Tucked into the south east corner of the Isle of Wight is the village of Bembridge, a quiet place set by the sea with a harbour and the downs as a backdrop. Built on the cliffs just outside of the village can be found the handsome buildings of a school that was founded by Howard Whitehouse, it is spread over large grounds and has a chapel with an impressive tower which is a well known landmark on the island.

Whitehouse, was the founder and first warden of Bembridge. He was a friend of John Ruskin and has preserved his home on Lake Coniston for the nation to enjoy. He was also acquainted with Dr Nansen and sent out his boys to Oslo to pay homage to him.

The Ruskin Galleries are housed in a building in the school and they are a unique collection of pictures, with 300 of them being original drawings done by Ruskin in both water colour and pencil. It is regarded as being one of the most important collection of drawings in existence and many of the original plates for his books are among them. Other artists' works are also here including work by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Walter Crane, TM Rooke, and Arthur Severn. There is also an art library, with many original Ruskin manuscripts.

Culver Cliff is nearby and is a sanctuary for wild sea birds and it was known by the poet Swinburne who used to climb its steep slopes as a boy.

Bembridge has a stone tower windmill that is fitted with a wooden cap and was built in 1700, and was closed down in 1913. This was placed in the care of the National Trust in 1961 as it was the last windmill on the island, and is a popular spot for visitors to the island.

Brading Harbour is believed to be depicted in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle with the description of one of Alfred's naval battles. It was quite common to see Danish pirate ships off the coast and it was this that caused Alfred to turn shipbuilder. He ships were a lot longer than the Danish ones and 60 oarsmen rowing them, with often more. And in the Chronicle is a description of what is probably England's first ever naval battle which took place in 896AD.

A pirate fleet had been looting and plundering all along the south coast of England and took refuge in a land locked harbour on the Isle of Wight. Alfreds new ships sailed out and besieged them, the opposing crews fighting on the sands at low tide, but before it was decided who had won the tide came in and the sands were covered. The boats once again set sail, but as Alfred's boats were bigger the Danes had the upper hand and managed to sail out first, though two of them ran aground as they passed the high cliffs off Beachy Head in Sussex and their crews were captured and presented before Alfred at Winchester who ordered them to be executed.

Text courtesy of: Southern Life (UK)