Merstone, Isle of Wight

Infobox UK place |
country = England
official_name= Merstone
civil_parish=
latitude = 50.65984
longitude = -1.2544
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= NEWPORT
postcode_district= PO30
postcode_area= PO
dial_code= 01983
os_grid_reference= SZ527847

Merstone is a quaint little hamlet on the Isle of Wight. It is home to Merston Manor, rebuilt in 1605 in the Jacobean style. Merston Manor was first mentioned in the Doomesday Book, and the present structure is arguably the oldest brick house on the island. Prior to the Norman Conquest, Merston Manor was owned by the Brictuin family. The manor now belongs to the "Croft" family.

Although the manor was considered the most important residence, from 1928 onwards, the "Latheys" {distant relatives of Anne Boleyn - Henry VIII's second wife}were considered to be the most important family to reside in the hamlet, bringing about change and somewhat encouraging the residents to modernise more hastily. One prominent member of the Lathey family, "Michael Lathey Jnr" became something of a legend among the occupants of the hamlet due to a string of practical jokes paid on the townsfolk of Newport and it's people. One of which was risking his safety to venture into Newport alone and steal the town crest during the great feud (see below) - which was only recently recovered in 1998.

While Merstone has always been considered to be in the Newport district, conflicts have broken out between rival clans; the Merstone "Goldwings" and the Newport "Broadleaves", the quarrels began after a farmer hailing from Merstone accused a man who resided in Newport of stealing three sheep. No-one was killed in the clashes but homes were torched and property vandalised. However since the early 1900s the disagreements were settled as Newport residents thought it would be better for the town and hamlet to get along since the citizens of Newport needed to use the newly built railway to Ventnor.

Merstone is in the centre of the Island, roughly equidistant from Blackwater to the northwest, Horringford to the east, and Godshill to the south.

In 1900, the Isle of Wight Central Railway opened a branch from Merstone station to Ventnor West, but by 1956, this had been closed.

Well-known Island architect Percy Goddard Stone, born March 15, 1856, died in The Cottage at Merstone on 21st March 1934. Stone was responsible for many stone monuments on the Island, such as the County War memorial at Carisbrooke Castle, and war memorials in Arreton, Bembridge and Yarmouth, as well as the Queen Victoria memorial in Newport and churches in Wootton and Cowes.

Public Transport is now provided by Southern Vectis on bus route 3, which operates between Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor, including intermediate towns. Route 3 runs 7 days a week, but during early mornings and late evenings buses don't serve the village itself.cite web | year = 2008 | url = http://www.islandbuses.info/r3.shtml | title = Southern Vectis - bus route 3 | publisher = www.islandbuses.info | accessdate = 2008-05-04]

References