Chale, Isle of Wight

Infobox UK place |
country = England
official_name= Chale
civil_parish= Chale
latitude = 50.59652
longitude = -1.31625
population=
unitary_england= Isle of Wight
map_type = Isle of Wight
lieutenancy_england= Isle of Wight
region = South East England
constituency_westminster= Isle of Wight
post_town=
postcode_district= PO38
postcode_area= PO
dial_code= 01983
os_grid_reference=
static_

static_image_caption = Chale Church

Chale is a village and civil parishcite web | year = 2004 | url = http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/geographic_area_listings/downloads/EnglishParishes&WelshCommunities_N&C_2004.xls | title = English Parishes and Welsh communities N&C 2004 | publisher = www.statistics.gov.uk | accessdate = 2007-05-03] on the Isle of Wight, England. It is located three kilometres from Niton in the south of the island. The Village of Chale lies at the foot of St. Catherine's Hill.

Chale is recorded in the Domesday book as "Cela", which probably derives from the Old English word "ceole", meaning "throat". This is thought to refer to the nearby ravine or chine at Blackgang. The name was also recorded as "Chele" or "Chielle", but it has been "Chale" since the 1100s.

There were 3 manors in Chale at the time of the Domesday Book: Chale, Gotten and Walpen.

The Parish Church of St Andrew was founded by Hugh Gendon in Chale in 1114. However, the present church dates from the 1300s. It has 6 bells in its tower. One might have been made about 1360. It has some very nice stained glass windows.

The Chale Abbey farm has a window that dates from the 1300s. The name Abbey refers to the style of the building, not its religious use. Chale Abbey Farm and Walpen Manor are two of the oldest buildings on the Isle of Wight.

The south coast of the Isle of Wight has seen many shipwrecks because it has some famous rocky outcroppings. Lord William de Godeton removed some casks of wine from a French shipwreck in 1312. However, this wine was the property of the Church, which forced Godeton to build a tower and an octagonal oratory at the top of the cliffs above Chale on St. Catherine's Down. A fire was maintained in the oratory to prevent further shipwrecks. A monk remained resident in the oratory.

The Clarendon sank in Chale Bay in 1836, claiming 25 lives. The public was outraged, and demanded that a new lighthouse be built. Government officials who were in England and not familiar with local geography decreed that the new lighthouse should be on top of St. Catherine's Down. However, it is common for fogs to roll in and obscure the top of St. Catherine's Down, and there were more wrecks even after the new lighthouse was built. A second lighthouse, still in use, was built at the foot of the cliffs.

Chale is close to Blackgang Chine which was opened in the 1800s, and was Britain's first theme park.

Chale had a school by 1784. The current school building dates from 1883, although it has been augmented by a newer hall, kitchens and a computer complex. It sits near the church and Wight Mouse Inn at the southern end of the parish.

The Wight Mouse Inn and Clarendon Hotel is named after a shipwreck in 1835. Some of the timbers from the wreck are part of the building. It was a popular destination of the upper classes in an earlier era.

Public transport is provided by Southern Vectis bus route 6, which runs between Newport and Ventnor.cite web | year = 2008 | url = http://www.islandbuses.info/r6.shtml | title = Southern Vectis bus route 6 | publisher = www.islandbuses.info | accessdate = 2007-10-24] The Summer-only "Island Coaster" service also stops in Chale.cite web | year = 2008 | url = http://www.islandbuses.info/rx40.shtml | title = Southern Vectis Island Coaster | publisher = www.islandbuses.info | accessdate = 2008-08-20]

References

External links

* [http://www.chale.org.uk/chale/history.htm History of Chale website]