Brading
Encyclopedia
The ancient 'Kynges Towne' of Brading is the main town of the civil parish of the same name. The ecclesiastical parish of Brading used to cover about a tenth of the Isle of Wight
. The current civil parish now includes the town itself and Adgestone
, Morton
, Nunwell
and other outlying areas between Ryde
, St Helens
, Bembridge
, Sandown
and Arreton
. Alverstone
was transferred to the Newchurch
parish some thirty years ago.
and dates from at least 683.
The Roman Villa
south of the town, as well as the numerous relics of the Roman period discovered in the area, show that this was a seaport of some note 2,000 years ago. Signs of prehistoric activity have also been found on Brading Down
.
Local history records that St Wilfrid came to the Island during the 680s, landed at Brading, preached there to the Islanders and began the conversion of the Island, possibly establishing his first church there. Bede
states that King Caedwalla of Wessex killed the pagan population "with merciless slaughter" and replaced them with his own Christian followers, dedicating a quarter of the Isle of Wight to Wilfrid and the Church. Wilfrid would thus have been literally preaching to the converted because everyone else was dead.
This legend was illustrated by a tableau at the Waxworks.
in 1548 makes reference to a previous charter granted by Edward I
in 1285. The charter allowed the town to hold two annual fairs.
Nowadays the fair is called Brading Day
and is held over the 1st weekend in July each year.
In recognition of its status as a town, Brading still has a mayor and an elected town council.
In mediaeval times the town was governed by the Steward
, Bailiff
s and 13 Jurat
s, and returned two MPs
to the Westminster Parliament. Now the town is a part of the Isle of Wight
parliamentary constituency.
Throughout the Middle Ages various attempts were made to drain off the rest of the harbour; for it had gradually become silted up and, except for the main channel of the river, was too shallow to be of any commercial use. Sir Hugh Myddleton
, who had constructed the New River
from Enfield
to central London
for James I
, undertook this work; but the sea broke in and flooded the land once again. After others had also tried and failed, this reclamation was finally accomplished in 1881 by the building of a substantial embankment right across the harbour, with the building of the railway to Bembridge
.
So Brading now shares with Winchelsea
and Romney
the distinction of being a seaport without any sea. Losing access to the sea caused Brading to decline in importance and prevented the sort of growth enjoyed by Cowes
and Newport
.
This new building remained until 1876 when it was restored to its present state, and then contained the Free Town Library. Before the building of the first school in 1823, the children were taught in the Town Hall, and it was also used for Mother's Meetings. The Town Trust now owns the building.
Brading was formerly the testing place for weights & measures for all of East Wight and these standards are still kept in the upper building together with the Town Charter.
Set in the ground outside the new Town Hall (1903), there is an iron bullring which was once used to secure a bull whilst it was being baited by dogs. According to the diaries of Sir John Oglander, the Governor of the Isle of Wight would donate 5 guineas for the purchase of the bull to be baited; the meat was afterwards donated to the poor of the town. The Mayor attended this ceremony in full regalia and a dog, known as the Mayor's Dog, would be decked with coloured ribbons and set on the bull after the proclamation had been made. A large wooden carving of a bull decorates the Bullring. This is by local artist Paul Sivell. Another of his works is an approximately 10 foot wooden statue of the goddess Diana positioned in the woods above Brading at Kelly's Copse entitled "For Camilla". This commemorates a recent murder of a Danish exchange student by a sex attacker from Gosport. Many local people have added plastic flowers and stuffed toys as tribute.
in 1832 so that it could be fired to celebrate the passing of the Reform Bill. Unfortunately it exploded and split, putting a stop to celebrations for the day. In the 1950s, it was stolen from the "Gunne House" behind St. Mary's Church and was found in a sale room in Kent. It was returned, however, not to the town, but to the Oglanders at Nunwell House
, where it remains beneath Fanny Oglander's bedroom window. The Town Trust has asked for it back, but Fanny Oglander has said that security arrangements should be improved and the matter remains unresolved.
". There are two Sites of Important Nature Conservation close to Morton and another on the downs.
Brading Down is a popular viewpoint and downland
beauty spot, with impressive views over Culver Down
and Sandown Bay
. From the north side of the hill you can look over the town towards the mainland. From further up you can see the Solent
and the Spinnaker Tower
at Portsmouth
. This elevated site is also of great archaeological importance, with prehistoric, Roman and mediaeval remains, as well as practice trenches from the first world war.
The Brading Marshes nature reserve is the first Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
reserve on the Isle of Wight
. Situated on the reclaimed land of the old harbour, behind the present-day Bembridge
Harbour, it was bought in 2001 and is a mix of lagoons and ditches, reed beds and meadows, with a fringe of ancient woodland
.
on the Island Line
Railway with direct connection to the Wightlink
ferry at Ryde Pier Head and stops at Ryde
, Smallbrook, Sandown
, Lake
and Shanklin
. The southern fringes of Brading are also on the Island's circular cycle route used for the annual "Bicycle Island Randonée".
The main A3055 road
from Ryde
to Sandown
passes through the town.
The town is well-connected to the surrounding countryside by footpaths and bridleways. The Bembridge
Trail passes through the town along Doctors Lane, Cross Street, High Street and Quay Lane (Wall Lane) then along the top of the embankment to St Urian's Copse. There are 71 other footpaths, by-ways and bridle paths in the civil parish area and organised parties of walkers may often be seen meeting at the station or the Bullring.
Southern Vectis
run buses on route 3
from the town, serving Newport
, Ryde
, Sandown
, Shanklin
and Ventnor
, and some other places. Night buses are run at weekends.
The main street of Brading contains most of the facilities expected of a large village, or in Brading's case, small town. There are four pubs; The Bugle Inn where the sea almost met the High Street when Brading Haven was a major port, the Wheatsheaf Inn which faces the Bull Ring, The Dark Horse which is on the High Street and one at nearby Yarbridge
named the Yarbridge Inn (known for many years as the Anglers Inn) which is famous for its selection of real ales. St. Mary's Church, Brading
is at the north end of the town and the Methodist chapel is near the centre. There is a small supermarket, a post office, a newsagent, several other specialist shops,a hairdresser's and a fish and chip shop. In addition to these facilities, there is Brading Primary School.
Brading has many attractions to tempt the visitor, quite apart from the natural beauty of the area. These include the Lilliput Doll and Toy Museum; The Roman Villa at Morton with its protective cover (new in 2004) and interpretation centre.
Another notable town attraction was the Brading Waxworks, a museum and waxworks exhibition housed in the Old Rectory Mansion (believed to be the oldest building on the island) on the High Street. The waxworks first opened in 1965, under the ownership of Graham Osborne-Smith. It was renamed 'Brading: The Experience' by new owners in 2001, and further alterations in 2005 saw the construction of a new section entitled 'World of Wheels', which displayed an array of vintage and unusal vehicles.
However, the attraction announced its closure in late 2009 as a result of falling visitor numbers and the increasing costs of running and maintaining the site. It was closed for good on the 3rd of January 2010, and the vast collection of taxidermy pieces, historical artefacts and vehicles was auctioned off in April 2010.
, who was curate-in-charge of Brading and Yaverland 1757 to 1805, and a famous writer of inspirational evangelist pamphlets at that time.
Brading, fictionalized as "Barling", is the central location of Maxwell Gray
's 1899 novel The House of Hidden Treasure.
, Canada, now no longer manufactured.
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. The current civil parish now includes the town itself and Adgestone
Adgestone
Adgestone is a small hamlet on the Isle of Wight. It is located close to Brading in the east of the island.There is vineyard in Adgestone which also is the site of a bed and breakfast. This is one of the oldest vineyards in the British Islands, having been started in 1968.There is a campsite in...
, Morton
Morton, Isle of Wight
Morton is the area of Brading to the south where Morton Marshes and the River Yar separate Brading from the extension of housing estates from the larger town of Sandown. It is distinguished by the hawthorn hedges which bloom with white flowers and are said to signify an unseasonal cold spell,...
, Nunwell
Nunwell
Nunwell is the location of Nunwell House, near Brading on the Isle of Wight, which was the home of the Oglander family for many centuries.The present family are not direct descendants through the male line and thus the baronetcy has died out....
and other outlying areas between Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
, St Helens
St Helens, Isle of Wight
St. Helens is a village and civil parish located on the eastern side of the Isle of Wight. The village is based around village greens. This is claimed to be the largest in England but some say the Village Green is the second largest. The greens are often used for cricket matches during the summer...
, Bembridge
Bembridge
Bembridge is an affluent village and civil parish located on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight. It had a population of 3,848 according to the 2001 census of the United Kingdom, leading to claims by residents that Bembridge is the largest village in England, and occasional claims that it is...
, Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
and Arreton
Arreton
Arreton is a village and civil parish in the central eastern part of the Isle of Wight, England. It is about 3 miles south east of Newport.-Name:The settlement has had different names and different spellings over the years...
. Alverstone
Alverstone
Alverstone is a village 3 kilometres from the east coast of the Isle of Wight, near Sandown. When Richard Webster became Chief Justice of England in 1900, he chose the title Lord Alverstone because it was the title he was permitted to choose which was "closest" to Sandown, one of his favourite...
was transferred to the Newchurch
Newchurch, Isle of Wight
Newchurch is a village and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. It is located between Sandown and Newport in the southeast of the island. Anthony Dillington, owner of the Knighton Gorges Manor in Newchurch wrote to his son Robert in 1574 that, "This is the very Garden of England, and we be privileged...
parish some thirty years ago.
Early history
From early times, Brading ranked as an important Island port. The ancient name of Brerdynge, from which 'Brading' is derived, probably meant (according to 'Place Names of the Isle of Wight') the people living by the ridge of the DownsDownland
A downland is an area of open chalk hills. This term is especially used to describe the chalk countryside in southern England. Areas of downland are often referred to as Downs....
and dates from at least 683.
The Roman Villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
south of the town, as well as the numerous relics of the Roman period discovered in the area, show that this was a seaport of some note 2,000 years ago. Signs of prehistoric activity have also been found on Brading Down
Brading Down
Brading Down is a chalk down southwest of Brading, Isle of Wight. It is a prominent hill which overlooks Sandown Bay, with spectacular views across the bay towards Shanklin, and Culver Down....
.
Local history records that St Wilfrid came to the Island during the 680s, landed at Brading, preached there to the Islanders and began the conversion of the Island, possibly establishing his first church there. Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
states that King Caedwalla of Wessex killed the pagan population "with merciless slaughter" and replaced them with his own Christian followers, dedicating a quarter of the Isle of Wight to Wilfrid and the Church. Wilfrid would thus have been literally preaching to the converted because everyone else was dead.
This legend was illustrated by a tableau at the Waxworks.
Royal charter and governance
The charter granted to Brading by Edward VIEdward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
in 1548 makes reference to a previous charter granted by Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
in 1285. The charter allowed the town to hold two annual fairs.
Nowadays the fair is called Brading Day
Brading Day
Brading Day is an annual community event held on the first weekend in July at Beechgrove Playing Fields, Brading, Isle of Wight. The first event was in 1285 when King Edward I gave the people of Brading the right to hold an annual fair by Royal Charter....
and is held over the 1st weekend in July each year.
In recognition of its status as a town, Brading still has a mayor and an elected town council.
In mediaeval times the town was governed by the Steward
Steward (office)
A steward is an official who is appointed by the legal ruling monarch to represent him or her in a country, and may have a mandate to govern it in his or her name; in the latter case, it roughly corresponds with the position of governor or deputy...
, Bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
s and 13 Jurat
Jurat
Jurat is the name given to the clause at the foot of an affidavit showing when, where, and before whom the actual oath was sworn or affirmation was made....
s, and returned two MPs
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
to the Westminster Parliament. Now the town is a part of the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
parliamentary constituency.
The old port
Until the 16th century the port was active. Ships lay alongside at the quay behind the Bugle Inn in the High Street. Ships came into Brading Haven for shelter and for provisions, particularly water, which was of a high quality. The north-eastern part of the haven was closed off by an embankment completed in 1594, much of which is still present. Ships would then tie up at the far end of Quay Lane on the other side of the embankment.Throughout the Middle Ages various attempts were made to drain off the rest of the harbour; for it had gradually become silted up and, except for the main channel of the river, was too shallow to be of any commercial use. Sir Hugh Myddleton
Hugh Myddleton
Sir Hugh Myddelton , 1st Baronet was a Welsh goldsmith, clothmaker, banker, entrepreneur, mine-owner and self-taught engineer...
, who had constructed the New River
New River (England)
The New River is an artificial waterway in England, opened in 1613 to supply London with fresh drinking water taken from the River Lea and from Amwell Springs , and other springs and wells along its course....
from Enfield
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
to central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, undertook this work; but the sea broke in and flooded the land once again. After others had also tried and failed, this reclamation was finally accomplished in 1881 by the building of a substantial embankment right across the harbour, with the building of the railway to Bembridge
Bembridge
Bembridge is an affluent village and civil parish located on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight. It had a population of 3,848 according to the 2001 census of the United Kingdom, leading to claims by residents that Bembridge is the largest village in England, and occasional claims that it is...
.
So Brading now shares with Winchelsea
Winchelsea
Winchelsea is a small village in East Sussex, England, located between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately two miles south west of Rye and seven miles north east of Hastings...
and Romney
New Romney
New Romney is a small town in Kent, England, on the edge of Romney Marsh, an area of flat, rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea after the harbour began to be silted up. New Romney was once a sea port, with the harbour adjacent to the church, but is now more than a mile from the sea...
the distinction of being a seaport without any sea. Losing access to the sea caused Brading to decline in importance and prevented the sort of growth enjoyed by Cowes
Cowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the 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...
and Newport
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
.
The Town Hall
A historic Old Town Hall stands near to the church. The New Town Hall dates from 1903. There is no record of the earliest Town Hall, but an entry in The Court Leet Book 1729 refers to the assessment of one shilling rate, and also a subscription towards building a new Town Hall, Market House and Prison. In 1730 an extra 3d was added to the rate for the Town Hall.This new building remained until 1876 when it was restored to its present state, and then contained the Free Town Library. Before the building of the first school in 1823, the children were taught in the Town Hall, and it was also used for Mother's Meetings. The Town Trust now owns the building.
Brading was formerly the testing place for weights & measures for all of East Wight and these standards are still kept in the upper building together with the Town Charter.
The Bull Ring
The Town Gun
The town possesses a gun. It is a brass piece, made in 1549 by the Owine Brothers, John and Robert, so that the town might be defended from French invasion. The gun was never used in action, but was taken to the top of Brading DownBrading Down
Brading Down is a chalk down southwest of Brading, Isle of Wight. It is a prominent hill which overlooks Sandown Bay, with spectacular views across the bay towards Shanklin, and Culver Down....
in 1832 so that it could be fired to celebrate the passing of the Reform Bill. Unfortunately it exploded and split, putting a stop to celebrations for the day. In the 1950s, it was stolen from the "Gunne House" behind St. Mary's Church and was found in a sale room in Kent. It was returned, however, not to the town, but to the Oglanders at Nunwell House
Nunwell House
Nunwell House is a historic English country house in Brading, Isle of Wight. Located south of Ryde, the Tudor and Jacobean style house also has later additions. The house contains family militaria. It was occupied by the Oglander family from Norman times until 1980. Nunwell House is a Grade II...
, where it remains beneath Fanny Oglander's bedroom window. The Town Trust has asked for it back, but Fanny Oglander has said that security arrangements should be improved and the matter remains unresolved.
Wildlife and landscape
The southern half of the town is designated as an "Area of Outstanding Natural BeautyArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
". There are two Sites of Important Nature Conservation close to Morton and another on the downs.
Brading Down is a popular viewpoint and downland
Downland
A downland is an area of open chalk hills. This term is especially used to describe the chalk countryside in southern England. Areas of downland are often referred to as Downs....
beauty spot, with impressive views over Culver Down
Culver Down
Culver Down is a chalk down to the north of Sandown, Isle of Wight.It is believed that its name derives from "Culfre" - old English for "dove"....
and Sandown Bay
Sandown Bay
Sandown Bay is a broad bay which stretches for much of the length of the Isle of Wight's southeastern coast. It extends ten kilometres from Culver Cliff in the northeast to just south of Shanklin in the southwest. The towns of Shanklin and Sandown are located on the bay's coast.The seabed is a...
. From the north side of the hill you can look over the town towards the mainland. From further up you can see the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
and the Spinnaker Tower
Spinnaker Tower
Spinnaker Tower is a –high landmark tower in Portsmouth, England. It is the centrepiece of the redevelopment of Portsmouth Harbour, which was supported by a National Lottery grant. Its shape was chosen by Portsmouth residents from a selection of concepts...
at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. This elevated site is also of great archaeological importance, with prehistoric, Roman and mediaeval remains, as well as practice trenches from the first world war.
The Brading Marshes nature reserve is the first Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
reserve on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. Situated on the reclaimed land of the old harbour, behind the present-day Bembridge
Bembridge
Bembridge is an affluent village and civil parish located on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight. It had a population of 3,848 according to the 2001 census of the United Kingdom, leading to claims by residents that Bembridge is the largest village in England, and occasional claims that it is...
Harbour, it was bought in 2001 and is a mix of lagoons and ditches, reed beds and meadows, with a fringe of ancient woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
.
Transport
Brading is served by Brading railway stationBrading railway station
Brading railway station is a railway station serving Brading on the Isle of Wight. It is located on the Island Line from Ryde to Shanklin.- History :...
on the Island Line
Island Line, Isle of Wight
The Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight, running some from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The line was electrified in 1967. Trains connect with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour at Ryde Pier Head, and these ferries in turn connect with the...
Railway with direct connection to the Wightlink
Wightlink
Wightlink is a ferry company operating routes between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in southern England.Their core routes are car ferries from Lymington to Yarmouth and Portsmouth to Fishbourne...
ferry at Ryde Pier Head and stops at Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
, Smallbrook, Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
, Lake
Lake, Isle of Wight
Lake is a village and civil parish located on Sandown Bay, on the Isle of Wight, England.Lake is named after the Old English "Lacu" referring to the creek that ran along what is now Scotchells Brook, which is between the Isle of Wight Airport and the Morrisons Superstore and the Spithead Industrial...
and Shanklin
Shanklin
Shanklin is a popular seaside resort and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, England, located on the east coast's Sandown Bay. The sandy beach, its Old Village and a wooded ravine, Shanklin Chine, are its main attractions. The esplanade along the beach is occupied by hotels and restaurants for the...
. The southern fringes of Brading are also on the Island's circular cycle route used for the annual "Bicycle Island Randonée".
The main A3055 road
A3055 road
The A3055 is an A-Class Road on the Isle of Wight in Southern England. It forms the Southern portion of the circular around-the-Island A-class loop, the northern section being the A3054...
from Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
to Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
passes through the town.
The town is well-connected to the surrounding countryside by footpaths and bridleways. The Bembridge
Bembridge
Bembridge is an affluent village and civil parish located on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight. It had a population of 3,848 according to the 2001 census of the United Kingdom, leading to claims by residents that Bembridge is the largest village in England, and occasional claims that it is...
Trail passes through the town along Doctors Lane, Cross Street, High Street and Quay Lane (Wall Lane) then along the top of the embankment to St Urian's Copse. There are 71 other footpaths, by-ways and bridle paths in the civil parish area and organised parties of walkers may often be seen meeting at the station or the Bullring.
Southern Vectis
Southern Vectis
The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
run buses on route 3
Southern Vectis route 3
Southern Vectis route 3 is a bus service operated on the Isle of Wight by Southern Vectis between Newport, Ventnor and Ryde. It also runs via Rookley, Godshill and Brading. The general daytime frequency of the route is every half-hour each direction, although in the evenings and on Sundays fewer...
from the town, serving Newport
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
, Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
, Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
, Shanklin
Shanklin
Shanklin is a popular seaside resort and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, England, located on the east coast's Sandown Bay. The sandy beach, its Old Village and a wooded ravine, Shanklin Chine, are its main attractions. The esplanade along the beach is occupied by hotels and restaurants for the...
and Ventnor
Ventnor
Ventnor is a seaside resort and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, England. It lies underneath St Boniface Down , and is built on steep slopes and cliffs leading down to the sea...
, and some other places. Night buses are run at weekends.
Features of the town
Yarbridge
Yarbridge is a hamlet on the Isle of Wight. It is at the southern tip of the parish of Brading. It has a pub called the Yarbridge Inn which has a railway theme...
named the Yarbridge Inn (known for many years as the Anglers Inn) which is famous for its selection of real ales. St. Mary's Church, Brading
St. Mary's Church, Brading
St. Mary's Church, Brading is a parish church in the Church of England located in Brading, Isle of Wight.-History:The church is medieval dating from the twelfth century. At this church the Revd Legh Richmond is thought to have originated the now globally popular idea of using boards with movable...
is at the north end of the town and the Methodist chapel is near the centre. There is a small supermarket, a post office, a newsagent, several other specialist shops,a hairdresser's and a fish and chip shop. In addition to these facilities, there is Brading Primary School.
Brading has many attractions to tempt the visitor, quite apart from the natural beauty of the area. These include the Lilliput Doll and Toy Museum; The Roman Villa at Morton with its protective cover (new in 2004) and interpretation centre.
Another notable town attraction was the Brading Waxworks, a museum and waxworks exhibition housed in the Old Rectory Mansion (believed to be the oldest building on the island) on the High Street. The waxworks first opened in 1965, under the ownership of Graham Osborne-Smith. It was renamed 'Brading: The Experience' by new owners in 2001, and further alterations in 2005 saw the construction of a new section entitled 'World of Wheels', which displayed an array of vintage and unusal vehicles.
However, the attraction announced its closure in late 2009 as a result of falling visitor numbers and the increasing costs of running and maintaining the site. It was closed for good on the 3rd of January 2010, and the vast collection of taxidermy pieces, historical artefacts and vehicles was auctioned off in April 2010.
Famous connections
One of the town's claims to fame is that the boards used in churches all over the world to display hymn numbers were invented here by the Rev Legh RichmondLegh Richmond
Legh Richmond , English divine, was born on the 29th of January 1772, in Liverpool. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and in 1798 was appointed to the joint curacies of St. Mary's Church, Brading and St. John the Baptist Church, Yaverland on the Isle of Wight...
, who was curate-in-charge of Brading and Yaverland 1757 to 1805, and a famous writer of inspirational evangelist pamphlets at that time.
Brading, fictionalized as "Barling", is the central location of Maxwell Gray
Maxwell Gray
Mary Gleed Tuttiett , better known by the pen name Maxwell Gray, was an English novelist and poet best known for her 1886 novel The Silence of Dean Maitland.-Life:...
's 1899 novel The House of Hidden Treasure.
Abroad
"Brading" was a brand of beer in northern OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada, now no longer manufactured.