Apse Heath

Infobox UK place |
country = England
official_name= Apse Heath
civil_parish=
latitude = 50.64718
longitude = -1.2028
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= SANDOWN
postcode_district= PO36
postcode_area= PO
dial_code= 01983
os_grid_reference= SZ564833

Apse Heath is a hamlet on the Isle of Wight, UK. Apse Heath is centered around the intersection of Newport Road and Alverstone Road. It is northeast of Whiteley Bank and south of Winford.

The word "apse" in the local dialect means an aspen tree, or "Populus tremula". [Publications by English Dialect Society, London, no.22,26,45 pt.1, 1886.]

Apse Heath Methodist Church has a congregation of 11 to 15 that meets every Sunday to worship. [ [http://www.wightmethodists.org/church.php?church=apseheath "Apse Heath Methodist Church"] , Isle of Wight Methodists website.] The church was founded in 1875 by the Bryanites or Bible Christians. The cornerstone of the present chapel was laid by Lord Alverstone, September 10, 1902. Electric lights were installed in the church and hall in 1956. [ [http://apseheathchurch.netfirms.com/html/history.html Apse Heath Methodist Church History] ]

Apse Heath has a shop, called "Raj's Premier Stores", some other businesses and a post office.

In the early 2000s someone sprayed out the bottom of the "p" in a road sign welcoming people to the village. There is a constant battle between the highways department and rustic wit(s)/guerilla artists who find the name something of a predictable source of amusement.

On January 12, 2006, two horses were injured in a fire in some stables in Apse Heath. [ [http://www.iwfire.org/images/January%202006.pdf January 2006 report] , [http://www.iwfire.org/ Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue] .] On August 5, 2007, a small plane crashed briefly after taking off from Isle of Wight Airport in Sandown in Apse Heath, killing all 4 passengers. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/6932640.stm "Plane crash death probe continues"] , BBC News, August 6, 2007.]

Apse Heath was the site of brickmaking operations in the past. [ [http://freespace.virgin.net/roger.hewitt/iwias/bricks.htm "LIST OF BRICKMAKING SITES"] , Isle of Wight Brickmaking History, [http://www.iwias.org.uk/ Isle of Wight Industrial Archaeology Society] .] It was also the site of a sweet factory, which employed a number of local people until it closed down.

References