Arreton Old Village, Isle of Wight

Wherever we ventured during our time on the Isle of Wight, we passed by Arreton Old Village in the heart of the island.  I am so glad that we finally made the time to visit on our last afternoon there as I was utterly taken by this quaint little village.

Arreton Old Village - Isle of Wight

There are several quaint and utterly charming shops in the tiny little village including Lavender and Lace country accessories, Sweet Memories traditional sweets and homemade fudges and the Vintage Penny Arcade.  All of these shops are housing in ancient little houses, completing the authentic visit into yesteryear.

Arreton Church of St George - Isle of Wight

Of course, the highlight for me and the absolute reason we had to visit was the ancient Church of St George.  This is a fabulous, old medieval church which was first built in the Norman era with the tower built in 1299.  It is in fantastic shape and it was a real treat to see such an old church still intact.  It won’t surprise you to know that the church is Grade 1 listed.

Arreton Church of St George Graveyard and War Memorial - Isle of Wight

This is the graveyard and the war memorial.  The war memorial was dedicated in 1920

to remember those brave men that died in The Great War.  Like so many memorials, it had to be tragically altered several years later to include the names of the World War II dead.

The White Lion - Arreton - Isle of Wight

Arreton Old Village has a superb pub called The White Lion.  They have a great pub menu but we warned: the portions are gigantic.  You most certainly won’t be needing to order starters, desserts and extra vegetables like we did!  We shared a curry and a pie of the day and it really warmed us up after a chilly day exploring Carisbrooke Castle and The SeasideTown of Cowes.

36 comments on "Arreton Old Village, Isle of Wight"
  1. IOW is one of my favourite places in England!
    Unfortunately, I didn't visit the castle.
    Maybe next time! ;)

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  2. I'm waiting for Osborne House, or did I miss it?

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  3. I went to Isle of Wight (Whitecliff Bay) on a year 6 PGL school trip, best ever!!

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  4. @ London Caller: I would ttally recommend the castle! One of the best I have been to.

    @ Nikos: Nope, you didn;t miss it. We had such limited time that we had to choose between Osbourse House and Carisbrooke Castle. Having missed out so much gives us an excuse to go back!

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  5. @ Sy's Prints: Ooooh, must have been a good school trip. We never went on any school trips in high school in South Africa. It was diabolical.

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  6. Lovely photos!!! I last visited the Isle of Wight in 2003... maybe it's time for another visit!

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  7. The Isle of Wight, much like anywhere along the southern coast, has the nicest weather and the prettiest beaches/sea views in all of Britain. At least that was my feeling as an ex-pat Australian, when spouse and I lived in the UK.

    I am glad you found that, in trying to bring tourism onto the island, they preserved the old homes, churches and pubs. Imagine glass and steel modern blobs and junk food outlets :(

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  8. So cool Emm..beautiful!! I love how you spotlight all these charming places..if i ever travel in the future I just have to have to check here for all your magical posts!! I'll take a curry to go please...sounds fun! I love photo#2...awesome!!
    Have a fabulous week!

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  9. I haven't been to the IOW for years i loved it there, theis place looks lovely and quaint.

    Midsommer Murders just came to mind Emm :-)

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  10. It's amazing how well they have preserved the old church. Thank you so much for taking us with you on your visit to IOW. You've some great shots. You have me dreaming!!

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  11. Love the photos of the church.

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  12. isle of wight looks and sounds amazing!

    oh my word, those are breathtakingly beautiful photos!

    happy wednesday!
    xx

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  13. Hi Emm, Thank you so much for visiting my blog. Lovely to see you.

    I've never been to IOW. These photos are lovely!

    You have a lovely blog here. I'll be back soon!

    Ash

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  14. Fantastic place to visit, love the architecture, especially the Church of St. George.

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  15. nice reportage. I'd like to live in a small place...

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  16. That place looks peace and calm, and the buildings (especially in the first three shots) look quite old, don't they. But lovely to behold.

    Would you like to support Akira Toriyama's fundraising for Japan?

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  17. Quaint wee villages are a great escape from big city life. Looking at your pictures makes me almost want to escape to the countryside for a few days...

    I have had a few great weekends away staying in old country inns in the past. Nothing like sinking a few lagers in front of an old log fire after wandering around in the cold for a few hours.

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  18. If I never get to England I can always dream of it while looking at your wonderful pictures. Really beautiful!

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  19. Sigh... miss the UK :-( ur pics make me so nostalgic...

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  20. ah those dank streets and gray skies - I do like the Isle of Wight, tho

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  21. @ Alan: Thank you! I don't know how much you got done last time but we definitely intend to go back closer to spring or in-season.

    @ Hels: I have to agree. I've never been a fan of English beaches but what we saw (when the sun shined) was idyllic. I think that is what makes England and Britain so appealing to me as a tourist. When it is unspoiled and preserved, it is amazing.

    @ Kiki: I hope that someone, one day, uses my blog to plan their travels!!!!

    @ Steve: I loved it there too and I know what you mean about Midsomer Murders!

    @ Life Ramblings: If you do come to England, I would 100% recommend a trip to the Isle of Wight!!

    @ Li: Thank you! I was happy with how they came out, despite the grey weather.

    @ Betty: it really is lovely, I'd recommend it.

    @ Ash: Hi! Welcome to my blog! Thank you, your blog is lovely too.

    @ Rob: Thank you! Me too.

    @ Saverio Otranto: Hiya! Welcome to my blog. I like to visit small places but I far prefer living in the city!

    @ C.A.T.: Heh. I think it was only calm because of the weather.

    @ Mo: Definitely!

    @ William: I know what you mean! I'm hoping to take a couple of local roadtrips this year while I'm stuck on this island without a passport.

    @ Sweepy Jean: Thank you! There is nothing like virtual travelling!

    @ Ashwathy: Come. Back.

    @ David: :) One day I will live somewhere with 360 days of sunshine. I'll post photos of the sun every day.

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  22. I stayed in Yarmouth when I was there.
    It's not very easy to travel around the island...

    By the way, did you take any pictures in the castle?
    Do share them with us soon. ;)

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  23. @ London Caller: Aaaah, we took our car so we found it easy to travel around. I did take photos of the castle! You can see them here:

    Carisbrooke Castle part 1
    Carisbrooke Castle part 2
    Carisbrooke Castle part 3

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  24. Any spooks stories to tell? The church is a treat to see, especially with all of its unique characteristics.

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  25. I could spend all afternoon in the White Lion beer garden, the quintessential English village.

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  26. Just found your travel blog here and it's great :) Also liking the sound of the big pub grub, did they do giant Yorkshire puddings, if they did I'm sold! :D Very quaint and rustic village, very nice :)

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  27. How cool is that to still be able to see sites built in the 1200's! Adventures like that bring about some good appetites.

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  28. Beautiful...but it just looks cold to the bone.

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  29. Hi Emm! It looks a lovely place, but those grey skies... ;)

    Blogtrotter Two is leaving the Côte d’Azur 2010; but it has a beautiful spot for you... Enjoy and have a wonderful week ahead!!

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  30. I was on a language school there for 3 weeks last summer, and I loved it! I didn't want to go home.. The castle is beautiful, and I really love the island!

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  31. Great place and pictures. I like the one with the cross very much. It`s always much to take pictures of in graveyards I think.

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  32. That is the most beautiful church, especially with all the old gravestones around it, covered in lichen! I love all things medieval.

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  33. Exceptional photos, Emm.
    What a lovely place! A place worth visiting.

    B xx

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  34. The Church of St. George photo is awesome. It is one of the places on my definite "to-visit" list when we finally get the chance to visit.

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  35. @ Self Sagacity: I love ghost stories but strangely enough, I didn't feel anything creepy or weird here. Just old and ancient!

    @ Ryan: Oh, Isle of Wight must be stunning in summer and I would also like to spend an afternoon in hte beer garden!

    @ Supergreensunbear: Hiya! I love Yorkshire puddings too! It was lovely there.

    @ AVCr8teur: I know! That is why I love travelling around the UK so much, there is so much history here.

    @ Erik: It was spring so it wasn't too cold, just miserable really. Oh, and definitely visit Isle of Wight if you ever get a chance!

    @ Trotter: I know, grey skies really ruin my photos.

    @ Marie: Ohh, that must have been lovely!

    @ Spiderdama: I haven't done too muh photography in graveyards but I always appreciate other people's photography!

    @ Sheila: Me too. Coming from SA the history of this place just astounds me sometimes!

    @ Betty: Definitely worth visiting!

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