National Gazetteer (1868) - Shorwell

SHORWELL, a parish in the liberty of West Medina, Isle of Wight, county Hants, 5 miles S.W. of Newport, its post town. The village is chiefly agricultural. An Alpine bridge is constructed over the Newport road. The parish contains the tythings of North and South Shorwell, Atherfield, Gatcombe, and Kingston. The manor belonged to the priory of Carisbrooke, from which it was separated in the reign of Edward III., and made a distinct parish. The land, though partly consisting of downs, is fertile. A spring of pure water rises in the demesne of Northcourt, from which the parish takes its name.

The living is a vicarage annexed to the rectory of Hottistone, in the diocese of Winchester. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is a stone structure, erected in 1526, with a tower and three bells. The interior of the church contains a stone pulpit and some old wall-paintings, also the brass of a priest, date 1518, and monuments of the Leighs of Northcourt. The parochial charities produce about £84 per annum. There is a National school for both sexes. Northcourt House is the principal residence.

ATHERFIELD, a tything in the parish of Shorwell, Isle of Wight, in the county of Southampton, 6 miles to the S. of Newport. Here is a coastguard station.

GATCOMBE, a tything in the parish of Shorwell, liberty of West Medina, Isle of Wight, county Hants, 4 miles from Newport. There are several other small places of this name-one near Totnes, county Devon; another near Berkeley, county Gloucester; and a third near Portsmouth, county Hants.

KINGSTON, a tything in the parish of Shorwell, Isle of Wight, county Hants, 5 miles S.W. of Newport.

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]