97-483: Atherfield is a rural location in the south west of the Isle of Wight , UK. It includes the small settlements of Atherfield Green and Little Atherfield , as well as several farms, and is set in largely open farmland. To the south west it is bounded by the cliffs of Chale Bay and Brighstone Bay , which are divided by Atherfield Point . The south-eastern part of Brighstone Bay is also sometimes known as Atherfield Bay, and
194-474: A changing room and a WC with plumbing. The refurbished machine is now displayed at the beach. On 14 January 1878, Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated an early version of the telephone to the queen, placing calls to Cowes, Southampton, and London. These were the first publicly-witnessed long-distance telephone calls in the UK . The queen tried the device and considered the process to be "quite extraordinary" although
291-502: A deputy lieutenant's dress resembles that of a field officer. The uniform is optional for female lord-lieutenants, vice lord-lieutenants, and deputy lieutenants. If not in uniform, female appointees wear a Badge of Office featuring their national symbol (rose, shamrocks, or thistle) on a bow of white and magenta – the Lieutenancy colours. In 1975 a badge was provided for female lord-lieutenants to wear as an optional alternative to
388-635: A lieutenant of a county, junior to the lord-lieutenant. For example, the Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Powys , with those of Breconshire and Radnorshire each being designated as simply "Lieutenant of Powys". This measure was temporary, and no lieutenants have been appointed in this way since 1974, although the power still exists. In 1975 counties ceased to be used for local government purposes in Scotland . The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65) replaced
485-741: A lord-lieutenant, in Portugal , a representative of the Republic ( representante da República in Portuguese) is the personal representative of the Head of State in each of the two autonomous regions of the country, having a limited political role, besides the ceremonial one. In Sweden (as landshövding ) and Norway (as fylkesmann ), the regional governor is responsible for administrative control functions of services delivered and decisions made by local and county municipalities, as well as representing
582-436: A maritime and industrial tradition of boat-building , sail-making, the manufacture of flying boats , hovercraft , and Britain's space rockets . The island hosts annual music festivals, including the Isle of Wight Festival , which in 1970 was the largest rock music event ever held. It has well-conserved wildlife and some of Europe's richest cliffs and quarries of dinosaur fossils . The island has played an essential part in
679-624: A new wave of migrations from continental Europe, linked to the Bell Beaker Culture . Bell beaker migrants are typically thought to have introduced metal-working to Britain marking the beginning of the Bronze Age . Evidence of early Bronze Age occupation on the Isle of Wight include distinctive bell beaker pots, flint tools, occupation sites and finds of bronze weapons and tools, occurring either individually or in hoard deposits such as
776-466: A simple grey stripe); and only a single row of gold braid around the peak of the cap (deputy lieutenants have no oak leaf but simple gold tape). In addition, deputy lieutenants wear narrower shoulder boards than their superiors, and the red cap band is horizontally divided by a small grey stripe. The vice lord-lieutenant's dress resembles that of a former Brigadier-General of the British Army , while
873-677: A single Member of Parliament until 2024. The Isle of Wight constituency covered the entire island, with 138,300 permanent residents in 2011 , being one of the most populated constituencies in the United Kingdom (more than 50% above the English average). In 2011 following passage of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act , the Sixth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies
970-542: A troop-of-horse added later), and a small force of regular infantry from 1701 to 1783. Bermuda became an Imperial fortress (along with Halifax in Nova Scotia , Gibraltar , and Malta ), a large regular army garrison was built up after 1794, and the reserve forces faded away following the conclusion of the American War of 1812 as the local government lost interest in paying for their upkeep. From this point until
1067-400: A unique character. The highest point on the island is St Boniface Down in the south east, which at 241 m (791 ft) is a marilyn . The most notable habitats on the rest of the island are probably the soft cliffs and sea ledges, which are scenic features, important for wildlife, and internationally protected. The island has three principal rivers. The River Medina flows north into
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#17327801140781164-403: Is historically part of Hampshire . The island is designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve . With a land area of 380 km (150 sq mi), it is about half the size of Singapore . The island has been home to the poets Algernon Charles Swinburne and Alfred, Lord Tennyson . Queen Victoria built her summer residence and final home, Osborne House , at East Cowes on the Isle. It has
1261-527: Is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county. Since the abolition of its two borough councils and restructuring of the Isle of Wight County Council into the new Isle of Wight Council in 1995, it has been administered by a single tier Island Council which has the same powers as a unitary authority in England. There have been small regionalist movements: the Vectis National Party and
1358-481: Is abroad, ill, or otherwise incapacitated. The Lord-Lieutenant appoints between thirty and forty deputy lieutenants depending on the county's population. They are unpaid, but receive minimal allowances for secretarial help, mileage allowance and a driver. Lord-Lieutenants receive an allowance for the ceremonial uniform, worn when receiving members of the Royal Family and on other formal occasions. Since at least
1455-433: Is now the Isle of Wight is found close to Priory Bay . More than 300 acheulean handaxes have been recovered from the beach and cliff slopes, originating from a sequence of Pleistocene gravels dating approximately to MIS 11 - MIS 9 (424,000–374,000 years ago). Reworked and abraded artefacts found at the site may be considerably older however, closer to 500,000 years old. The identity of the hominids who produced these tools
1552-610: Is now the site of the Marconi Monument. In 1898 the first paid wireless telegram (called a "Marconigram") was sent from this station, and the island was for some time the home of the National Wireless Museum near Ryde. Queen Victoria died at Osborne House on 22 January 1901 at 81. During the Second World War , the island was frequently bombed. With its proximity to German-occupied France,
1649-591: Is reflected in the current residents' genetic makeup. As the Iron Age began, tin value likely dropped sharply, greatly changing the Isle of Wight's economy. Trade, however, continued, as evidenced by the local abundance of European Iron Age coins. Julius Caesar reported that the Belgae took the Isle of Wight in about 85 BC and recognised the culture of this general region as "Belgic" but made no reference to Vectis. The Roman historian Suetonius mentions that
1746-513: Is the Longstone at Mottistone , the remains of an early Neolithic long barrow . Initially constructed with two standing stones at the entrance, only one remains upright today. The site would have likely served as a communal tomb and ritual site for nearby farming communities. A Neolithic mortuary enclosure has also been identified on Tennyson Down near Freshwater . From c. 4,400 – c. 4,200 years ago Britain experienced
1843-574: Is unknown. However, sites and fossils of the same age range in Europe are often attributed to Homo heidelbergensis or early populations of Neanderthals . A Middle Palaeolithic Mousterian flint assemblage, consisting of 50 handaxes and debitage, has been recovered from Great Pan Farm in the Medina Valley near Newport. Gravel sequences at the site have been dated to the MIS 3 interstadial during
1940-844: The Commander-in-Chief or the Governor . Both offices may have been occupied by the same person. By way of an example, this is still the case in Britain's second, and oldest remaining, colony, Bermuda , where the Royal Navy's headquarters, main base, and dockyard for the North America and West Indies Station was established following independence of the United States of America. The colony had raised militia and volunteer forces since official settlement in 1612 (with
2037-508: The Diocese of Portsmouth (originally Winchester ). A combined local authority with Portsmouth and Southampton was considered as part of a regional devolution package but was subsequently rejected by the UK government in 2018. The quickest public transport link to the mainland is the hovercraft ( Hovertravel ) from Ryde to Southsea . Three vehicle ferries and two catamaran services cross
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#17327801140782134-551: The English Channel , 2 to 5 miles (3 to 8 kilometres) off the coast of Hampshire , across the Solent . It is the largest and second-most populous island in England. Referred to as "The Island" by residents, the Isle of Wight has resorts that have been popular holiday destinations since Victorian times . It is known for its mild climate, coastal scenery, and verdant landscape of fields, downland , and chines . The island
2231-468: The Governor of Northern Ireland to the six counties and the two county boroughs of Derry and Belfast . Whereas in 1973 the counties and county boroughs were abolished as local government units , lord-lieutenants are now appointed directly by the King to "counties and county boroughs ... as defined for local government purposes immediately before 1 October 1973". Although Colin, Earl of Balcarres
2328-556: The Palmerston Forts , The Needles Batteries , and Fort Victoria , because of fears about possible French invasion. The future Queen Victoria spent childhood holidays on the island and became fond of it. When she became queen, she made Osborne House her winter home. Subsequently, the island became a fashionable holiday resort for many, including Alfred, Lord Tennyson , Julia Margaret Cameron , and Charles Dickens (who wrote much of David Copperfield there), as well as
2425-814: The Royal Bermuda Regiment (a 1965 amalgam of the BMA and BVRC, which had both been reorganised in line with the Territorial Army after the First World War ). In France and Italy , the role of Prefect ( préfet in French, prefetto in Italian) is different from that of lord-lieutenant, as the regional and departmental prefects of France are responsible for delivering as well as controlling functions of public services. Similarly to
2522-690: The Seven Years' War , the island was a staging post for British troops departing on expeditions against the French coast, such as the Raid on Rochefort . During 1759, with a planned French invasion imminent , a large force of soldiers was stationed there. The French called off their invasion following the Battle of Quiberon Bay . In the spring of 1817, the twenty-one year old John Keats spent time in Carisbrooke and Shanklin, where he found inspiration in
2619-592: The Solent , the Eastern Yar flows roughly northeast to Bembridge Harbour, and the Western Yar flows the short distance from Freshwater Bay to a relatively large estuary at Yarmouth . Without human intervention the sea might well have split the island into three: at the west end where a bank of pebbles separates Freshwater Bay from the marshy backwaters of the Western Yar east of Freshwater, and at
2716-560: The counties of Ireland , the officer in charge of the county militia was styled "Lieutenant" until James II and "Governor" thereafter. There could be up to three Governors in one county . Responsibility for recommending County magistrates lay with the Custos Rotulorum . The Custos Rotulorum (Ireland) Act 1831 cancelled the commissions of the Governors, transferred the militia and county magistrate functions to
2813-559: The last glacial period ( c. 50,000 years ago). These tools are associated with the late Neanderthal occupation, and evidence of late Neanderthal presence is seen across Britain at this time. No significant evidence of Upper Palaeolithic activity exists on the Isle of Wight. This period is associated with the expansion and establishment of populations of modern human ( Homo sapiens ) hunter-gatherers in Europe, beginning around 45,000 years ago. However, evidence of late Upper Palaeolithic activity has been found at nearby sites on
2910-582: The (re)established office of Lieutenant (appointed by letters patent and styled "Lord Lieutenant"), and empowered the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to appoint deputy lieutenants. In the Republic of Ireland no Lord Lieutenants have been appointed since the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922, and all relevant statutes have been repealed. In 1921, with the establishment of Northern Ireland , lord lieutenants continued to be appointed through
3007-934: The 1590s, following the defeat of the Spanish Armada , the office continued to exist, and was retained by King James I even after the end of the Anglo-Spanish War . The office of lieutenant was abolished under the Commonwealth , but was re-established following the Restoration under the City of London Militia Act 1662 , which declared that: [T]he King's most Excellent Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, shall and may from Time to Time, as Occasion shall require, issue forth several Commissions of Lieutenancy to such Persons as his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, shall think fit to be his Majesty's Lieutenants for
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3104-411: The 18th century, a military-style uniform has been worn by lord-lieutenants (appropriate to the military origins of the post). Since 1831 this has been analogous to the uniform worn by a general staff officer, but with silver lace in place of the gold worn by regular officers. Over time, the design of the uniform changed in line with changes made to army uniform. At present, it is a dark blue uniform in
3201-473: The 1960s, governors were almost exclusively senior British Army officers (particularly from the Royal Artillery or Royal Engineers) who were also military Commanders-in-Chief (and initially also Vice-Admirals) of the regular military forces stationed in the colony and not simply the reserves. Attempts to rekindle the militia without a Militia Act or funds from the colonial government were made throughout
3298-782: The 5th and 6th centuries saw groups of Germanic -speaking peoples from Northern Europe crossing the English Channel and gradually set about conquering the region. During the Early Middle Ages , the island was settled by Jutes as the heathen kingdom of the Wihtwara . In Asser ’s Life of Alfred , he states that the West Saxon kings Cerdic and Cynric granted lordship of Wight to two brothers, Stuf and Wihtgar, said to be of Jutish and Gothic origin and cousins of Cynric. The brothers then set about exterminating
3395-783: The 7th century BC, during the Late Iron Age , the Isle of Wight, like the rest of Great Britain, was occupied by the Celtic Britons , in the form of the Durotriges tribe, as attested by finds of their coins, for example, the South Wight Hoard, and the Shalfleet Hoard. The island was known as Ynys Weith in Brittonic Celtic . Southeastern Britain experienced significant immigration, which
3492-474: The Anglo-Saxon period. The Domesday Book called the island Wit. The modern Welsh name is Ynys Wyth ( ynys meaning island). These are all variants of the same name, possibly sharing a Celtic origin with Welsh gwaith 'work', a cognate of both Latin vectis ("lever," or literally "the act of lifting") and Old English wiht ("weight"). It may mean 'place of the division,' since the island divides
3589-489: The City of Exeter, and were sometimes described as the "Lieutenant of Devon and Exeter". The one exception was Haverfordwest , to which a lieutenant continued to be appointed until 1974. The origin of this anomaly may have lain in the former palatine status of Pembrokeshire. The official title of the office at this time was His or Her Majesty's "Lieutenant for the county of x", but, as almost all office-holders were peers of
3686-470: The French painter Berthe Morisot and members of European royalty. Until the queen's example, the island had been rural, with most people employed in farming, fishing, or boat-building. The boom in tourism, spurred by growing wealth and leisure time and by Victoria's presence, led to the significant urban development of the island's coastal resorts. As one report summarises, "The Queen's regular presence on
3783-743: The Governor and Commander-in-Chief, as well as under operational control of his junior, the brigadier in charge of the Bermuda Command (or Bermuda Garrison ), which included the regular as well as the part-time military (as opposed to naval) forces in the colony. Although the Royal Naval and the regular army establishments have been withdrawn from Bermuda, the Governor of Bermuda remains the Commander-in-Chief (though most recent office holders have not been career army officers) of
3880-681: The Isle of Wight Party; but they have attracted little support at elections. The Isle of Wight is situated between the Solent and the English Channel , is roughly rhomboid in shape, and covers an area of 150 sq mi (380 km ). Slightly more than half, mainly in the west, is designated as the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The island has 100 sq mi (258 km ) of farmland, 20 sq mi (52 km ) of developed areas, and 57 miles (92 km) of coastline. Its landscapes are diverse, leading to its oft-quoted description as "England in miniature". In June 2019
3977-689: The Solent to Southampton , Lymington , and Portsmouth via the island's largest ferry operator, Wightlink , and the island's second-largest ferry company, Red Funnel . Tourism is the largest industry on the island. The oldest records that give a name for the Isle of Wight are from the Roman Empire. It was called Vectis or Vecta in Latin and Iktis or Ouiktis in Greek. Latin Vecta, Old English Wiht, and Old Welsh Gueid and Guith were recorded from
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4074-530: The Sovereign's representative in each county, a Lord-Lieutenant remains non-political and may not hold office in any political party. They are appointed for life, although the customary age of retirement is 75 and the Sovereign may remove them. Each Lord-Lieutenant is supported by a Vice-Lieutenant and deputy lieutenants that he or she appoints. The Vice-Lieutenant takes over when the Lord-Lieutenant
4171-399: The United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia . In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility over the local militia was removed. However, it was not until 1921 that they formally lost the right to call upon able-bodied men to fight when needed. Lord-lieutenant is now an honorary titular position usually awarded to a retired notable person in
4268-505: The appointment of lieutenants to Greater London and Huntingdon and Peterborough , and the abolition of those of the counties of London , Middlesex and Huntingdon . A more fundamental reform of local government throughout England and Wales (outside Greater London ) created a new structure of metropolitan, non-metropolitan and Welsh counties in 1974. Section 218 of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) that established
4365-648: The century under the authorisation of the Governor and Commander-in-Chief, but none proved lasting. The colonial government was finally compelled to raise militia and volunteer forces (the Bermuda Militia Artillery and the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps ) by Act in the 1890s (the Bermuda Cadet Corps , Bermuda Volunteer Engineers , and Bermuda Militia Infantry were added at later dates), and these fell under
4462-463: The counties with regions, and each region was to have one or more lord-lieutenants appointed. The areas to which they were appointed approximated to the counties and were based and were defined in terms of the new local government districts. In 1996 Scottish regions and districts were abolished on further local government reorganisation, and since that date Lord-Lieutenants have been appointed to "lieutenancy areas" , in most places roughly equivalent to
4559-418: The countryside and coast, and worked on his long poem Endymion . In the mid-1840s, potato blight was first found in the UK on the island, having arrived from Belgium. It was later transmitted to Ireland. In the 1860s, what remains in real terms the most expensive ever government spending project saw fortifications built on the island and in the Solent, as well as elsewhere along the south coast, including
4656-478: The county militia. In the case of towns or cities which were counties of themselves , the "chief magistrate" (meaning the mayor, chief bailiff or other head of the corporation) had the authority to appoint deputy lieutenants in the absence of an appointment of a lieutenant by the crown. The Regulation of the Forces Act 1871 ( 34 & 35 Vict. c. 86) removed the lieutenant as head of the county militia, as
4753-529: The county, and despite the name, may be either male or female. Lieutenants were first appointed to a number of English counties by King Henry VIII in the 1540s, when the military functions of the sheriffs were handed over to them. Each lieutenant raised and was responsible for the efficiency of the local militia units of his county, and afterwards of the yeomanry and volunteers. He was commander of these forces, whose officers he appointed. These commissions were originally of temporary duration, and only when
4850-400: The defence of the ports of Southampton and Portsmouth and has been near the front line of conflicts through the ages, having faced the Spanish Armada and weathered the Battle of Britain . Being rural for most of its history, its Victorian fashionability and the growing affordability of holidays led to significant urban development during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The island
4947-590: The early Holocene the Solent flooded, submerging the site. From c. 6,000 years ago migrations of farming populations to Britain from northwest Europe brought the onset of the Neolithic , largely replacing and assimilating previous mesolithic hunter-gatherer populations. On the Isle of Wight neolithic occupation is attested to by flint tool finds, pottery and monuments. The Isle of Wight's neolithic communities were agriculturalists, farming livestock and crops. The Isle of Wight's most recognisable neolithic site
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#17327801140785044-478: The east end where a thin strip of land separates Sandown Bay from the marshy Eastern Yar basin. The Undercliff between St Catherine's Point and Bonchurch is the largest area of landslip morphology in western Europe. Lord Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( UK : / l ɛ f ˈ t ɛ n ə n t / lef- TEN -ənt ) is the British monarch 's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of
5141-469: The famous Arreton hoard. Highly visible evidence of early Bronze Age activity on the Isle of Wight comes in the form of the barrow monuments present across the island's chalk downland. It is likely these barrows were high-status burial sites, and often occur in 'cemeteries' a notable example being Five Barrows near Brook. Bronze Age Britain had large tin reserves in Cornwall and Devon areas, which
5238-613: The former Tower Hamlets lieutenancy . The act also extinguished the lieutenancy of the Cinque Ports. Section 69 of the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 ( 61 & 62 Vict. c. 37) realigned the lieutenancy counties with the new administrative counties created by the act. The one exception was County Tipperary , which although administered by two county councils , was to remain united for lieutenancy. In contrast to legislation in England and Wales, each county borough
5335-511: The historic Scottish counties. Partial reform of local government in England since 1995 has led to the creation of so-called "ceremonial counties" to which Lord-Lieutenants are now appointed. The Lieutenancies Act 1997 (c. 23) is the most recent piece of primary legislation dealing with lieutenancies in England and includes the definitive list of the current areas used. Ceremonial counties may comprise combinations of county council areas and unitary authority areas, or even parts of them. Since
5432-427: The island helped put the Isle of Wight 'on the map' as a Victorian holiday and wellness destination ... and her former residence Osborne House is now one of the most visited attractions on the island." While on the island, the queen used a bathing machine that could be wheeled into the water on Osborne Beach; inside the small wooden hut, she could undress and then bathe, without being visible to others. Her machine had
5529-407: The island hosted observation stations, transmitters, and the RAF radar station at Ventnor . Adolf Hitler personally suggested an invasion of the Isle of Wight as a supplementary operation for Operation Sealion , and the possibility of an invasion was incorporated into Fuhrer Directive 16. Field Marshal Alan Brooke , in charge of defending the UK during 1940, was sceptical about being able to hold
5626-400: The island in the face of an invasion, instead considering that British forces would retreat to the western side of the island rather than commit forces against what might be a diversionary landing. In the end no invasion of the island was carried out as German naval commanders feared any invasion force might be cut off by British naval forces, particularly Royal Navy submarines. The island was
5723-514: The island was captured by the commander Vespasian . The Romans built no towns on the island, but the remains of at least seven Roman villas have been found, indicating the prosperity of local agriculture. First-century exports were principally hides, enslaved people, hunting dogs, grain, cattle, silver, gold, and iron. There are indications that the island had vast trading links, with a port at Bouldnor , evidence of Bronze Age tin trading, and finds of Late Iron Age coins. Starting in AD 449,
5820-483: The island was under the control of the English Crown and its Lordship a royal appointment. The island continued to be attacked from the continent: it was raided in 1374 by the fleet of Castile and in 1377 by French raiders who burned several towns, including Newtown . Under Henry VIII , who developed the Royal Navy and its Portsmouth base, the island was fortified at Yarmouth , Cowes, East Cowes, and Sandown . The French invasion on 21 July 1545 (famous for
5917-478: The island's Solent coastline has yielded an internationally significant mesolithic archaeological site. The Bouldnor Cliff site exhibits evidence of seasonal occupation by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers dating to c. 6050 BC . Finds include flint tools, burnt flint, worked timbers, wooden platforms, and pits. The worked wood shows evidence of splitting large planks from oak trunks, interpreted as being intended for use as dug-out canoes. DNA analysis of sediments at
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#17327801140786014-462: The jurisdiction, duties and command exercised by the lieutenant were revested in the crown, but the power of recommending for first appointments was reserved to the lieutenant. The Militia Act 1882 ( 45 & 46 Vict. c. 49) revested the jurisdiction of the lieutenants in the crown. The lieutenancies were reestablished on a new basis by section 29 of the Militia Act 1882 which stated that "Her Majesty shall from time to time appoint Lieutenants for
6111-411: The lieutenant was to be head, styled president of the county association. It restated the combination of counties and counties corporate as lieutenancy counties. In 1921, with the establishment of Northern Ireland , lieutenants continued to be appointed through the Governor of Northern Ireland to the six counties and two county boroughs. The creation of the Irish Free State in the following year saw
6208-401: The local government re-organisation of 1996 in Wales , Lord-Lieutenants are now appointed to "preserved counties" , i.e. the counties used for administrative purposes from 1974 to 1996. The City of London was unaffected by changes introduced since 1882. It has a Commission of Lieutenancy rather than a Lord-Lieutenant, headed by the Lord Mayor of the City of London . Lord-Lieutenants are
6305-412: The lord-lieutenant's insignia resemble a Lieutenant-General of the British Army . The uniform for a vice lord-lieutenant and for deputy lieutenants is of a similar style, but with features to distinguish it from that of a lord-lieutenant – on shoulder boards, no crown above the national symbol (rose, shamrocks, or thistle); blue cord instead of silver on the red collar patches (deputy lieutenants have
6402-456: The lord-lieutenants of their respective city. While in their lieutenancies, lord-lieutenants are among the few individuals in Scotland officially permitted to fly the banner of the Royal Arms of Scotland , or " The Lion Rampant " as it is more commonly known. The Militia Act 1802 ( 42 Geo. 3 . c. 90) provided for the appointment of lieutenants to "Lieutenants for the Counties, Ridings, and Places" in England and Wales, and gave them command of
6499-555: The mainland, notably Hengistbury Head in Dorset, dating to just before the onset of the Holocene and the end of the last glacial period c. 11,700 years ago. Evidence of Mesolithic hunter-gatherer occupation on the island is generally found along the river valleys, particularly along the Solent coastline of the island and in the former catchment of the western Yar. Other key terrestrial sites are found at Newtown Creek, Werrar, and Wootton-Quarr. A submerged escarpment 11 metres (36 feet) below sea level off Bouldnor Cliff on
6596-482: The major Channel River system. At these times, extensive gravel terraces associated with the Solent River and the forerunners of the island's modern rivers were deposited. During warmer interglacial periods, silts, beach gravels, clays, and muds of marine and estuarine origin were deposited due to higher sea levels, suggesting similar marine or estuary conditions to those experienced today. The earliest clear evidence of Lower Palaeolithic archaic human occupation on what
6693-429: The monarch's representatives in their respective lieutenancies. It is their foremost duty to uphold the dignity of the Crown , and in so doing they seek to promote a spirit of co-operation and good atmosphere through the time they give to voluntary and benevolent organisations and through the interest they take in the business and social life of their counties. The modern responsibilities of Lord-Lieutenants include: As
6790-425: The native Britons , either killing them or driving them into exile. According to Bede , in 685, Wight was invaded by King Cædwalla of Wessex , who attempted to violently replace the Jutish inhabitants with his own followers. In 686, the native King Arwald was killed in battle, and the island became the last part of English lands to be converted to Christianity . It suffered especially from Viking raids and
6887-402: The new system stated: "Her Majesty shall appoint a lord-lieutenant for each county in England and Wales and for Greater London..." The act appears to be the first statutory use of the term "lord-lieutenant" for lieutenants to counties. Existing lord lieutenants were assigned to one of the corresponding new counties wherever possible. Where this could not be done, the existing office-holder became
6984-424: The office is by letters patent under the great seal . Usually, though not necessarily, the person appointed lieutenant was also appointed custos rotulorum or keeper of the rolls. Appointments to the county's bench of magistrates were usually made on the recommendation of the lieutenant. The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 ( 7 Edw. 7 . c. 9) established county territorial force associations, of which
7081-684: The realm , they were referred to as "Lord-Lieutenant". The City of London was uniquely given a commission of lieutenancy, and was exempt from the authority of the lieutenant of Middlesex . The Constable of the Tower of London and the Warden of the Cinque Ports were ex officio lieutenants for the Tower Hamlets and the Cinque Ports respectively, which were treated as counties in legislation regarding lieutenancy and militia affairs. In
7178-587: The remaining county lieutenancies in Ireland abolished. In 1973 the counties and county boroughs were abolished as local government units in Northern Ireland , and lord-lieutenants are now appointed directly by the sovereign to "counties and county boroughs... as defined for local government purposes immediately before 1 October 1973". In 1975 the term lord-lieutenant officially replaced that of lieutenant. Local government reform in England in 1965 led to
7275-483: The said county and the limits and precincts of the same. This was a formal recognition of the situation that had existed since 1662 that the lieutenancies for the majority of counties corporate in England were held jointly with their associated county—for example a lieutenant was now appointed for "the County of Gloucester, and the City and County of Gloucester, and the City and County of City of Bristol". Haverfordwest
7372-402: The several and respective Counties, Cities and Places of England and Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed. Although not explicitly stated, from that date lieutenants were appointed to "counties at large", with their jurisdiction including the counties corporate within the parent county. For example, lieutenants of Devon in the 17th and 18th centuries appointed deputy lieutenants to
7469-463: The several counties in the United Kingdom". Counties for lieutenancy purposes were also redefined as "a county at large, with the exception that each riding of the county of York shall be a separate county". The text of the letters patent appointing lieutenants under the act stated they were to be: ...Our Lieutenant of and in the County of X and of all cities boroughs liberties places incorporated and privileged and other places whatsoever within
7566-680: The sinking of the Mary Rose on the 19th) was repulsed by local militia . On 1 May 1647, Swedish and English ships clashed in a brief skirmish off the island , ending in the Swedish fleet being able to escape. During the English Civil War , King Charles I fled to the Isle of Wight, believing he would receive sympathy from Governor Robert Hammond . Still, Hammond imprisoned the king in Carisbrooke Castle. During
7663-581: The site yielded wheat DNA, not found in Britain until 2,000 years after the occupation at Bouldnor Cliff. It has been suggested this is evidence of wide-reaching trade in Mesolithic Europe; however, the contemporaneity of the wheat with the Mesolithic occupation has been contested. Owing to lower sea levels during the mesolithic the hunter-gatherer site was located on a river bank surrounded by wetlands and woodland. As sea levels rose throughout
7760-569: The situation required the local militia to be specially supervised and well prepared; often when invasion by Scotland or France might be expected. Lieutenancies soon became more organised, probably in the reign of Henry's successor King Edward VI , their establishment being approved by the English parliament in 1550. However, it was not until the threat of invasion by the forces of Spain in 1585 that lieutenants were appointed to all counties and counties corporate and became in effect permanent. Although some counties were left without lieutenants during
7857-595: The sound was "rather faint". She later asked to buy the equipment that was used, but Bell offered to make "a set of telephones" specifically for her. The world's first radio station was set up by Guglielmo Marconi in 1897, during her reign, at the Needles Battery , at the western tip of the island. A 168-foot (51 m) high mast was erected near the Royal Needles Hotel as part of an experiment on communicating with ships at sea. That location
7954-612: The species' holotype fossil was found in Atherfield. The bay also marks the landward edge of the Atherfield Ledge , an underwater outcrop that has claimed many ships including the SS Eider and more. 50°37′08″N 1°21′07″W / 50.619°N 1.352°W / 50.619; -1.352 Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( /waɪt/ WYTE ) is an island, English county and unitary authority in
8051-626: The starting point for one of the earlier Operation Pluto pipelines to feed fuel to Europe after the Normandy landings . The Needles Battery was used to develop and test the Black Arrow and Black Knight space rockets, which were subsequently launched from Woomera , Australia. The Isle of Wight Festival was a large rock festival near Afton Down , West Wight, in August 1970, following two smaller concerts in 1968 and 1969. The 1970 show
8148-583: The style of a General Officer's Army No. 1 dress (but with buttons, epaulettes , sash, etc. in silver rather than gold). A cap is worn, as well as a sword with a steel scabbard. The badge used on the uniform varies depending on where the lieutenant's county is situated – a rose is worn in England, shamrocks in Northern Ireland, a thistle in Scotland and Prince-of-Wales feathers in Wales. On the whole,
8245-446: The two arms of the Solent. In Old English , inhabitants of the Isle were known as Wihtware . During Pleistocene glacial periods sea levels were lower than at present, and the area that today forms the Solent was part of the valley of the now extinct Solent River . The river flowed eastward from Dorset, following the course of the modern Solent strait. The river travelled east of the Isle of Wight before flowing southwest towards
8342-608: The uniform. It consists of an enamel version of the uniform cap badge topped by a jewelled crown, suspended from a ribbon of the same colour as the uniform sash. The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the head of the British administration in Ireland until the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922. In the English colonies , and subsequently the British Empire, the duties of a Lord-Lieutenant were generally performed by
8439-569: The whole island was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve , recognising the sustainable relationships between its residents and the local environment. West Wight is predominantly rural, with dramatic coastlines dominated by the chalk downland ridge, running across the whole island and ending in the Needles stacks. The southwestern quarter is commonly referred to as the Back of the Wight , and has
8536-588: Was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Fife in 1688, and lieutenants were appointed to a few counties from about 1715, it was not until 1794 that permanent lieutenancies were established by royal warrant . By the Militia Act 1797 , the lieutenants appointed "for the Counties, Stewartries, Cities, and Places" were given powers to raise and command county militia units. The Lord Provosts of Edinburgh , Glasgow , Aberdeen , and Dundee are, by virtue of office, also
8633-425: Was historically a part of Hampshire, but became a separate administrative county in 1890. It had continued to share the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire until 1974, when it was made a ceremonial county in its own right. The island no longer has administrative links to Hampshire. However, the two counties continue to share their police force and fire and rescue service , and the island's Anglican churches belong to
8730-595: Was necessary to smelt bronze . At that time, the sea level was much lower, and carts of tin were brought across the Solent at low tide for export, possibly on the Ferriby Boats . Anthony Snodgrass suggests that a shortage of tin, as a part of the Bronze Age Collapse and trade disruptions in the Mediterranean around 1300 BC, forced metalworkers to seek an alternative to bronze. From
8827-517: Was often used as a winter base by Viking raiders when they could not reach Normandy. Later, both Earl Tostig and his brother Harold Godwinson (who became King Harold II) held manors on the island. The Norman Conquest of 1066 created the position of Lord of the Isle of Wight ; the island was given by William the Conqueror to his kinsman William FitzOsbern . Carisbrooke Priory and the fort of Carisbrooke Castle were then founded. Allegiance
8924-633: Was one of the last public performances by Jimi Hendrix and attracted somewhere between 600,000 and 700,000 attendees. The festival was revived in 2002 in a different format and is now an annual event. On 26 October 2020, an oil tanker, the Nave Andromeda, suspected to have been hijacked by Nigerian stowaways, was stormed southeast of the island by the Special Boat Service . Seven people believed to be Nigerians seeking UK asylum were handed over to Hampshire Police. The island had
9021-472: Was permitted to retain a lieutenant while the Tower Hamlets and Cinque Ports were to continue to be regarded as counties for lieutenancy purposes. From 1889 lieutenancy counties in England and Wales were to correspond to groupings of administrative counties and county boroughs established by the Local Government Act 1888 ( 51 & 52 Vict. c. 41). The creation of a new County of London absorbed
9118-549: Was sworn to FitzOsbern rather than the king; the Lordship was subsequently granted to the de Redvers family by Henry I after his succession in 1100. For nearly 200 years the island was a semi-independent feudal fiefdom, with the de Redvers family ruling from Carisbrooke. The final private owner was the Countess Isabella de Fortibus , who, on her deathbed in 1293, was persuaded to sell it to Edward I . Subsequently,
9215-439: Was the site of a former holiday camp, now demolished. Atherfield Bay is one of the best sources of Cretaceous fossils, and is one of the places that gives the Wight the nickname "Dinosaur Isle" (see Dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight ). The unique land formation on this coast means fossils up to 30 million years old are uncovered. The village serves as the namesake for a species of dinosaur, Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis , of which
9312-519: Was to have changed this, but this was deferred to no earlier than October 2022 by the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 . Thus the single constituency remained for the 2015 , 2017 and 2019 general elections. However, two separate constituencies, Isle of Wight East and Isle of Wight West were created for the island under the 2022 review, and were first contested in the 2024 general election . The Isle of Wight
9409-415: Was to have its own lieutenant, and those counties corporate not made county boroughs were abolished. The effect of this was to create a lieutenant for the county boroughs of Belfast and Londonderry , and to abolish those for the city of Kilkenny , borough of Drogheda and town of Galway . The office of lieutenant was honorary and held during the royal pleasure, but often for life. Appointment to
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