the encyclopedic entry of Arreton

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Name

The settlement has had different names and different spellings over the years. For example, the village was called Adrintone in the 11th century, Arreton in the 12th century, Artone in the 13th century, Atherton and Adherton in the 14th century, Adderton in the 16th century, and Aireton in the 17th century.

Description

The village has two inns with a long history. The White Lion Inn has been in business for two centuries, and was a staging inn on the A3056 road between Newport and Sandown. At one time, there was a Red Lion Inn nearby. The Arreton Barns Craft Village commercial complex contains a pub called "The Dairyman's Daughter", named after a best selling book about a girl (Elizabeth Wallbridge) from Arreton by Rev. Legh Richmond.

Arreton is home to the "Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum", which moved to the Arreton Barns Complex from Bembridge after 26 years. It is housed in a "Grade II stone barn" at Jacob's Yard in the Arreton Barns Centre.

Arreton's Church of St. George is renowned. Part of this church dates from the 1100s. The church features a Saxon wall and a Burma Star window. On the road to the church is the 17th century Stile Cottage which was previously used to store ales for the church.

Opposite the church is the Island Brass Rubbing Centre, Lavender Cottage (which sells lavender products) and a wood carving of St. George and the dragon by local sculptor Paul Sivell.

There is a manor house in Arreton rebuilt during the reign of James I of England by Sir Levinus Bennet. The original manor house was far older, however.

There are or were several ancient mills in Arreton. The mill at Horringford was apparently a papermill.

To the north of the village lies Arreton Down, a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

There is also a zoo south of Arreton, at Hale Common, known as Amazon World Zoo.

Southern Vectis bus route 8 passes through the village on its way between Newport and Sandown. The Downs Tour also serves the village during the summer.

Arreton Manor

Arreton Manor apparently has a history dating back to at least 872 AD. This fact is recorded in the Domesday Book It was also noted in the will of King Alfred the Great in 885. Previously it had been owned by his mother Osburga and her father Oslac, Chief Butler of England. The manor was owned by King Edward before the Norman conquest.

After 1086, it was owned by William the Conqueror. In 1100 it was granted to Richard de Redvers, and was part of an endowment given to the monks of the Quarr Abbey by his son Baldwin in 1131.

The manor was farmed by the monks in Quarr Abbey for about 400 years until 1525. In 1525, it was leased by Abbot William Rippon to a parish landholder, John Leigh.

The manor was rebuilt between 1595 and 1612. Charles I visited the manor several times.

Arreton Manor was leased to several different farmers until 1628, when it was granted by the king to trustees to settle the king's debts to the City of London. It was then bought by two merchants from the trustees. It was later bought by Lord Culpeper (Thomas II), Governor of the Isle of Wight. On Lord Culpeper's death, his daughter Lady Katherine acquired the property. Lady Katherine married Lord Fairfax and it stayed in the Fairfax family for 230 years.

It is claimed that Queen Mary often visited Arreton Manor. Queen Victoria supposedly planted a conifer on the south lawn of Arreton Manor.

The house was purchased from Count Slade by Jeanne Schroeder in 1987; she sold it to a familly named Clark, who closed the house to the public in 1999; it was subsequently bought by Andy and Julis Gray-Ling in 2004, and re-opened to the public.

It is currently on the market again.

The cellar of the house contains concrete block bearing a Rosy Cross, and such a cross was previously included in a stained glass window. This may suggest that Rosicrucians met at Arreton, probably within living memory.

Arreton Manor plays host to a Living History display by the Church, State and Household group every August.

Other history

The Arreton church of St. George was first begun in the Norman era. The monks of Quarr helped to extend the Church of St. George around 1160. A tower was added in 1299. In the fourteenth century, a brass effigy of Harry Hawles, Steward of the Island on behalf of Montecute, Earl of Salisbury, was added to the church's interior. The brass effigy is missing its head and also the coat of arms.

There is a note marking Hawle's resting place that reads:

A renowned bowling green in Arreton Parish flourished during the 16th and 17th centuries. "I have seen," wrote Sir John Oglander (1595–1648), "with my Lord Southampton at St. George's Down at bowls some thirty or forty knights and gentlemen, where our meeting was then twice every week, Tuesday and Thursday, and we had an ordinary there and card-tables."

The parish of Arreton was at one time one of the largest on the Isle of Wight. In 1894, Arreton was divided into the parishes of North Arreton and South Arreton. In 1898, part of South Arreton was transferred to Godshill, and part of Godshill was transferred to South Arreton in return. North Arreton was absorbed into Whippingham in 1907.

Arreton Athletic, the village's local football team, play in Division 3 of the Isle of Wight Saturday Football League. Watson Bull and Porter sponsor the team. The club secretary is a Mr Robert Butler. The team is managed by Mr Steven Vanner and captained by both Mr Neil Badham and Mr Darren Plumbley. Current team affairs can be followed on the club's official website www.clubwebsite.co.uk/arretonathletic .