Shorwell

Infobox UK place |
country = England
official_name= Shorwell
civil_parish= Shorwell
latitude = 50.64453
longitude = -1.35499
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= SZ457829

Shorwell (pronounced Shorel by some locals and Islanders) is a village and civil parish [ [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/geographic_area_listings/downloads/EnglishParishes&WelshCommunities_N&C_2004.xls English Parishes & Welsh Communities N&C 2004] ] on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. It is located six kilometres from Newport in the southwest of the island. Shorwell was one of Queen Victoria's favorite places to visit on the Isle of Wight.

Northcourt Manor in Shorwell was built in 1615 by the Deputy Governor of the Island, Sir John Leigh, and is the largest manor house on the island. It is now a bed and breakfast establishment. [ [http://www.northcourt.info/ Northcourt Manor official website] ] The grounds of Northcourt Manor contain a spring, the Shor Well which feeds a stream. There is a pub called the Crown Inn, featuring a fishpond and stream, currently owned by Nigel Wynn.

Shorwell is graced by a twelfth century church, St.Peters. [ [http://www.southernlife.org.uk/shorwch.htm St Peters, Shorwell] , [http://www.southernlife.org.uk/wightch.htm Histories of the Isle of Wight Churches] , based upon a paper written by Canon George Jeans MA FSA; a former vicar, which was presented to the Hampshire Field Club in 1893, [http://www.southernlife.org.uk/wightind.htm The Villages and Towns of the Isle of Wight] , [http://southernlife.org.uk/index.htm Southern Life (UK) website] ; History of the Villages of Hampshire, Dorset and Isle of Wight Counties.] The interior of the church features a famous 15th century painting of St. Christopher. There is also a painting of the two wives and 15 children of John Leigh.

The church also features an alabaster monument of John Leigh praying, accompanied by his great grandson Barnabas who died at the age of 9 months while Leigh's body was waiting for burial in 1629. They share a tomb which is inscribed;

quotation
"Inmate in grave, he took his grandchild heir, Whose soul did haste to make to him repair, And so to heaven along as little page With him did post, to wait upon his age."

The island's oldest netball club is also based in Shorwell.

It is linked to other parts of the Island by Southern Vectis circular bus route 7, serving Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport including intermediate towns.cite web | year = 2008 | url = http://www.islandbuses.info/r7.shtml | title = Southern Vectis - bus route 7 | publisher = www.islandbuses.info | accessdate = 2008-05-04]

References

External links

* [http://www.francisfrith.com/search/england/isle+of+wight/shorwell/shorwell.htm Photographs of Shorwell] , Francis Frith Collection.