in ruins.
The small emolument arising from the chaplaincy
was appropriated by Rev. W. D. Sewell, then chaplain,
in the middle of the 19th century to the church of
St. John in Newport. (fn. 352) The parish of St. Nicholas
consisted of several detached parts, including Castlehold, Cosham, part of Shide Down, and parts of
Rowborough and Dodner. (fn. 353) It was divided for
civil purposes in 1894 between the parishes of Newport, Northwood, and Carisbrooke. (fn. 354)
The chapel of the Infirm (Maladeria), said in the
charter of William de Vernon to the abbey of Lire
to be annexed to the church of Carisbrooke, (fn. 355) was
probably the chapel of St. Augustine for lepers
mentioned in the Carisbrooke Chartulary. It is
possible that the site of the chapel was at a farmhouse near St. Augustine's Gate. (fn. 356)
The Prior and convent of Sheen founded a chantry
at Carisbrooke, with a priest to sing in the parish
church of Carisbrooke for the aid of the curate there
at a salary of £6 a year, paid from the parsonage of
Carisbrooke. The chantry priest also received a
pension from the king out of the land of the late
monastery of Christchurch. (fn. 357)
Henry Bishop of Winchester (1305–16) consecrated a chapel under the castle of Carisbrooke dedicated to the Holy Cross and to the Apostles Peter
and Paul and to St. Swithun for a burying-place for
the monks in the Island; if any other should desire
to be buried there, the priest of the mother church
of Carisbrooke might permit it if he thought fit. (fn. 358)
John Smith's house at Castlehold was licensed for
Congregational worship in 1672. (fn. 359) There is now a
Primitive Methodist chapel at Carisbrooke, also a
United Methodist chapel at Gunville, built in 1907,
and a Bible Christian chapel at Chillerton.
CHARITIES
In 1603 Lord Hunsdon, by will,
devised a rent-charge of £3 yearly
out of the manor of Alvington for
the poor.
In or about 1620 John Serle gave £50 for the
poor, which was invested in land in the common
field. The property now consists of a meadow at
Shide, producing £12 yearly.
The income of these charities is applied in the
distribution of groceries at Christmas.
In 1853 William Robinson, by his will, proved in
the P.C.C., bequeathed £50 consols, the dividends to
be applied in bread at Christmas amongst aged poor.
In 1879 Miss Letitia Margaret Giles, alias Nichol,
by her will proved 25 November, bequeathed
£452 13s. 6d. consols, the dividends to be applied in
coal to poor of Carisbrooke and Gunville West.
In 1883 Robert Smith Gibbs, by will, bequeathed
a legacy for the poor, now represented by £46 6s. 6d.
consols.
In 1891 Miss Josephine Eliza Herring, by will
proved at London 26 February, bequeathed £100,
now £104 19s. 8d. consols, the interest to be applied
for the relief of poor.
In 1900 Miss Margaret Aurelia Dennett, by her
will, proved 30th January, left a legacy now represented by £45 India 3 per cent. stock, the income to
be applied to the District Visiting Society.
The several sums of stock above mentioned are
held by the official trustees, producing in the aggregate £17 18s. 8d. in yearly dividends, which are duly
applied for the general benefit of the poor.
The Church Lands consisted of a small tenement
called the Church House and another small house and
garden, also a field containing 3r. or there abouts in
North Field, and 1 a. 2 r. at Shide. The annual
income, about £7 10s., is carried to the churchwardens' accounts.
In 1888 John Wood, by his will proved at
London 2 March, bequeathed a legacy, now
£198 6s. 8d. consols, with the official trustees, the
annual dividends, amounting to £4 19s. 2d., to be
applied in the preservation of certain memorial
windows in St. Mary's Church, and any residue for
church expenses.
The Rev. Henry Worsley, by deed poll, 2 March
1837, gave a sum of £1,133 2s. 11d. consols, the
annual dividends amounting to £28 6s. 4d. to be
paid to the vicar of St. John's Church; also a sum of
£203 8s. consols, the dividends of £5 1s. 8d. to be
applied towards the repairs of the church.
The sums of stock are held by the official trustees.