Towns and Villages on the Isle of Wight

Brading is located on the East side of the Isle of Wight, a short distance from Ryde, and is one of the Island's oldest towns

Cowes and East Cowes are English seaport towns on the northern tip of Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank

Nestled in the centre of the Isle of Wight at the first bridging point of the river Medina sits our capital town of Newport. No longer new and no longer a port, Newport became our major town when the port of Newtown was deserted toward the end of the 14th century, although its roads were laid out by the then Lord of the Isle of Wight, Richard de Redvers, in 1135.

Ryde is a British seaside town and the most populous urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of about24,000. It lies on the north-east coast

Shanklin is a pretty seaside town to the south east of the Isle of Wight that is a popular holiday destination. With its wide sandy beach that stretches all the way up to Sandown Bay, the resort grew during the Victorian era although it was mentioned in the Domesday Book as Sencling, a name derived from its location, meaning a hill (kline) with a spring.

Ventnor, the Island’s southernmost town, has always been a bit different from the rest. Out on a limb in its verdant nest on the side of the tumbling cliffs, Ventnor is a rising star in the Island’s constellation.

A pretty little harbour to the west of the Isle of Wight, Yarmouth is also a bustling seaside town especially in the summer months and is the oldest town and seaport on the Island.

Bembridge is a village located on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight, with a population of just under 4,000.

The sleepy, leafy village of Bonchurch is sheltered beneath St Boniface Down, centred about a large pond overhung with willows, and has a winding road to the pretty Monks Bay below. The Undercliff is one of the oldest settlements on the Island with prehistoric remains found near to the spring that feeds the pond.

Freshwater is a large village at the western end of the Isle of Wight. Freshwater Bay is a small cove on the south coast of the Island which also gives its name to the nearby part of Freshwater.

Godshill used to be something of a joke amongst the local population: a place that you avoided, especially in high season. But this is definitely no longer the case with a superb gastro-pub The Taverners, exclusive boutique shops and lovely cafes. We went to find the new cool Godshill.

Beloved of sailors and second home owners, Seaview is an attractive seaside town to the east of Ryde, overlooking No Mans Fort in the Solent and the Portsmouth coastline. Home to some of the most attractive and expensive properties on the island, a ‘millionaire’s row’ of mansions skirt adjacent Seagrove Bay.