Wootton Bridgeis a large village,civil parishandelectoral wardwith about 3,000 residents on theIsle of Wight,first recorded around the year 1086.[2]The parish also contains the settlement ofWootton.
| Wootton Bridge | |
|---|---|
 High Street, Wootton | |
  Wootton Bridge Location within theIsle of Wight | |
| Population | 3,447 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SZ542921 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Ryde |
| Postcode district | PO33 |
| Dialling code | 01983 |
| Police | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Fire | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Ambulance | Isle of Wight |
| UK Parliament | |
Wootton is found midway between the towns ofRydeandNewport,which are 7 miles apart, and historically centred on the old parish church of St Edmund. The hamlet of Wootton Common to the south, centres on the crossroads that bears its name.
The newer village of Wootton Bridge is found in the area immediately west of Wootton Creek, and the parish council that bears its name is now responsible for the whole of the Wootton area.[3]
Village name
editWootton's name is said to mean "Woodtown", which means a clearing in a forest, although other interpretations do exist. The first known mention of the town as "Odetone" or "Wootten" was in 1086, and the name has evolved and changed much over the past millennium.[2]
More recently, following the construction of the bridge across Wootton Creek, the name "Wootton Bridge" has been used to describe the settlement closest to it, however this name is now also used by some to refer to the whole of Wootton. This is possibly due in part toRoyal Mail,who used the name "Wootton Bridge" to differentiate Wootton from the 19 other Woottons found across England.
"Wootton Bridge" is described by some as the "modern name"[2]for the area. However, "Wootton" remains firmly established on wayfinding signs and maps of the island, including those ofOrdnance Survey[4]and remains the most popular name for the area.[5]
Isle of Wight Festival 1969
editThe1969 Isle of Wight Festivaltook place on 29 to 31 August at Woodside Bay in Wootton. The event was one of the largest music festivals to that date, and had an estimated audience of some 150,000.[6]The line-up includedBob Dylan,The Band,The Nice,The Pretty Things,Marsha Hunt,The Who,Third Ear Band,Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band,Fat MattressandJoe Cocker.[7]
Wootton Creek
editThere is a millpond onWootton Creekformed by a sluice gate in Wootton Bridge. At one time there was a second sluice gate in the bridge that would use the tidal water from the millpond to power a mill grinding flour. The mill was demolished in 1962 and houses later built on the site.[8]
The pond is part of aSpecial Area of Conservationand is important for wildfowl and for bats. The heron has been adopted as the symbol of the village.[9]Firestone Copse is aForestry Commissionwoodlandopen to the public which is situated on the edge of the pond.[10]
Notable features
edit
St. Edmund's Church
editSt. Edmund's Parish Churchdates from the 11th century.[11]St. Mark's Church, Woottonis in the south end of the village.
The Sloop Inn
editThe Sloop is another prominent building in Wootton, with its prime position next to Wootton Bridge. The pub is about 150 years old, and is currently managed byMitchells & Butlersas part of its Crown Carveriespub chain.[12]
The Fernhill Ice House
editIn an area of woodland adjacent to agricultural land and public footpaths just outside the village of Wooton, anice housecan be found in excellent condition, having been maintained by the council since the 1980s. This structure is one of a few remnants of a grand estate called Fernhill, which was destroyed by fire in 1938.[13]
Transport
editSouthern Vectisbus routes 4, 9 and 34 link Wootton with the towns ofNewport,RydeandEast Cowes,including intermediate villages.[14][15]
Wootton Station
editWootton Stationis the western terminus of theIsle of Wight Steam Railway.The current station, opened in 1987, is in a different location from the original which was closed in 1953. However the authentic station signage from the original is in place in the newer station.[16]
Notable residents
editVictorian admiralSir John Bairddied in Wootton in 1908, he is buried in the churchyard.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Ward/Parish population 2011".Retrieved20 October2015.
- ^abc"Wootton Bridge Historical – History – Wootton".Retrieved2 July2015.
- ^"English Parishes and Welsh communities N&C 2004".statistics.gov.uk. 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 9 January 2007.Retrieved3 May2007.
- ^"OS Maps".Retrieved2 July2015.
- ^"Google Trends – Web Search interest: Wootton, Isle of Wight, Wootton Bridge – Worldwide, 2004 – Present".
- ^2010 audio interview with Ray Foulk
- ^"Isle of Wight Festival History – 1969".isleofwightfestival.Retrieved3 September2008.
- ^"Netguide to Wootton on the Isle of Wight".wightstay.co.uk.Retrieved5 September2008.
- ^"Wootton Bridge – Homepage".woottonbridge. Archived fromthe originalon 16 July 2008.Retrieved5 September2008.
- ^"Forestry Commission – The Forests of the Isle of Wight – Firestone Copse".forestry.gov.uk.Retrieved5 September2008.
- ^"St Edmund's Parish Church, Wootton – History".wightchurches.co.uk.Retrieved3 September2008.
- ^"The Sloop Inn – Wootton".Crown Carveries.Retrieved2 July2015.
- ^"Wootton Bridge Historical - Wootton 1700-1899 - Fernhill Ice house".Archived fromthe originalon 3 January 2012.
- ^"Southern Vectis bus route 4".islandbuses.info. 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 22 March 2008.Retrieved4 May2008.
- ^"Southern Vectis bus route 9".islandbuses.info. 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 7 June 2008.Retrieved4 May2008.
- ^"Isle of Wight Steam Railway – A Journey Along the Line".iwsteamrailway.co.uk.Retrieved5 September2008.
External links
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