Unlocking the Stories Behind the Island’s Historic Sites
There’s something powerful about standing in a place where history actually happened — not just reading about it, but feeling it under your feet. That’s what drives everything we do.
We’re Steve and Jo, and we provide guided tours across the Isle of Wight that bring historic sites to life in a way that’s engaging, accessible, and grounded in solid research. From coastal batteries and Victorian forts to manor houses and lesser-known heritage locations, our aim is always the same: to tell the story properly — and make it memorable.
Our background is firmly rooted in the island’s military past. We specialise in Palmerston-era fortifications and wider military history, areas where detail really matters and where the story often goes far beyond what’s visible on the surface. But we’re not limited to one theme. The Isle of Wight has layers of history, and we’re experienced in interpreting a wide range of sites and periods in a way that connects with different audiences.
What sets our tours apart is the level of preparation behind them. Every site we work with is researched in depth — not just the headline facts, but the overlooked details, the human stories, and the context that brings it all together. Whether it’s digging through archives, studying original plans, or cross-referencing sources, we make sure what we present is accurate, well-rounded, and genuinely interesting.
As well as our ongoing work at Steynewood Battery, we’ve also delivered a range of talks for heritage centres across the island, sharing our knowledge with wider audiences and helping to bring local history to life beyond the sites themselves. More recently, we’ve expanded our work to the Needles Batteries, working alongside the National Trust at their properties, helping to open up another key historic site to visitors and interpret its story in a fresh and engaging way.
But our work doesn’t stop there.
We’re available to support a wide range of projects — whether it’s developing and delivering tours at a new site, enhancing an existing visitor experience, or helping bring a lesser-known location into the spotlight. We adapt to the needs of each place and its audience, always aiming to strike the right balance between historical accuracy and engaging storytelling.
If you’re responsible for a historic site on the island — or you’re exploring ways to make one more accessible and appealing to visitors — we’d be glad to be part of that conversation.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about history. It’s about how that history is told.
