Brading

For the surname, seeBrading (surname).

The ancient 'Kynges Towne' ofBradingis the main town of thecivil parishof the same name. The ecclesiastical parish of Brading used to cover about a tenth of theIsle of Wight.The civil parish now includes the town itself andAdgestone,Morton,Nunwelland other outlying areas betweenRyde,St Helens,Bembridge,SandownandArreton.Alverstonewas transferred to theNewchurchparish some thirty years ago.

Brading
The Bugle Inn, Brading High Street
Brading Location within theIsle of Wight
Area	14.2621 km2(5.5066 sq mi)
Population	1,906 (2021 Census)
•Density	134/km2(350/sq mi)
OS grid reference	SZ607870
Unitary authority	Isle of Wight
Ceremonial county	Isle of Wight
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SANDOWN
Postcode district	PO36
Dialling code	01983
Police	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Fire	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Ambulance	Isle of Wight
UK Parliament	Isle of Wight East

Brading has a population of 1,906 according to the2021 Census.

History

Brading Church, in an 1820s lithograph

Early history

From early times, Brading ranked as an important Island port. The ancient name of Brerdynge, from which 'Brading' is derived, probably meantthe people living by the ridge of theDowns,and dates from at least 683.

Main article:Brading Roman Villa

TheRoman Villasouth of the town,and Roman relics discovered locally, indicate that this was an important seaport 2,000 years ago. Signs of prehistoric activity have also been found onBrading Down.

History records thatSt Wilfridcame to the island during the 680s, landed at Brading, preached there to the islanders, and began the conversion of the Island.Bedestates that KingCaedwallaof Wessex killed the pagan population "with merciless slaughter" and replaced them with his own Christian followers, dedicating a quarter of the Isle of Wight to Wilfrid and the Church. Wilfrid would thus have been literally preaching to the converted because everyone else was dead. This legend was illustrated by a tableau at the Waxworks.

Royal charter and governance

Brading was first granted a charter in 1280, unusually for the time directly from KingEdward I,rather than the Lord of the Isle (who was its private owner). This led to it being known as the 'King's Town'.

The charter granted to Brading byEdward VIin 1548 refers to the previous charter granted by Edward I. This charter allowed the town to hold two annual fairs. Nowadays the fair is calledBrading Dayand is held over the first weekend in July.

Because of its status as a town, Brading has a mayor and an elected town council.

In medieval times the town was governed by theSteward,Bailiffsand 13Jurats,and returned twoMPsto theWestminster Parliament.TheGreat Reform Act of 1832created a singleIsle of Wightparliamentary constituency covering the whole island, until it was divided into two constituencies in 2024. Now the town is a part of theIsle of Wight Eastparliamentary constituency.

The old port

Until the 16th century the port was active. Ships lay alongside at the quay behind the Bugle Inn in the High Street. Ships came into Brading Haven for shelter and for provisions, particularly water, which was of a high quality. The north-eastern part of the haven was closed off by an embankment completed in 1594, much of which is still present. Ships would then tie up at the far end of Quay Lane on the other side of the embankment.

Throughout the Middle Ages various attempts were made to drain off the rest of the harbour; for it had gradually become silted up and, except for the main channel of the river, was too shallow to be of any commercial use. SirHugh Myddleton,who had constructed theNew RiverfromHertfordshireto central London forJames I,undertook this work; but the sea broke in and flooded the land once again. After others had also tried and failed, this reclamation was finally accomplished in 1881 by the building of a substantial embankment right across the harbour, with the building of the railway toBembridge.

So Brading now shares withWinchelseaandRomneythe distinction of being a seaport without any sea. Losing access to the sea caused Brading to decline in importance and prevented the sort of growth enjoyed byCowesandNewport.

The Old Town Hall

Old Town Hall, Brading

TheOld Town Hallstands near to the church. There is no record of the earliest Town Hall, but an entry in The Court Leet Book 1729 refers to the assessment of one shilling rate, and also a subscription towards building a new Town Hall, Market House and Prison, so it is likely it was completed around 1730.This new building remained until 1876 when it was restored to its present state, and then contained the Free Town Library.

The Bull Ring

New Town Hall, Brading

The Statue adjacent to the Bull Ring.

Set in the ground outside theNew Town Hall(1903), there is an iron bullring which was once used to secure a bull whilst it was being baited by dogs.According to the diaries of SirJohn Oglander,the Governor of the Isle of Wight would donate 5 guineas for the purchase of the bull to be baited; the meat was afterwards donated to the poor of the town. The Mayor attended this ceremony in full regalia and a dog, known as the Mayor's Dog, would be decked with coloured ribbons and set on the bull after the proclamation had been made.

A large wooden carving of a bull decorates the Bullring. This is by local artist Paul Sivell.Another of his works is an approximately 10-foot wooden statue of the goddess Diana positioned in the woods above Brading at Kelly's Copse entitled "For Camilla". This commemorates the murder of a Danish exchange student by a sex attacker from Gosport in 2002. Many local people have added plastic flowers and stuffed toys as tribute.

The Town Gun

The town possesses a gun. It is a brass piece, made in 1549 by the Owine Brothers, John and Robert, so that the town might be defended from French invasion. The gun was never used in action, but was taken to the top ofBrading Downin 1832 so that it could be fired to celebrate the passing of the Reform Bill. Unfortunately it exploded and split, putting a stop to celebrations for the day. It is currently kept at the coach house atNunwell House.

Governance

Brading is part of theelectoral wardcalled Brading, St. Helens and Bembridge. At the 2011 census the population of this ward was 6,935.

Wildlife and landscape

View of Brading from Brading Down

View of Brading from Culver Down, looking west, with Brading Down to the left of the picture behind the village

The southern-western part of the parish is included within theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty.There are two Sites of Important Nature Conservation close to Morton and another on the downs.

Brading Down is a viewpoint anddownlandbeauty spot.From the north side of the hill it is possible to look over the town towards the mainland. From further up visitors can see theSolentand theSpinnaker ToweratPortsmouth.This elevated site is also of archaeological importance.

The RSPBBrading Marshesnature reserve is the firstRoyal Society for the Protection of Birdsreserve on theIsle of Wight.Situated on the reclaimed land of the old harbour, behind the present-dayBembridgeHarbour, it was bought in 2001 and is a mix of lagoons and ditches, reed beds and meadows, with a fringe ofancient woodland.Thereserveis free and open to visitors all year round. Notable species include marsh harriers, red squirrels and cetti's warbler.

Transport

Brading is served byBrading railway stationon theIsland LineRailway with direct connection to theWightlinkferry at Ryde Pier Head and stops atRyde,Smallbrook,Sandown,LakeandShanklin.The southern fringes of Brading are also on the Island's circular cycle route used for the annual "Bicycle Island Randonée".

The mainA3055 roadfromRydetoSandownpasses through the town.

The town is well-connected to the surrounding countryside by footpaths and bridleways. TheBembridgeTrail passes through the town along Doctors Lane, Cross Street, High Street and Quay Lane (Wall Lane) then along the top of the embankment to St Urian's Copse. There are 71 other footpaths, by-ways and bridle paths in the civil parish area and organised parties of walkers may often be seen meeting at the station or the Bullring.

Southern Vectisrun buses on route 3 from the town, servingNewport,Ryde,Sandown,ShanklinandVentnor,and some other places. Night buses are run at weekends.

Features of the town

St Mary's Church

The former Brading Waxworks in August 2010.

The Sundial, Brading, circa 1910

Little Jane's Cottage, Brading, circa 1910 – alluded to by the RevLegh Richmond

The main street of Brading contains most of the facilities expected of a large village, or in Brading's case, small town. There are four pubs; The Bugle Inn where the sea almost met the High Street when Brading Haven was a major port, the Wheatsheaf Inn which faces the Bull Ring, The Kynges Well (formerly the Dark Horse) which is on the High Street and one at nearbyYarbridgenamed the Yarbridge Inn (known for many years as the Anglers Inn) which is famous for its selection of real ales.St. Mary's Church, Bradingis at the north end of the town and theMethodistchapel is near the centre. There is a small supermarket, a post office, a newsagent, several other specialist shops,a hairdresser's and a fish and chip shop. In addition to these facilities, there is Brading Primary School.

Brading has many attractions to tempt the visitor, quite apart from the natural beauty of the area. These include the Lilliput Doll and Toy Museum; The Roman Villa at Morton with its protective cover (new in 2004) and interpretation centre.

Another notable town attraction was the Brading Waxworks, a museum and waxworks exhibition housed in a Tudor pub (named the "Crown" ) built by Germaine Richardes who victualled the English fleet. The waxworks first opened in 1965, under the ownership of Graham Osborn-smith. It was renamed 'Brading: The Experience' by new owners in 2005, and further alterations in the same year saw the construction of a new section entitled 'World of Wheels', which displayed an array of vintage and unusual vehicles. However, the attraction announced its closure in late 2009 as a result of falling visitor numbers and the increasing costs of running and maintaining the site.It was closed for good on 3 January 2010, and most of the vast collection of taxidermy pieces, historical artefacts and vehicles was auctioned off in April 2010.

The railway station building, as well as remaining an operational railway station has been restored as a café, railway memorabilia shop and small rail museum. The non-operational signal box has been restored to the state it may have been in during the steam era. It is staffed by volunteers.

Sport and leisure

Brading has aNon-League footballclubBrading Town F.C.,which plays at The Peter Henry Ground.

Famous connections

One of the town's claims to fame is that the boards used in churches all over the world to display hymn numbers were invented here by the RevLegh Richmond,who was curate-in-charge of Brading and Yaverland 1757 to 1805, and a famous writer of inspirational evangelist pamphlets at that time.

'Little' Jane SquibbA devout young Christian girl who attended the Reverend's weekly Sunday school at St Mary's Church, Brading. Her story is told in RevLegh Richmond'sAnnals Of The Poor,under 'The Young Cottager'. She succumbed to the disease,Tuberculosisknown in those days as Consumption, on 30 January 1799. Her death affected Rev Legh greatly. Her grave can be found in St Mary's Churchyard, Brading & her cottage in The Mall, Brading.

Brading, fictionalised as "Barling", is the central location ofMaxwell Gray's 1899 novelThe House of Hidden Treasure.

The Victorian diaristFrancis Kilvertvisited Brading on the day of John Oglander's funeral and recorded details of his visit to Brading in his diary.

Notable people

• Frederick Trumble(1893–1918), cricketer

See also

• Hill Farmhouse
• List of current places of worship on the Isle of Wight

External links

• Brading Day Community Event
• Brading Town Council
• Old pictures of Brading