Wootton Bridge

Wootton Bridge
Wootton Bridge  Wootton Bridge shown within the Isle of Wight
Population	3,618 [1]
OS grid reference	SZ542921
Unitary authority	Isle of Wight
Ceremonial county	Isle of Wight
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Ryde
Postcode district	PO33
Dialling code	01983
Police	Hampshire
Fire	Isle of Wight
Ambulance	Isle of Wight
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Isle of Wight
List of places UK England Isle of Wight

Coordinates: 50°43′35″N 1°13′56″W / 50.7263°N 1.2321°W / 50.7263; -1.2321

Wootton Bridge is a village and civil parish^[2] with about 4000 residents on the western bank of Wootton Creek on the Isle of Wight in southern England.

Wootton Bridge was established as a separate village based at the crossing-point of the creek, but it has now merged with the village of Wootton centred on the old parish church of St Edmund, and the hamlet of Wootton Common to the south, centred on the crossroads that bears its name. The two villages have grown together and are currently one settlement which is often referred to as simply 'Wootton'. However, the official name for this community is 'Wootton Bridge'.^[3] Wootton Bridge is found midway between the towns of Ryde and Newport, which are 7 miles apart.

In 1969, 100,000 people visited Woodside Bay at Wootton Bridge for the largest pop concert to that date, the Isle of Wight Festival. Bob Dylan was the main act that was featured at the concert.^[4]

Southern Vectis bus routes 4, 9 and 34 link the village with the towns of Newport, Ryde and East Cowes, including intermediate villages.^[5][6]

Wootton Creek and the bridge

Wootton Creek on a clear winter day in January 2009

There is a millpond on Wootton Creek formed by a sluice gate in the eponymous bridge. At one time there was a second sluice gate in the bridge that would use the tidal water from the millpond to power a mill grinding flour. The mill was demolished in 1962 and houses later built on the site.^[7]

The pond is part of a Special Area of Conservation and is important for wildfowl and for bats. The heron has been adopted as the symbol of the village.^[8] Firestone Copse is a Forestry Commission woodland open to the public which is situated on the edge of the pond.^[9]

Features

The village has a station which is the western terminus of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.^[10]

St. Edmund's Parish Church in Wootton dates from the 11th century.^[11] St. Mark's Church, Wootton is in the south end of the village.

The Sloop Inn in Mill Square is another prominent building in Wootton Bridge. The Sloop Inn is about 150 years old.^[12]

Notable residents

Victorian admiral Sir John Baird, who died in 1908, is buried in the churchyard in Wootton Bridge.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wootton Bridge.

• Official history website for Wootton Bridge

Ceremonial county of Isle of Wight Isle of Wight Portal Unitary authorities Isle of Wight Major settlements Bembridge Brading Cowes East Cowes Freshwater Newport Ryde Sandown Shanklin Ventnor Yarmouth See also: List of civil parishes in Isle of Wight Rivers River Caul Bourne River Medina Newtown River Solent Wootton Creek Eastern Yar Western Yar Topics Buildings and Structures Culture Dinosaurs Education Geography History People Places Politics Schools Transport Visitor attractions