Isle of Wight

Often referred to as the ‘Garden Isle’, the Isle of Wight is both a county of, and the largest island in, England.  Located in the English Channel, two to four miles off the south coast of Hampshire, today it is renowned for its history and hedonism, thanks to hosting some of the UK’s biggest music festivals, including the Isle of Wight festival in June and Bestival in September.  Historically speaking, during the English Civil War in the 1600s, King Charles fled to the Isle of Wight, only to be imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle.  Later, it was used as a staging post for British troops during the Seven Years War.  And it was frequently bombed during World Ward II.  Covering 380 square kilometres today, and home to 140,000 people, it’s perhaps best known as a tourist destination.  Attracting over 2.7m visitors each year, people are never disappointed.  As well as receiving more sunshine hours than any other UK resort, it is home to stunning nature and scenery such as the Needles Stacks, and hosts Cowes Week every August - now the biggest international yachting event in the world.

Barchester homes on the Isle of Wight: