Local Area Information
Gatcombe
Snowdrop Lane runs between The Barn into Gatcombe Village which snuggles down amongst picturesque scenery with miles of accessible footpaths and cycle tracks. Public transport Southern Vectis buses run along the main road, approximately 1.3 miles from The Barn. The parish church of St Olaves was dedicated in 1292. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful on the Island and worthy of a visit. It is about 1.2 miles from The Barn. The church contains stained glass by William Morris of the Arts & Crafts Movement and by the Romantics, Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Ford Maddox Brown and Edward Burne-Jones. There is a monument by Sir Thomas Brock to Captain Charles Grant Seely (killed in action in 1917) which was unveiled in 1922. There is a carved wooden effigy around which various legends have developed. For a time, it served as a chapel to Gatcombe House, (a grade I listed building and the recent setting for The Beast Must Die drama).
Newport Town
Newport on the River Medina is the county town of the Isle of Wight and is about 3 miles from Gatcombe. This historic town has two elegant squares with Georgian and Victorian architecture surrounding them. A short walk from the centre down on the river is The Quay Arts Centre. The Isle of Wight Festival takes place every June at Seaclose Park in Newport, which runs adjacent to the River Medina. It is the one of the key events in Newport’s events calendar!
Newport Minster is the church in the centre of Newport. Whether you like history, church buildings, concerts, exhibitions, services of worship or simply a place to be quiet the Minster has something to offer you. With fascinating historical links, Newport Minster is also part of the Victoria's Island Trail.
Newport offers plenty of things to do and is a great place for shopping with a number of well-known chain stores and supermarkets mixing with smaller independent shops. There is a regular market on a Tuesday and a highly rated farmers market on Fridays selling a good range of local produce.
Newport also offers a good range of entertainment both during the day and most evenings. The Museum of Island History, the Newport Roman Villa and the Monkey Haven (a popular animal sanctuary) are all within a short distance of the town centre and worth a visit. There is a multi-screen cinema and the Medina and Apollo Theatres both offering a range of shows at various times of the year. There are also a number of bars restaurants and late-night venues located around the town.
A short distance outside the centre of Newport you can find some of the most popular attractions on the Isle of Wight.
Carisbrooke Castle to the West of the town centre is a 12th century fort most famous for imprisoning Charles I after his defeat in the English Civil War.
Robin Hill Country Park is the perfect destination for visitors of all ages. Set in 88 acres of beautiful countryside, and with some incredible day and night time experiences to be found throughout the season.
Osborne at East Cowes. The favourite home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the place where the Queen died. Her time here made the Isle of Wight the centre of a glittering social scene and visited by numerous Heads of State. It established a particularly strong connection with the Russian Imperial Family, the Romanovs and there was a significant, intellectual and artistic enclave of Russians in Ventnor with their own Russian newspaper.
The International Classic Car Show spends one of its 2 days on the Island at Newport Quay and there are regular meets in Newport as part of the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally’s.
Lovely spacious 3 bedroom house with own walled garden. Several walks just outside the door with superb views and a castle thrown in for good measure. Truly idyllic.
This was our third visit to Garston's Barn this year, so it feels very much like a home away from home. The Barn has all the creature comforts you might want and is situated in an idyllic spot right in the heart of the island. It's perfectly quiet and yet bustling Newport is only a few minutes away. We find it the ideal location for visiting the Isle of Wight, since everywhere can be reached in under half an hour. We will be back!
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