ST. HELENS
St. Helens parish includes the north-eastern sea-board of the Island from Brading Haven to Ryde.
The parish contains 1,941 acres, of which 35 acres
are inland water, 236 acres arable land, 990¼ acres
permanent grass and 67½ acres woodland. (fn. 1) The
village, now consisting of a few houses and cottages
round the 'Green,' must, as early as the 14th
century, have been of some importance as a port to
Brading at the entrance of the haven. (fn. 2) The English
fleets were accustomed to lie off here in the 16th, (fn. 3)
17th (fn. 4) and 18th centuries, and it possessed a spring
of water famous for its keeping qualities and greatly
in request for outgoing ships. (fn. 5) Sir John Oglander,
comparing St. Helens with Cowes, says that many
ships resorted to St. Helens to victual, that a harbour
had been formed by throwing up the beach, that St.
Helens and Barnsley had a fleet of fifty sail and was
the home of '20 good shipmasters that would undertake to carry you to any part you desired.' (fn. 6) With
the rise of Cowes in the 18th century, St. Helens
began to lose its importance as a shipping centre.
St. Helens includes the ecclesiastical parish of
St. John's, Oakfield, a suburb of Ryde, which was
formed in 1844 from St. Helens, (fn. 7) and the pretty
village of Seaview, now rapidly becoming a town,
Springvale, a hamlet on the coast adjoining Ryde,
and Nettlestone, a small village about half a mile
north-west from St. Helens Church. The parish
was extended in 1899 to include part of Brading,
and in 1894 the part of the parish in the borough
of Ryde was transferred to Ryde. (fn. 8)
There is a suspension pier 1,050 ft. long, erected
in 1880, at Seaview, where steamers from Portsmouth call. The principal residences in the parish
are Appley Towers (Capt. G. W. Hutt), The Priory
(H. Grose-Smith), Sea Grove (W. A. Glynn),
St. Clare (A. Vernon Harcourt), Woodlands Vale
(Lieutenant-General Lord Calthorpe) and Fairy
Hill. (fn. 9)
The Green, St. Helens
In 1905 a community of Benedictine nuns,
originally seated at Northwood House, bought the
Isle of Wight College property and established a
convent there under the title of St. Cecilia's Abbey.
MANORS
The site of the PRIORY OF ST.
HELENS remained in the possession
of Eton College (fn. 10) until it was sold in
1799 to Sir Nash Grose. The site had been
previously leased to him and he had purchased some
adjoining land from the Oglander family and others,
thus forming a considerable estate. This descended
in 1814 to his son Edward, who fell at the battle of
Quatre Bras, leaving his sister as his heir. On her
death in 1832 without issue it passed to her cousin
Edward Grose-Smith, whose son Henley Grose-Smith
inherited the property and still holds it.
Whether the priory buildings were on Mr. Grose-Smith's property, or whether they existed adjacent
to the church, is a moot question which cannot be
satisfactorily answered without an examination of the
ground lying round the ruined church tower. It
seems unlikely they would have been erected so near
the shore as the site of the old church and in so
exposed a position, and there are certainly portions
of an older building incorporated in the present
Priory House, though these apparently are no earlier
than the 16th or 17th century.
EDINGTON
EDINGTON (Edyneton, xiii cent.), which was
held of the honour of Carisbrooke, belonged in 1263
to William de Edington, (fn. 11) who had been succeeded
before the end of the 13th century by Robert Morin. (fn. 12)
It apparently included the site of the priory. (fn. 13)
Robert Morin died seised of land at 'Hydithetone,'
by which Edington is perhaps meant, in 1305, and
was succeeded by a son William. (fn. 14) In 1346 Edington was held by John Morin. (fn. 15) Hugh de Godshill,
the owner of the estate in the 15th century, (fn. 16) was
succeeded by Henry de Godshill, who held in
common with William Howles in 1480. (fn. 17) William
Howles survived Henry de Godshill, and conveyed
his interest in the manor to Giles Hollys or Howles,
who was in possession in 1560. The manor then
seems to have remained in the Howles family until
the death of William, nephew of Giles; when Henry
Howles entered into possession and seems to have
conveyed the manor to Edward Richards of Yaverland, who reconveyed a moiety to him, and so the
manor was held between them (fn. 18) and sold in 1583
to Sir William Oglander. (fn. 19) It has remained with
the family ever since, (fn. 20) being now owned by Mr. J. H.
Oglander of Nunwell, who has the Court Rolls from
the time of Edward III to 1620.
NETTLESTONE
NETTLESTONE (Hotelestone, xi cent.; Hutleston, Nutteleston, Notteleston, xiii cent.) was held at
the time of Domesday in two portions under the
king. A third of a hide was held by Alric and his
nephew, who had also held the manor in the time of
the Confessor. Humphrey held a third of a hide
which had belonged before the Conquest to Godesa. (fn. 21)
The estate afterwards passed to the family of Cheyny
(Kaisneto) and in 1200–1 Richard son of Richard
gave up to Richard son of Roger all his right in a
rent of 20s. at Nettlestone in exchange for a quitclaim by the latter to all land at 'Keisnetum' in
Normandy which his uncle Richard de Cheyny had
held. (fn. 22) Forty years later Thomas de Cheyny granted
a rent of 17s. at Nettlestone to Ralph de Mora. (fn. 23)
In 1269–70 an agreement was made between Maud
de Estur and Walter de Lisle, who was probably her
son, by which Maud was to hold for life a messuage
and a carucate of land in Nettlestone and Westbrook
with reversion to Walter, who was to hold the estate
of the heirs of Maud. (fn. 24) Walter was in possession in
1293, when he held an eighth of a fee at Nettlestone
of William de Estur. (fn. 25)
In 1329 Cecily widow of Henry de Carvyle
released to William de Lisle and Isabel his wife all
claim to dower in Nettlestone. (fn. 26) The manor was
apparently still held in two parts at the end of the
13th century, when Walter Nevill and his wife
Muriel held a half fee in Park and 'Rutteleston' of
William Russell of Yaverland. (fn. 27)
The estate held by the Lisles appears to have been
the more important and passed from William de Lisle
to John Lisle of Wootton, who in 1398–9 granted it
as the manor of Nettlestone to Thomas Brading and
Joan his wife for their lives. (fn. 28) In 1431 Henry Lisle
of Southampton held half a knight's fee in Park and
Nettlestone. (fn. 29) By the middle of the 16th century
the manor had passed like Kimpton in Andover
Hundred (q.v.) to Sir Edward Rogers of Cannington,
co. Somerset, (fn. 30) whose grandson Edward Rogers sold
it in 1592 to William Oglander of East Nunwell. (fn. 31)
John Oglander his son and successor conveyed the
manor of Nettlestone in 1609–10 to his brother
George, (fn. 32) whose daughter Charity carried it to the
Holgate family by marriage. In the 18th century
a moiety of the manor was left by will to Rev. Henry
Oglander, who was dealing with it in 1787 (fn. 33) and
died in 1814, having devised it to his sister Susannah
the wife of John Glynn for life, with remainder to her
second son, the Rev. Anthony W. Glynn. (fn. 34) Mr.
William Anthony Glynn, who succeeded his father in
1819, (fn. 35) barred the entail on his moiety (fn. 36) and devised
it to the present owner, his son John Henry, who
assumed the name Oglander by royal licence in
1895. (fn. 37) Copies of Court Rolls of Nettlestone and
Park from the time of Edward VI are in the possession of Mr. John H. Oglander of Nunwell.
PRESTON
PRESTON (Prestetone, xi cent.; Prosteton, xiii
cent.; Prestyngton, xiv cent.) was held before the
Conquest by Tovi and had an 'aula' at the time of
Domesday, when it was held by William son of Stur. (fn. 38)
The estate does not seem to have belonged to
William's descendants, for it was subsequently held
of the manor of East Standen, (fn. 39) being held at the
end of the 13th century of Thomas de Evercy by
Roger Vavasour for the service of a quarter of a
knight's fee. (fn. 40) Roger was succeeded in his tenancy
by John, who in his turn was succeeded by Thomas,
the holder in 1346. (fn. 41) It is evident the manor was
divided early in the 14th century, as by then Thomas
Ivel and others were holding half a knight's fee in
Preston and Nunwell of Ralph Gorges. (fn. 42) This estate
had passed by 1346 to Robert Ivel and his
coparceners. (fn. 43) By the 15th century both tenures
had been split up, that of the Jewels or Ivels among
John Bailey, Theobald Gorges, Alice Olyves and
others, (fn. 44) while the quarter fee originally held by
Roger Vavasour, and afterwards known as PRESTON
VAVASOUR, was divided between John Mowne,
Stephen Smith and Thomas Middlemarch. (fn. 45)
In 1396–7 Joan Boorden, sister and heir of
Richard Turberville and daughter of John Turberville, dealt with lands in Preston, (fn. 46) evidently Preston
Vavasour, which is afterwards alternatively called
Troublefield. In 1529 Richard Perman of Cosham,
Hants, and his wife Juliana, daughter and co-heiress
of John Stephens, sold 'a tenement called Preston in
St. Helens' to Sir James Worsley, kt. (fn. 47) Two years
later Oliver Leder and Frances his wife, who held it
in right of Frances, sold 'the manor of Preston and
Vavasour alias Trovylfeldys' to the same purchaser. (fn. 48)
In 1580 John Worsley died seised of the manor of
'Troublefield,' (fn. 49) leaving a son Thomas, who held it
at his death in 1604. (fn. 50) In 1543 Sir Thomas
Trenchard was in possession of a manor called Preston
Vavasour, which he then granted to his son Richard, (fn. 51)
who was holding in 1551. (fn. 52) In 1557 Thomas
Trenchard of Wolveton, Dorset, conveyed to George
Oglander in fee 'all his tenement or mansion at
Preston Vavesor or Preston Trubville.' (fn. 53)
According to Sir John Oglander, however, the
Trenchards, who had bought the manor of the
Turbervilles, sold it to Mr. Baskett. Edward Baskett
died in 1602 seised of a quarter of the manor which
had been settled on him by his father John on his
marriage in 1593 with Jane Meux. He left a son
Thomas, then eight years of age. (fn. 54)
According to Sir John Oglander, Baskett sold
the manor to Thomas Oglander, whose daughter and
heir married a Fitchett and succeeded her father
in 1642. (fn. 55) In 1603 an Alice Elcock died, leaving
two daughters, Mary and Bridget, the latter of
whom, who married Richard Deacon, had as her
share 'the capital messuage or tenement called
Preston Vavisor.' In 1771 George Lord Mount
Edgcumbe held the farms of 'Troublefield' (fn. 56) (64
acres) and Old House (53 acres), the former of which
had belonged in 1755 to George Ross of Conduit
Street in right of his wife Elizabeth. This apparently
confusing descent is the outcome of the 15th-century
division of the two parts of the original holding,
which eventually came in name, if not in substance,
to the Oglander family, and is still owned by Mr.
J. H. Oglander, who has the Court Rolls in his
possession.
Old House now belongs to Captain G. W. Hutt
and Troublefield Farm to Mrs. Carr Tate.
APPLEY
APPLEY, originally a farm of some 200 acres at
the north-east extremity of the parish, bordering the
sea, probably represents the land in Appley which,
with Westbrook and Westhey, was granted in 1272
by Ralph de Colevile to Walter son of Maud de Estur. (fn. 57)
It was owned in the latter half of the 18th century
by Dr. Roberts, who built a house where the present
Benedictine nunnery stands, and left his property
to the Hutt family, who sold it about 1830 to
Mr. George Young. In the 'sixties Appley was
bought back by Rt. Hon. Sir William Hutt, and is
now owned by Capt. G. W. Hutt.
PUCKPOOL
PUCKPOOL (Cokepole, xiii, xiv, xv cent.) was
held at the end of the 13th century of William de
Aumarle by John de Cokepole. (fn. 58) In 1431 John Waite
(or Way) of Ryde was seised of a tenth of a fee in
Puckpool, (fn. 59) and in 1480 William Howles died seised
of 'certain lands called Cockpole' (fn. 60) held of the Crown.
The modern residence was built in the first half of
the 19th century nearly on the site of the old farmhouse. The holding comprised the properties of
St. Clare and Woodlands Vale. There is a battery
at Puckpool in connexion with the Spithead defence.
WESTBROOK
WESTBROOK appears by name in the 13th
century, and was held at the time of the Testa de
Nevill by the lord of Whitefield under Maud de Estur
of Gatcombe, and was granted to the latter by
Walter de Lisle in 1270. (fn. 61) Two years later
Ralph de Colevile granted to Walter a messuage
and land in Westbrook, Appley and Westhay. (fn. 62)
In 1293 Hugh Thomas held an eighth of a fee
at Westbrook of William de Estur. (fn. 63) It probably
came later to the Howles family, as it was sold in
1583 by Henry Howles to Sir William Oglander,
and early in the 19th century Sir William Oglander (fn. 64)
sold it off to various owners, retaining some of the
land, which he added to his Park farm.
CHURCH
The original church of ST. HELENS
was in a bad state as far back as
the 16th century, according to the
presentment of George Oglander, the centoner of
St. Helens. (fn. 65) By the 18th century it had become
so ruinous that a new church was built in 1717 (fn. 66)
about a mile inland, and the old church allowed to
go to ruin, the tower, a 13th-century structure, only
being left standing. The tower about the same time
was supported by brickwork and formed into a seamark. (fn. 67)
In 1831 the church was rebuilt, and in 1862 a
new chancel was erected. The present church is a
stone structure with brick dressings, and consists of
an aisleless nave, with transepts, a chancel, and west
tower with one bell. There is a mural tablet to
Sir Nash Grose, who died in 1814, and his son
Edward.
There is one bell inscribed W.BIH.T.R.W 0191. (fn. 68)
The plate consists of chalice, paten and flagon, all
inscribed 'The gift of Jonathan Winchester (fn. 69) to
St. Helens in the Isle of Wight.'
The registers up to 1812 are contained in three
volumes and begin in 1653.
The church of ST. PETER at Seaview was built in
1859 as a chapel of ease, and has a nave of four bays,
north aisle, and south porch. The ecclesiastical
parish was formed in 1907, (fn. 70) and the living is now a
vicarage in the gift of Mr. W.A. Glynn of Seagrove.
ADVOWSON
The advowson followed the history
of the priory, (fn. 71) and came in the reign
of Henry VI into the hands of Eton
College, who still hold it.
The denominational places of worship are:
Wesleyan and Free Wesleyan chapels at Seaview;
United Methodist at St. Helens; and Congregational
at Elmfield.
There are schools at St. Helens (National and
Council), Seaview (Council), Oakfield St. John's
(National), and Nettlestone (Council).
CHARITIES
This parish was in possession of
1 a. 2 r. adjoining the churchyard,
known as Bell Croft, which was let
at £4 a year, carried to the churchwardens' account.
In 1617 Richard Gard by his will (among other
charitable gifts) devised two annual sums of 10s. each
for the poor, one of which only is now paid out of
an estate at Westbrook.
Lady Katherine Julia Vernon Harcourt by her
will, proved at London in January 1878, left £100
for the National schools. The legacy was invested
in £102 0s. 9d. consols with the official trustees,
who also hold a further sum of £255 2s. consols in
trust for the same schools, arising from a legacy under
the will of Colonel Francis Vernon Harcourt, who
died in 1880. The annual dividends, amounting
together to £8 18s. 4d., are duly applied. (fn. 72)
The same testator bequeathed £200 for the poor,
which was invested in £204 1s. 7d. consols, producing
£5 2s. a year.
In 1908 Miss Mary Conder by her will, proved
at London 9 April, left £500, the interest to be
applied in the distribution of bread, coals, flannel,
blankets, or clothing during the winter months. The
legacy was invested in £499 6s. 6d. India 3½ per
cent. stock, producing £17 9s. 8d.
The two sums of stock last mentioned are also
held by the official trustees.
St. John's, Oakfield.
Lady Katherine Julia Vernon
Harcourt by her will 1878 left £100 for the National
schools and £100 for the infants' school. The legacies
were invested in two sums of £102 0s. 9d. consols,
producing £2 11s. for each object.
Colonel Francis Vernon Harcourt, who died in
1880, likewise bequeathed £500 for the National
schools, £200 for the infants' schools at Oakland, and
£200 for the poor.
The several legacies were invested in £510 4s. 1d.
consols, £204 1s. 7d. consols, and £204 1s. 7d.
consols, producing £12 15s., £5 2s. and £5 2s. for
the respective objects. (fn. 73)
In 1897 James Tyrell Carter Ross by his will,
proved at London, left £50 towards the general
church expenses of St. John's (such as lighting,
warming, and cleaning). The legacy, less duty, was
invested in £39 16s. consols, producing 19s. 8d. a
year.
In 1904 Mrs. Grace Catherine Pakenham Mahon
by deed gave a sum of £300, two-thirds of the annual
income to be applied for the benefit of the poor of
the congregation of St. John's and one-third in the
maintenance of the windows, &c., in the church.
The gift was invested in £339 18s. 1d. consols, the
annual dividends of which, amounting to £8 10s.,
are duly applied.
The several sums of stock are held by the official
trustees.