Priory Woods

Priory Woods
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Area of Search Isle of Wight
Grid reference SZ635900
Interest Geological
Area 2.94 hectare
Notification 1998
Location map Natural England

Priory Woods (grid reference SZ635900) is a 2.94 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near the town of Bembridge, Isle of Wight, notified in 1998. It is a National Trust property and is served by a public footpath. Concealed within it is "The Priory Oyster" - an oyster bar attached to the Priory Bay Hotel and open only in the height of summer. It has significant recent archaeology with the remains of a sea wall and rusted iron railings. Numerous hand axes have been found in strata dated from 400,000 years ago, which would indicate their users were Neanderthals. The woods overlook Priory Bay and its private beach.

Source

Alverstone Marshes • America Wood • Arreton Down • Bembridge Down • Bembridge School And Cliffs • Bonchurch Landslips • Bouldnor And Hamstead Cliffs • Brading Marshes To St. Helen's Ledges • Briddlesford Copses • Calbourne Down • Colwell Bay • Compton Chine to Steephill Cove • Compton Down • Cranmore • Cridmore Bog • Eaglehead and Bloodstone Copses • Freshwater Marshes • Garston's Down • Greatwood And Cliff Copses • Headon Warren And West High Down • King's Quay Shore • Lacey's Farm Quarry • Lake Allotments • Locks Farm Meadow • Medina Estuary • Mottistone Down • Newtown Harbour • Northpark Copse • Parkhurst Forest • Priory Woods • Prospect Quarry • Rew Down • Rowridge Valley • Ryde Sands and Wootton Creek • Shide Quarry • St Lawrence Bank • The Wilderness • Thorness Bay • Ventnor Downs • Whitecliff Bay And Bembridge Ledges • Yar Estuary