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Restore The Story CIC
Not-for-profit CIC on the Isle of Wight uncovering, preserving & sharing local history through immersive tours, talks, exhibitions & projects. We bring forgotten places & hidden stories back to life for communities & visitors alike.
A low tide walk down Luccombe. We found some interesting items and enjoyed the calming sunset.![]()
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#islandlife #isleofwight #landmovement #beachlife #sunset
Part 3 is this Friday, don't miss this one 👍
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The early Gatcombe House. ![]()
Gatcombe House today is a classical Georgian mansion standing proud above the sweeping green fields and vineyards. There has been house on this site since the early medieval period. Once owned by Baldwin De Insula, Medieval Gatcombe was quite different to the Gatcombe of today. When he died in 1307, leaving part of the estate to his wife, this document contains details of the rooms, giving a rare insight into 14th century Gatcombe. There was a great Hall, typical of Medieval manors, with a chamber at the western end, and a chamber at the eastern end, with upper rooms and a fireplace. A room called the ‘Norycerie’ and a building opposite containing the dairy, wool store, larder, cider press and squires rooms. A granary, barns and dove cote, and kitchen garden are also detailed.![]()
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Englefield in his book of 1812 details the old Elizabethan manor of Gatcombe as having grey gables, overcanopied by the rich woody hill that rise behind it. From this description we can see that the house was in a typical gabled style of the Tudor period. A map of 1759 shows a rare glimpse of what Gatcombe may have looked like, as it illustrates a gabled property on the site. This map although dated 1759, which is later than the present classical building may well have been taken from an earlier drawing or map. Another illustrated map by the same cartographer also has an artists impression of the earlier house, dated from the same year of 1759.![]()
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The present house was built in 1751, it has been suggested after a fire. Built by Sir Edward Meaux Worsley, a branch of the Appledurcombe Worsley family. He was no doubt in competition with his cousin, in wanting a large stately home. Parts of the older Elizabethan property can still be seen incorporated into the building from the rear and side. The classical style and facade built to the fashion of the time.![]()
Around this period and slightly later a Pigeon House/folly seems to have been built just behind the house. The field names in old maps surrounding the folly have helped to identify it’s use, as the name suggests 'Pigeon House Butt'. This folly was present in the time of Campbell’s ownership in the 1820s but seems to have been demolished shortly afterwards. It can be seen in a couple of engravings from the early 19th century. In addition, when Worsley wrote his History of the Isle of Wight, he included the elaborate Pigeon tower, as well as a large lake on his engraving of Gatcombe. This engraving appears to have been a design for the house and grounds, the lake size being greatly exaggerated. An ice house was also built on site, although its location has yet to be established. ![]()
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Gatcombe House Estate run tours of the grounds throughout the summer months, which are bookable from their website.![]()
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If you’d like to see and learn more about the Island’s fascinating history, be sure to like & follow our page for more stories, photos, and discoveries from across the Isle of Wight’s past. And if you enjoyed this post, feel free to give it a share, it really helps us spread the history! — Restore The Story CIC
For anyone who missed our Black Arrow and Cold War podcast with the National Trust, can catch it again here.![]()
The link is in the comments. 👍 👇
The maze, now right on the corner of the slip and Nurseryland not far behind. Most of what was the water gardens is now over the edge and what was the T Rex enclosure 🙁 #isleofwight #Landslip #landmovement #islandlife #BlackGang Blackgang Chine![]()
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Great article, with a tragic end, by Alan Stroud.
Remembering the horror plane crash on the Isle of Wight in 1957
www.countypress.co.uk