May 2021 Creative Chronicle Edition 3 Front cover artworks from “The Islesolation Gallery”. Artworks by: Pamela Parker, Patrick White, Kerry Weston, Graham Reading & Trudie Wilson, Newport residential Home, Independent Arts’ Pebbles project. See the full exhibitions at: www.islesolationgallery.com HELLO Welcome to our third issue of the our very popular Anxiety Café which Creative Chronicle – the magazine offers crafty treats and helpful chat. aimed at mature readers on the Much of what we do has been offered . It’s part of a project online and will continue through May called Digging Deep, created by & June. However, with Covid safety Independent Arts and funded via plans in place and regular testing, a grant from Arts Council England. we will be gradually reintroducing We hope you enjoy reading it half some of our programmes in a socially as much as we’ve enjoyed pulling it distanced way from mid-May, plus together! introducing some new ones too in the not-too-distant future. Our new The idea for this started late in head office, our Creative Hub, will be 2020, as a way for people isolated open from May 18th at 48 High Street, and possibly shielding due to the Newport, so do give us a ring on pandemic, to begin to find their way 01983 822437 if you’d like to make back to something resembling normal an appointment and come to find life again. We are hoping that you’ll out about what we can offer you, or find something in this magazine that someone you know. will interest you to find out a little more about the beautiful island we We are a small charity, with a friendly call home. So many of us have been team and lots of volunteering inside for such a long time, it’s almost opportunities too for those with time become a habit. to spend; the kettle is always on and a tray of biscuits never far away, so do There’s so much to see and learn come and see what we do. about right on our doorstep, the Isle of Wight is steeped in history and Keep creating! fascinating facts. Plus, the healing power of creative pursuits has helped Lisa so many people cope with isolation through lockdown, so we hope that Lisa Gagliani you’ll enjoy what we have to share in MBE these pages. Chief Executive Independent Arts Independent Arts has been changing Registered lives through the arts – from our well charity 297474 known SingAbout sessions that have run for many years across nine sites from Freshwater to Ryde, through to 1 News from Independent Arts

ur new Creative Hub at 49 High Street, Newport is opening its Odoors on the 18th of May. We will be open from 10am – 3pm Monday to Saturday. Due to social distancing measures we may have to close when the space reaches capacity. Our first exhibition is Art and Identity, a portraiture exhibition part of our Time & Tide project. Some of our creative groups are now resuming face-to-face sessions and you can book a space by calling 01983 822437. We look forward to welcoming you to the space.

2 3 The Hay wain (1821) John Constable

In this month’s Creative Chronicle I’ve been invited to talk about John Constable, arguably Britain’s finest landscape painter, and his masterpiece, The Hay Wain.

This huge 6ft painting which can be seen at the National Gallery has appeared on everything from boxes of fudge to the humble tea towel. Scout any tourist shop across the land and you’ll see it disappearing from the shelves and winging its way across the world adorning coffee mugs, puzzles and key fobs. It is our greatest export and for many of us our quintessential vision of England. So what if you were to learn that when Constable unveiled his masterpiece in 1821 it was received as something of a flop, misunderstood, the colours found garish, and the subject matter (landscape) entirely inappropriate for a painting on a grand scale? What if you were to learn that Constable’s original title for the work was Landscape: Noon.

4 The Hay Wain 5

humble home of William humble home of William still isn’t landscape This Lot. this is busy or undisturbed, landscape agrarian working, granary. the nation’s Constable’s. Constable’s. the deeper into Look background painting the of just make out can we and right (top figures some tiny These the trees). beneath hay, loading field workers are soConstable is a depicting landscape populatedworking and field workers with lowly is a deeply This laborers. painting, Constable personal the us right to has taken Sussex, heart of his beloved the mill, to his family’s to the River Stour in Suffolk. Suffolk. in Stour River the born in Suffolk, was Constable owners, mill were parents his the that believed and it is the lower seen to work stone painting is in fact right of the Mill, Flatford of the corner family Constable the which opposite the On owned. small a see can we bank a man calledto home cottage, the of friend a Lot, William

depicts a shallow ford on on ford depicts a shallow at the painting. The scene scene the painting. The at So, let’s take a closer look a closer look take let’s So, Suffolk landscape depicted. landscape depicted. Suffolk rolling countryside of the of the countryside rolling foliage of the great oaks andoaks great the of foliage greens much closer to the the much closer to greens Constable uses rich vivid uses rich vivid Constable By contrast in The Hay Wain Wain Hay in The contrast By

smoke. smoke. stained and damaged by the and damaged by stained with open fires, their surfaces their surfaces with open fires, years in smoke filled rooms rooms filled in smoke years older paintings had hung for for hung had paintings older buffs. In truth most of these buffs. In truth most darker, closer to browns and and browns to closer darker, and foliage appear muddier, appear muddier, and foliage previous centuries where trees where centuries previous of old master paintings from from paintings of old master generally copied the palette the palette copied generally new. Landscape artists Landscape artists new. palette too, was entirely entirely was too, palette battle paintings. The colour colour paintings. The battle of history, biblical or great great or biblical history, of were usually the reserve reserve the usually were the scale of the Hay Wain Wain Hay the of scale the studies. Grand pictures on on pictures Grand studies. to sketches or small painted painted or small sketches to had previously been limited been limited had previously Landscape as a subject matterLandscape was completely unexpected. unexpected. completely was In truth Constable’s painting painting In truth Constable’s Finally I would like to return to Constable’s original title for the painting, Landscape: Noon. This title may give us an intriguing clue as to why Constable placed his cart, his wain, resting there in the middle of the shallow ford. An obvious answer is that the horse would have needed to rest and drink, the less obvious answer needs a deeper dig back into 18th Century farming practice.

In the 18th century carts were the only means of transportation for anything from goods to low fee passengers. Cart wheels would have been made by a Wheelwright. Traditionally they were spoked and encased in metal rims. As the carts rolled along the country tracks in the hot summer months, these rims would become very hot and frequently sparks were known to fly from the wheels as they hit flint and stone. The dry summer fields filled with piled hay acted like a tinder box and fires were a real risk. So, carters adopted the practice of taking their carts into the fords to cool the metal rims of their wheels. Perhaps it isn’t so surprising to imagine that in the midday heat of a beautiful Summer’s day in Suffolk this carter paused to cool his wheels and to let his horse drink and rest a while.

Kerry Tindall

6 Art In Lockdown

Thank you to residents of The Limes for sending in some of their work created in lockdown. We’ve heard so many sad stories linked with care homes during the Covid-19 pandemic, we felt it was important to share some of the positivity and creativity that is found in abundance in care homes too. We hope you enjoy the work and if you would like to see more, The Limes is planning an exhibition of work this summer in Bembridge Village Hall.

All the artists have differing styles and subjects, many live with dementia or other additional needs, and some have never painted before. Their work is all created ‘in the moment’ with bright, organic and abstract styles.

7 Pencil Study – Jack

Painting – Maureen

Painting – Tilly

8 Painting – Joy

Coloured pen – Julia About the artists creativity take over. She works quickly and passionately when Tilly has tried to avoid painting she paints. for most of her life but has Joy loves anything creative really started to enjoy it. She and is very social. She is always was a dancer in her younger up for trying out new things days and performed at the and very encouraging of the palladium as a Tiller others. Girl! Julia is hugely creative and Jack was an architect, which spends most of her time perhaps leads to him being a drawing, colouring or painting. thoughtful and careful artist. She comes up with some Maureen likes to get stuck amazing abstract pieces full in straight away and lets her of colour and passion.

9 Michael Maybrick Music, Mayoralty and... Murder?

n the western extension of Ryde would be right. But among the Cemetery, known as the ‘New 20,000 other graves and vaults in ICemetery’, stands an imposing Ryde cemetery, the full extent of marble tomb. Under the ornate his fascinating life is a story that top and multiple columns are is known by few! interred the remains of Mr. Michael Maybrick. Musical Prodigy

This large vaulted grave is Born in in 1844 (or situated right next to the main 1841, according to some sources), pathway through the centre of Michael Maybrick was the fourth the cemetery, and any visitors to of the eight children of William the burial ground are sure to walk Maybrick, an engraver, and his wife by it. The grave site is well kept, Susannah. He showed prodigious and the inscription on it tells us musical talent from an early age. that Michael Maybrick, also known By the age of eight he could play as Stephen Adams, was “J.P. for the piano with “brilliance and this county”. One could surely accuracy”. At only 14 years old assume this to be the resting place he was appointed organist at of a very important man, and you St. Peter’s in Liverpool, and one

10 Michael Maybrick 11 Century. Sales Sales Century. th of the sheet music to “The Holy “The music to of the sheet having been initiated into the the into been initiated having London (1491), Lodge Athenaeum honour of Masonic The in 1876. bestowed was Organist Grand 1889, in the year on Maybrick Sir by previously held a title even as far afield as New Zealand, Zealand, New as afield far as even in resident was Maybrick Michael of London’s areas the exclusive End. West several of member a was He clubs in London. Gentleman’s reading Among his hobbies were poets, and of the great the works pursuits of yachting, the outdoor When he and cricket. cycling be could he working, wasn’t on the Thames, “rowing found Hill”, and Highgate riding over at ozone “imbibing occasion on Cottage”. his Isle of Wight an eminent Freemason, He was alongside Gilbert and Sullivan. Gilbert alongside many wrote also Maybrick is of which songs, one religious selling song best be the to noted 19 the entire of unprecedented an it made City” and also success, commercial musical pirated most “perhaps the the Internet”, prior to piece scholars. copyright to according Elite Victorian outstanding his Throughout not he was when musical career, or England, Scotland, touring songs together dominating the dominating together songs industry entertainment Victorian

th

would write and release nearly 50 and release write would between 1880 and 1890 the pair the 1890 and 1880 between with Frederick Weatherly, and and Weatherly, with Frederick years. He formed a partnership a partnership He formed years. over 100,000 copies in just two two in just copies 100,000 over humming it, or whistling it in the in it whistling or it, humming sell to was Lee’ ‘Nancy street” Era. “Everyone was singing it, it, singing was “Everyone Era. enormous popularity” wrote The The enormous popularity” wrote “No song has ever gained such “No song has ever as being without precedent. precedent. without being as described the phenomenon described the phenomenon Lee’. A publication of the time of the time A publication Lee’. released the sea song ‘Nancy ‘Nancy song sea the released pseudonym Stephen Adams, he Adams, Stephen pseudonym success. In 1876, under the under the In 1876, success. was composing ballads that ballads that composing was him worldwide bring to were By the early 1870’s Maybrick Maybrick the early 1870’s By fortune. to the very pinnacle of fame and of fame pinnacle the very to career, which would see him rise which would career, the beginnings of a remarkable of a remarkable the beginnings fine baritone voice. This was to be to was This voice. baritone fine and wowed audiences with his with his audiences and wowed secured regular engagements engagements regular secured in London on February 25 February on London in Elijah. He Mendelssohn’s in 1869 He appeared with great success success with great He appeared Fame and Fortune Fame baritone singer in Milan. singer in baritone harmony, and later trained as a trained and later harmony, study composition, keyboard and keyboard composition, study Maybrick travelled to Leipzig to to Leipzig to travelled Maybrick and conductor Alfred Mellon, Mellon, Alfred and conductor on the advice of his Godfather, of his Godfather, advice on the composer violinist, the English Opera House in London. In 1865, in London. House Opera played at the Covent Garden Garden Covent the at played of his novice compositions was was compositions his novice of Arthur Sullivan, and before him the from the in 1880. It conductor and composer Wilhelm was on this journey that he met Ganz. Florence Chandler, and despite their 24-year age difference (she The Murder of was 18, he was 42), they soon arranged to be wed and they had Michael’s elder brother James two children Maybrick was a cotton merchant, based in Liverpool. He was a On the 27th of April 1889, James successful businessman, and like Maybrick fell suddenly, and gravely, his brother, was also a prominent ill. Michael Maybrick, along with Freemason. His cotton trading their brother Edwin, rushed to business required him to travel Liverpool to take over the care to the United States of America. of the ailing James. The brothers In 1871 he established a trading would forbid Florence from having branch in Norfolk, , and any further access to him. He died made his home there. In 1874 he fifteen days later in the arms of contracted malaria, which during one of his closest friends, and those days was treated with a foul play was alleged. Suspicion medicine containing the deadly immediately fell on Florence poison Arsenic. After recovering Maybrick, and chief among her from malaria, James Maybrick accusers was Michael, whom she became addicted to arsenic, and had often referred to as her “bitter would remain so for the rest of enemy”. A verdict of death by his life. arsenic poisoning was reached, and a charge of wilful murder was James Maybrick returned to Britain set against the recent widow.

12 Michael Maybrick

A claim was made that Florence in prison, until a re-examination had soaked fly papers in water, of her case in 1904 resulted in in order to extract the small her release. She died, a penniless amount of arsenic from them, and recluse, in on the subsequently used this to poison 23rd of October 1941. her husband over a period of time. The fact that James was already Mayor of Ryde a longstanding arsenic addict with a very developed tolerance, After the death of his brother, and and that the miniscule dose that the trial of , one would be able to extract Michael Maybrick left behind his from fly papers would have life among the artists and elite of barely affected him, mattered London. On 9 March 1893 at the not to the prosecution. She was age of 57, he married his forty- sentenced to death by hanging, year-old housekeeper, Laura though this was commuted to a Withers, and settled with her at lesser sentence of life in prison Ryde on the Isle of Wight. He after great public outcry and even moved into a grand residence intervention by the United States called Lynthorpe, on Corbett government. Road in Haylands.

After their mother’s conviction Edwin Maybrick’s daughter, Amy and imprisonment, the children, Maine, recalled summer holidays were taken in by a Dr Charles spent at the Lynthorpe property, Chinner Fuller and his wife which has since been demolished. Gertrude, and would later live In her words, the now reclusive with Michael Maybrick on the Michael “wasn’t fond of children”, Isle of Wight. Florence Maybrick and she did not enjoy her time would never see her children there with her “cold” Uncle. again. Although he spent most of his The trial of Florence Maybrick is time in his study, he never lost now well known as one dominated his love of music, and she goes by the Victorian morality code, on to say that “He was one of and a great miscarriage of justice. the first people on the island to Despite coroners reports contrary own a gramophone” and he had to the cause of death verdict, an after-dinner ritual where he and dubious evidence against would bring his choice of records her, the judge and jury convicted out to the hall each evening to the widow largely on a purported play, with “very, very long pauses letter to an illicit lover, and by between, while he dusted each the Victorian attitudes to sexual record with a silk handkerchief scandal. She was to serve 14 years or a camel-hair brush”. 13 After several quiet years on the Multiple tests were carried out Isle of Wight away from public life, on the ink, and nothing was he was elected Mayor of Ryde in found to be inconsistent with the the year 1900, which according Victorian period. Although few to the Isle of Wight County Press, experts give it much credence, “came as great surprise upon the certain researchers believe it majority of people in the borough”. to be genuine. They argue that He was unanimously entreated scientific dating methods have to take the position again the established that the book and ink following year, and he went on to used to write in it are from the serve a further four terms in office 19th century; that the symptoms until 1911, and had the distinction of arsenic addiction, claimed to be of being Mayor of Ryde in the described accurately in the book, Coronation years of Edward VII, are known to very few persons; and of George V, representing that some details of the murders the town at Westminster Abbey provided in it were known only on both Coronations. to police and the Ripper himself Michael Maybrick died in his sleep before the book’s publication. of heart failure on 26 August 1913. Further to this, some claim that …? the “Ripper Diary” is a forgery, but only in so far as it was written by And although that may sound the James Maybrick’s brother, none like the end of the story of Michael other than Michael, in order to Maybrick… there is yet more! frame him! In his book released in In 1992, a document presented as 2015, film director James Maybrick’s diary surfaced, claims that Michael Maybrick is which claimed that he was Jack his prime suspect for being the the Ripper. The diary’s author does infamous Whitechapel murderer! not mention his own name, but In “They All Love Jack”, named offers enough hints and references for the song written by Maybrick/ consistent with Maybrick’s Stephen Adams, credence is given established life and habits that it to this theory by some uncanny is obvious readers are expected coincidences relating to the to believe it is him. The author multitude of letters received by of the document details alleged London police and others from actions and crimes over a period “Jack the Ripper”. Within some of of several months, taking credit the letters, and of the postmarks for slaying the five victims most from where they were sent, there commonly credited to Jack the are many locations that match Ripper as well as for two other up to Michael Maybrick’s touring murders which have to date not performances around the country, been historically identified. most notably the letters sent

14 Michael Maybrick

during the weeks between the brother, James, and the framing of murders of Catherine Eddowes Florence Maybrick for the crime! and Mary Jane Kelly, and at the Although the identity of either time of the grisly murder of a brother as Jack the Ripper is young boy in Bradford which unproven, and Michael Maybrick’s is sometimes attributed to the involvement in the death of James Ripper. The author points out many and the persecution of Florence similarities between Freemasonic equally uncertain, what is certain text and imagery, and the details beyond doubt is that Ryde’s Mayor of the gruesome crime scenes, lived a truly fascinating life. He and also puts forward a theory of never wrote any memoirs, and is, conspiracy at the highest levels… very strangely, rarely mentioned Michael Maybrick, the head of the in the books later written by his Met police at the time, Charles contemporaries. He was described Warren, judges, coroners and as “cold”, “vain” and “arrogant”, members of parliament were all as much as he was enthused Brothers of the same Lodge, and about as being “a true friend, it is clear looking back from the wise, generous, and helpful”, 21st century that evidence and with a” sunny nature”. He was witnesses were suppressed at the talented and successful, but time. Robinson adds to this claim clearly a complicated man, whose with the suggestion that Michael extraordinary life we are able to Maybrick was also responsible for gain just some glimpses and idea the murder by poisoning of his of with the records we have left.

Jessica Ong 15 We’ve decided to take a look at some of the archaeological finds from across the world from the last year.

Archaeological finds across the world 2020 & 2021 We’ve decided to take a look at some of the archaeological finds from across the world from the last year. Ice-age Art in the Amazonian Rainforest from 11,800 to 12,600 years old. Hailed as ‘the Sistine Chapel of the ancients’, the rock canvas is eight miles long and drawn using ochre including handprints, geometric designs, numerous animals – horses, camelids, porcupines, serpents, turtles, monkeys, bats and alligators and extinct beasts that would have lived at the time including giant sloths and mastodons. Its believed there may be many more paintings yet to be uncovered. 16 Archaeological Finds

Prehistoric Female hunter found in Peru with a diverse toolkit for big game for hunting and preparing a hide. Studies have found up to 30-50% of big game hunters could have been female throwing a new twist on the long debate on gender roles in early hunter-gatherer societies. Matthew Verdolivo

Over 100 undisturbed and sealed ancient Egyptian coffins c. 712 B.C. and 30 B.C. have been found at the Saqqara necropolis. Artefacts within the coffins include statues of the deity Ptah, creator-god and maker of things, a patron of craftsmen, especially sculptors and also Sokar, Hawk-god of the Memphite necropolis, of fertility and artisans.

A Geogylph of Cat c. 200 B.C – 100 B.C discovered in Peru – the outline was heavily eroded but conservation efforts revealed this Peruvian cat. They are the most recent Nazca lines found. The Nazca Lines in southern Peru are a group of pre-Columbian geoglyphs etched into desert sands. Covering an area of nearly 1,000 sq. kilometres, there are about 300 different figures, including animals and plants.

17 Tomb of Romulus - A shrine to Rome’s mythical founder including a 2600 year old sarcophagus, the Tomb of Romulus has been found under the Roman Forum’s senate house. Romulus and Remus, were twins sentenced to ‘death by the elements’ by Amulius, king of Alba Longa, who wished to despatch rival heirs. Instead they were left by servants by the banks of the Tiber River and found raised by a she-wolf. In an argument between them over which hill Rome should be built on, Remus was killed. Romulus named his city Roma after himself and ruled it for 37 years.

Venetian glass trade beads (c. 1440- 1480) showing evidence of trade between Europe and the Americas predating Columbus have been found in three Prehistoric Inuit sites in Alaska. One of the sites Penyik Point was a seasonal camp for inland Inuits who came to hunt caribou and fish for lake trout. A speculative route charts the further East. A trader may have beads’ journey from the canals then stowed the beads and taken of Venice, along the Silk Road them by kayak from the shores of toward China and from there into the Bering Sea to the New World, the aboriginal hinterlands and Alaska.

18 Archaeological Finds

What does a 18,000-year-old seashell horn sound like? The sound of a conch shell, that had been carefully transformed into a wind instrument by Magdalenian people of the Palaeolithic period, has now been released by a team of French researchers after being reproduced by a musicologist. The seashell horn made of a predatory sea snail is said to have a “unique sonority, both deep and strong with an enduring reverberation” and Gilles Tosello shows a musical dimension previously unknown of in this period. The sound of the horn can be heard in three distinct notes that very nearly matched a C, D and C sharp of modern music. You can listen to the results on YouTube!

300- y e a r - o l d l e t t e r s folded 1706. X-ray scans were used to using a special anti-snooping analyse and generate 3D models technique have been read of the documents followed by without opening them. Before a computational algorithm to mass produced envelopes most identify different layers of the letters were sent using a special folded letters and recognise the tamper-proof folding method text. The algorithm then virtually called ‘letterlocking’. Until now unfolded the letters making it was only possible to cut the them readable and the secret letters open, often damaging folding pattern evident. The new contents. The Brienne Collection technique could work for scrolls, is a postmaster’s trunk holding origami art pieces and more more than 3,000 undelivered and will be invaluable in future letters dating from 1680 to research.

19 Larch-wood statue, the Shigir Idol, is now thought to be 12,500 years old according to new research. Early tests in the '90s initially showed the statue to date back 9,500 years but it is now thought to be more than twice as old as Stonehenge or the Egyptian pyramids. Discovered in a Russian peat bog in 1890, the 9ft tall totem is the only surviving Stone Age wooden artifact and defies what archaeologists thought they knew about hunter-gatherer societies in Europe and Asia. It shows artistic output was not limited to animals and hunting but included objects with ritual significance demonstrating complex symbolic behaviour and a spiritual world. Much art from this time may have been lost due to the materials used so our understanding of ancient peoples may have been shaped by preservation biases.

Antikythera Mechanism – Greek astronomical calculator Combined efforts from researchers from London and Cyprus have solved a major piece of a puzzle in reconstructing this ancient Greek mechanical computer (c. 150 and 100 BCE) used for making astronomical predictions. It was discovered on a Roman shipwreck off Greece containing looted treasures from the coast of Asia Minor being transported back to Rome. Only a third of the original device survives and is in fragments. Researchers have been carefully reconstructing the inscriptions on the back cover including a description of the cosmos display. Using an ancient Greek mathematical method described by the philosopher Parmenides, the team made key theoretical advances on how the cosmos was constructed in the mechanism and the cycles of the planets where the evidence was missing. 20 Archaeological Finds /Quiz Answers

Last month’s quiz answers:

1. In which London borough 10. Which famous building would you find the Royal in Paris houses France’s Observatory? Greenwich National Museum of 2. Situated in New York, what Modern Art (Le Musée does MoMA stand for? National d’Art Moderne)? Museum of Modern Art The Pompidou centre 3. ‘I Could Have Danced All 11. What are the patterns Night’, ‘The Rain In Spain’ called which are applied to and ‘Get Me to the Church the hands of Indian women on Time’, are all songs from using Henna? Mendhi which musical? My Fair 12. Which abstract Lady expressionist was known 4. Which two cities provide for using the “drip the setting for Charles technique”? Jackson Dickens’s ‘A Tale of Two Pollock Cities’? London and Paris 13. ‘The Angel of the North’ is 5. The Lady Lever Art Gallery the work of which British is in which English city? sculptor? Anthony Gormley Liverpool 14. The Handmaid’s Tale 6. Lord Bryon’s daughter was exploded in popularity a famous mathematician over the last several years and became the world’s but who wrote this book? first computer programmer. Margaret Atwood Name her. Ada Lovelace 15. Which American pop star 7. What musical features the famously wore a dress song “Memory”? Cats made of meat to the MTV awards? Lady Gaga 8. What are the four Little Women sisters called? Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy 9. Which Shakespearean play features the characters of Goneril, Regan and Cordelia? King Lear

21 STORIES FROM THE SEA

community programming for the Isle of Wight

Do you have a memory of the sea you would like to share?

Sign up for a Storytelling Workshop with NAIADS and Independent Arts

We are NAIADS, a theatre company created on the Isle of Wight, and we are looking for Islanders to share their stories from the sea. As part of our new project aimed at creating greater connection within the Island community through storytelling and theatre, NAIADS are running workshops across the Island to uncover incredible stories from those of us who have lived side by side with the ocean. “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. People protect what they love.” - Jacques Cousteau (French Explorer and Conservationist) Our mission is to create curiosity through storytelling to inspire audiences to care for the natural world.

Join us for a Storytelling Workshop We want to know what living on this island means to you.

Do you have a memory of the ocean to share? Perhaps a story someone told you? From long ago? From the pandemic? From this morning?

Have you crafted a tale you would like to show us? Has the ocean surprised you in a way that could be brought to life through storytelling?

22 Stories from the sea

NAIADS are hosting a confidence in storytelling workshop at the Independent Arts Creative Community Hub called STORIES FROM THE SEA. Through sharing our stories and perspectives we aim to forge a greater connection between the island community and the ocean. We believe that stories have the power to change hearts and minds and by collecting these stories we hope to inspire greater care for the island’s precious coastal environment.

What? When? Where? Join us for a storytelling workshop

at Independent Arts Creative Catrin Welz-Stein Community Hub at 48 High Street, Newport, PO30 1SE on Tuesday June 22nd 10.00 - 12.00

For information or to sign up to the workshop please call 01983 822437 or email info@independentarts. org.uk

If you can’t join us in person but would still like to take part, you can email or post your story to the contact information above.

23 Name: ______

Word Search

F R Y K R I M T A P O L L O C K H E R Z G P O D I P C E Z A N N E R O G Y J D G T B P W I C T V Y D E K C U U V H X H M A N A C O I O S M A K R L S N J K A B D M R A N T F I H N R N L T G O T B A B O H S S I N L E G M O N D R I A N C A N O S T A O Y S B V N L M S K N O O N E L O A N L S V A U H M S U U K O N K T V S B N E I Y X Q B E D S O V N S S V N D L M J L W T U R N E R O C C L Y W O M E W G O Y A X C Q V E R M E E R R E N

Find the following words in the puzzle. Words are hidden and .

BACON KAHLO TITIAN BANKSY MATISSE TURNER CEZANNE MONDRIAN VERMEER CONSTABLE MONET WARHOL EMIN PICASSO GOYA POLLOCK HOCKNEY ROTHKO

Created using Word Search Generator on Super Teacher Worksheets (www.superteacherworksheets.com)

24 Quiz and Wordsearch 25 – Just for fun for – Just Creative Culture Quiz! Quiz! Culture Creative What is Scooby Doo’s full name? Doo’s is Scooby What first? Road Abbey crossed Which Beatle What do you call a group of jellyfish? call a group do you What of which country? Alberta is a province Who plays Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders? in Peaky Shelby Tommy Who plays and of yoghurt dip consisting is the name of the Greek What cucumber? The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the USA from which from the USA a gift to of Liberty was Statue The country? used in marzipan? Which nuts are Who played Jim Hacker in Yes Minister? in Yes Hacker Jim Who played ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ is a children’s book series written written book series of Narnia’ is a children’s Chronicles ‘The which author? by in the Harry Potter Dumbledore play to actor Name the first films. Which actor played the ninth reincarnation of the Doctor in of the Doctor the ninth reincarnation played Which actor Who? Doctor the UK? in opera running soap is the longest What Which form of Dance which has its origins in Spain, was origins in Spain, was which has its of Dance Which form of the World’s as part UNESCO by recognized recently Intangible Cultural Heritage? ame the country where the comic book style ‘Manga’ ‘Manga’ style book the comic where Name the country originated

15. 14.

13. 12. 11. 10. 9.

8. 7.

6. 5.

4. 3.

2. 1. Newport Heritage Walk

or this month’s guided walk, we‘ll be taking a wander around the Isle of Wight’s County town, Newport. We’ll be starting at the Fbottom of Pyle street at the junction with East Street/Coppins Bridge.

Newport was a planted town (an urban settlement that was deliberately constructed to a preconceived plan), founded by Richard de Redvers, Earl of Devon and Lord of the IOW. The town charter was granted in 1180. However, it seems likely that the area which Newport came to occupy was in use long before this charter came into being, as a landing stage for goods and passengers travelling to Carisbrooke Castle. The Domesday Book (1086) mentions a number of watermills in the area and evidence suggests that Newport was a site used for fording the river since the times of the earliest prehistoric settlers on the Island.

26 Newport Heritage Walk

suffered numerous outbreaks of the plague. During the 16th and 17th century fortunes improved as industry on the Island grew answering the call of the Navy.

As well as shipbuilding the Island also provided raw materials including timber from its great forests. The Island farmers provided food for the Navy When Richard de Redvers chose including grain which helped the site for Newport, the basic supply the Navy throughout the street system, we use today High Napoleonic wars. The money this Street – leading to Carisbrooke; enterprise brought into Newport Quay Street leading to the helped the town rebuild on a Quay; and Pyle Street leading grand scale. to the ford (or pyle) in the river – were already in use in a basic Proceed slowly up Pyle street form. As the town developed it and look out for the various expanded around these streets buildings of note as you walk in a grid system and included uphill towards St Thomas square. three squares which were used for markets and trade. Pyle street was once the route from the ford across the Medina Newport was on the front line towards the Castle at Carisbrooke. of the Hundred Years War and It now contains some of the regularly suffered raids by oldest buildings in the town. French marauders. The 1377 Chantry House built c.1724 now raid on Newport caused almost houses offices for the NHS. The complete destruction of the land for the building was given town, the townsfolk evacuated to to endow a chantry, to serve Carisbrooke Castle for shelter as the spiritual needs of mariners their town burned to the ground. and fishermen coming to port After this raid the whole Island in 1449. The chantry in Newport was in a period of decline and was dissolved in 1617.

27 St Thomas’ Church stands in the middle of the square. This Victorian building replaced another church in 1854. The church contains a monument to Princess Elizabeth (Elizabeth Stuart - King Charles I daughter) who was buried in the original church. The monument was created on the instruction of Queen Victoria to honour the life of Princess Elizabeth who was kept hostage by the Parliamentarians for her almost her entire life which ended at the age of 14 at Carisbrooke Castle.

Walk around the church in an anti-clockwise direction.

At the North side of the Church was the ‘shambles’, where butchers The Apollo Theatre, once a shops were located. In the centre Methodist church, was bought of the square was the general and turned into a theatre by a market and the Corn Exchange. dedicated group of volunteers The Corn Exchange was held in in 1970. The theatre is part of what is now the Unity Hall. The the Guild of Little Theatres of Unity Hall was also the original Great Britain and has a vibrant home to the Unity Stompers local community putting on a season of seven shows per year, alongside other events and film screenings. On the corner of St Thomas’ Square is God’s Providence House - built in 1701 on the site of an much older house. The notes in the porch refer to the original house where the plague ceased after an outbreak in 1584 by God’s Providence. The building now houses a traditional tea rooms.

Turn right into the square.

28 Newport Heritage Walk jazz band, founded in the lunch Church Litten was once just a queue at the Highdown rocket field outside the town centre, test site, which continues albeit used for archery practice in the with a different line up today. middle ages. The site was later used as a cemetery to bury victims of the plague in 1583/4 as there is no burial site in the town centre. The Tudor entrance gates to the cemetery still stand but that is all that is left. The site was used as a cemetery until the 19th century. The memorial to Valentine Gray is another feature of this area. Valentine had been obtained by local chimney sweep Benjamin Davies from the workhouse at Alverstoke to be his assistant. In 1822 the boy was found dead in an outhouse, described as bruised and battered and showing signs of obvious neglect. The sweep The Charterhouse, the large brick and his wife were imprisoned for building that sits opposite the manslaughter. The death of young Wheatsheaf pub, was once home Valentine Gray was a cog in the to John Gould and Co mineral wheel of setting up the ‘Young waters. Cross the road and head Sweeps Charter’ to protect the through Cockram’s Yard (passage welfare of child sweeps. between the multistorey carpark and Lloyds Pharmacy). Take a Walk across the park passing look at the Notable Newport M&S on your left, turn right at the exhibition and see a depiction of road and walk towards Nodehill, some of the people mentioned with the school on your right. in the walk today. Nodehill was named so during a Cross the road and walk towards skirmish with the French in 1377. Church Litten. Several French invaders were killed and buried in this area. The place became known as ‘Noddy’s Hill’, Noddy being a term for a dead body. Over time the word has evolved to Nodehill.

29 Turn right and walk back towards the town centre past Nodehill campus.

The site has used for education buildings for the last few centuries. Currently a sixth form college, it was previously a middle school, a grammar school and before that home to the Seely Library and technical institute. dating from 1791. The adjoining Continue to walk back to the presbytery and cottage are also town centre and into St James of note as fine examples of 17th Square, pause on the corner of and 18th Century architecture. Pyle Street (by HSBC)

St James Square served as a Stop at the end of Pyle Street, cattle market from 1532 to 1927 you are now in Castlehold. when the cattle market moved to South Street – on the site of the The Castlehold area of Newport was once held by the Redvers family for their own building plots, hence Castlehold – being held by the Castle. Castlehold was technically outside the town of Newport. It therefore became a haven for lawbreakers as it was outside the bailiffs’ areas of operation! You can clearly see the trade routes mentioned earlier, meeting together here to merge to one road to the castle. current Morrisons Supermarket. The square then became a bus Turn right to head back down the station until the site near Church High Street. Pause on the corner Litten was acquired. of Mill Street by The Castle Inn.

Walk down Pyle Street heading Across the road are the Worsley

out of the town centre. Alms-houses, funded by the Worsley family, once owners of St Thomas’ RC Church is one of the Appuldurcombe estate at the oldest churches in Newport, Wroxall. The Castle Inn was built in 30 Newport Heritage Walk

Pause at the road junction and look left to the bottom of Hunnyhill.

At the bottom of HunnyHill once stood St Cross Priory, home of Benedictine monks and built in 1120 before the town of Newport was founded. Later this area formed part of the Newport Railway station. It was also the site of St Cross corn mill where a sluice gate would operate to push additional 1684 and the second of two of water towards the mill when the oldest hostelries on this short required. stretch, the other being The Cask and Crispin just up the road. Cross the road and continue Mill Street leads to the once along Crocker Street. industrious centre of Newport. Lukely Brook runs parallel with On the left side of the street the High Street and once seven was the Mew Langton Royal watermills stood on a stretch brewery buildings. Mew Langton on steam between the River had a contract with the British Medina and Carisbrooke. At the Army, which meant it supplied end of Mill Street was Home Mill, its beer to soldiers stationed Westminster Mill was slightly across the empire. The brewery upstream and Towngate Mill was also granted a warrant to downstream. At the bottom of supply Queen Victoria with beer Mill Street once stood the site when in residence at Osborne of Island Dairies, where milk House. Mews was bought out produced from Island cows was and brewing and bottling ceased processed and distributed to the on the site in 1969. In 1979 a doorsteps of Islanders. devastating fire broke out in the warehouse, and soon after the Walk down Mill Street and turn building was demolished. The site right on to Crocker Street. was developed as social housing. Crocker Street is home to some of the oldest buildings in the town. On the right-hand side of the road are houses built in approximately 1580.

31 Cross the road and turn left and ships. The old railway bridge was then right into Sea Street with dismantled and removed in May the Medina Railway Tavern on 1960, four years after the line was the corner. closed (in February 1956) as part of Dr Beeching’s restructuring of Sea Street gives us glimpses of the railways. industrial Newport of the past. It You may also just be able to was once home to goods yards glimpse the sad looking Newport for the railway and the warehouses Electric Lightworks at Little storing goods delivered to the London which provided power quay by boat. Warehouses stood for the town at the turn of the on the left of the street and century. the grander merchants houses Although trade no longer passes in buildings on the right. Quay through Newport Quay, it retains Arts makes use of a converted it’s harbourmaster and has regular warehouse. Seal House still stands tourist visitors to the Island who on Sea Street, this is where all the arrive in their boats. goods bills would be stamped with Quay Street, the third original the official seal for verification. street in Newport, was once home to merchants and traders at the Pause on the corner of Sea Street Port. It is now a mixture of offices and Quay street. and residences and the new law courts. A swing bridge stood on the quay to allow barges access to Walk up Quay Street towards the the warehouses. Guildhall at the top of the street. The viaduct, where the railway once crossed the river, stood The wide street narrows as it where the flyover is today. reaches the High Street, passing Unlike its more modern cousin, the Methodist Church built the viaduct could be opened to in 1879. As you pass 30 Quay allow access to the quay for tall street look up to see the Minton

32 Newport Heritage Walk

tile decoration on the building County Town. The clock tower was frontage. The site was home to erected for the Diamond Jubilee the Newport Literary Society. The of Queen Victoria. It was replaced society was formed in 1876 to by the new County Hall in the provide ‘recreation for the men of 1960s and since then it has been Newport’. Offering reading rooms home to the Tourist Information and recreational space in brand Centre and the Museum of Island new premises at 30 Quay Street History. from 1880 until the society closed in 1955. Look up to see the Royal You can now cross the road and crest above the door of Calverts walk across the square to Pyle Hotel. The crest relates to Calverts street where you started the walk, predecessor The Warburton Hotel. or turn right up High Street and call into our new Creative Hub at The Guildhall stands imposingly number 49. Situated on the corner at the junction of Quay Street and of St James Square underneath High Street. Built from a John Nash the County Club, once home to design, it was once the hub of the Hepworths Tailors.

All colour photos Amy Normanton. All black and white images reproduced by permission of the Isle of Wight Heritage Service. Illustration Trudie Wilson 33

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