Ventnor

Ventnor
Ventnor seafront, June 2018
Ventnor Location within the Isle of Wight
Area	0.980 sq mi (2.54 km2)
Population	5,567 (2021 Census)
• Density	5,681/sq mi (2,193/km2)
OS grid reference	SZ562775
Unitary authority	Isle of Wight
Ceremonial county	Isle of Wight
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	VENTNOR
Postcode district	PO38
Dialling code	01983
Police	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Fire	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Ambulance	Isle of Wight
UK Parliament	Isle of Wight
List of places UK England Isle of Wight 50°35′51″N 1°12′30″W / 50.5976°N 1.2084°W / 50.5976; -1.2084

Ventnor (

While Bonchurch and St Lawrence both have churches dating back to the Norman era, the area in-between that became Ventnor was unremarkable until the 19th century. In Anglo-Saxon times it was known as Holeweia, which by the 12th century had become Holeweye, or hollow way^[2] (although possibly the name derived from the Holy Well spring on the downs).^[3] By 1617 its name appears as Ventnor, probably named after the family name le Vyntener.^[4]

There are indications of

A 1992 archaeological survey found evidence of a medieval settlement at Flowers Brook, which was referred to in a 1327 subsidy roll as Villata de steple. This area was subsequently incorporated into two farms, with some cottages on the site demolished in 1834.[9] Ventnor watermill, on a site just north of the current cascade, is first mentioned in 1327, was destroyed by fire in 1848, rebuilt by 1853, and demolished in 1875.^[10]

In the early nineteenth century, in addition to the mill, Ventnor consisted solely of a few fishermen's huts by the cove, a couple of inns, and a farm.^[11] In 1804, it was described by John Britton as a "hamlet...formed by a range of neat cottages chiefly inhabited by fishermen, open to the sea in front, and backed by woods and the high downs".^[2] The area was divided between the parishes of Godshill and Newchurch. In 1820 both of the manors (Holloway was then known as Ventnor Manor) were sold to John Hamborough and other building speculators.^[3] The spur for expansion was the publication in 1830 of the second edition of physician James Clark's book: The influence of climate on disease.^[11] This identified the microclimate of Ventnor and the Undercliff as ideal for people with chest complaints ("nothing along the south coast will bear comparison with it", Clark enthused),^[12] at a time when consumption (now known as TB) was a common cause of death.

Thereafter Ventnor developed very rapidly into a town, with numerous hotels and boarding houses targeting sick visitors, particularly during the winter, and a wider range of shops than would be expected for a town of its size (by 1891 it had four chemists).^[11] In 1844 Parliament passed an Act "for better paving, lighting, cleansing, and otherwise improving part of the parish of Newchurch, called Ventnor, and for establishing a market therein".^[13] However, not everyone was enamoured with the fast-growing town: in 1845, after recounting the positive reviews of others, writer John Gwilliam complained of the "intolerable" summer heat and the chalk dust about the town, concluding that to live there would "be one of the greatest punishments that could be inflicted upon me in the Isle of Wight".^[14]

In 1853 the first newspaper on the island, the Ventnor Mercury, was launched (it continued publication until 1985).

The first pier from 1860 was washed away.^[19] Breakwaters were built in 1863, and by the following year, a steamer service to Littlehampton connected with trains to London.^[11] In 1866 the Isle of Wight Railway reached Ventnor, and in 1870 the iron Royal Victoria Pier was constructed.^[19] Subsequent storm damage delayed the full establishment of steamer services until 1888 when they were carrying 10,000 passengers from Bournemouth, Southsea, Sandown and Shanklin. The railway ran a non-stop train from Ryde to Ventnor, named 'The Invalid Express' for the consumptive patients; one train famously completed the journey in a little over twenty minutes.^[20] Ventnor became known as 'Mayfair by the sea' for the number of wealthy Londoners who were visiting.^[21] In 1887, Bartholomew's Gazetteer described Ventnor as "one of the most popular of English health resorts", with the parish then having a population of 5,739.^[22]

By the early twentieth century, Ventnor was a flourishing resort town, with several newspapers, a scientific institute, an extensive library, assembly room, pavilion, various sporting clubs, several churches, an annual regatta and carnival, and a new municipal park. In 1901 its population exceeded 6,000.^[11]

The physical fabric of the town was not affected by the First World War, although local businesses suffered from the suspension of the summer and winter resort trade, and its war memorial commemorates the local men who died in the fighting.^[23] Ventnor and St Lawrence became receiving centres for wounded soldiers. The summer holiday visitors returned in the 1920s, although the winter health trade never resumed. The town reached its zenith in the 1930s when steam packets operated between Southsea and the town's pier. The Art Deco Winter Gardens opened in 1936/7.^[24] The relatively small sandy beach was ideal for bathing, and Victorian era hotels in the town's suburbs and near the sea, such as the Ventnor Towers Hotel, remained popular with tourists.^[11]

During World War II, the Isle of Wight became a heavily defended restricted area.^[25] The radar station at RAF Ventnor was attacked several times during 1940, and the town itself was also bombed, and again in 1942. By the end of the war 120 buildings in the town had been destroyed and nearly 1,500 damaged, with sixteen fatalities.^[11] The holiday trade disappeared and was slow to return during post-war austerity. Nevertheless, by the early 1950s the number of tourists warranted 46 trains scheduled to run between Ventnor and Ryde every summer Saturday.^[11]

By the 1960s, the British seaside holiday was facing competition from cheap foreign package tours and the rising popularity of motoring.^[11] The railway line to Ventnor West closed in 1952 and to Ventnor station in 1966.^[26] The pier, damaged by fire and the elements, had fallen into disuse and was finally dismantled in the 1990s. By the 1980s, according to author Michael Freeman: "The town entered the twilight era that characterised so many English seaside places...[with] crumbling public facilities, boarded up shops, faded lodging houses and hotels, not to mention unemployment".^[11] During more recent years, there have been some signs of a renaissance, as its strongly Victorian character came back into fashion, with development of the Haven, re-opening of the Winter Gardens, some new shops and restaurants, a lively cultural scene,^[27] and the growth in short break travel.^[28]

Governance

Ventnor is within the

Ventnor has a town council^[32] that manages various local services, including the park, four car parks, public toilets, and allotments. The Council is responsible for local byelaws, and is consulted by the Isle of Wight Council on matters such as planning and transport. The Town Council has eleven councillors covering four wards, with Ventnor West having six of the councillors, plus separate wards for Bonchurch & Ventnor East, Lowtherville, and St Lawrence. Its coat of arms, displayed on welcome signs by roads into the town, shows Hygeia, the ancient Greek goddess of health, adopted in 1890 to reference its importance as a health resort, surrounded by wild roses referencing the garden isle.^[33]

The 'Our Place' project in 2014, led by the Town Council working with residents and local public and private sector providers, identified the priorities for the town as being improved health and wellbeing, a renewed and refreshed economy, and enhanced community capacity.^[34] The Council's Strategy Plan, developed in 2016 against the background of reduced funding from Isle of Wight Council for local services and the transfer of new responsibilities to the Town Council, focuses on the need for community inclusiveness, co-operation, influence and sustainability, in order to build the capacity to respond effectively to economic and social challenges.^[35]

Geography

Ventnor is on the south-east coast of the Isle of Wight, an island in the English Channel about two miles (3.2 km) off the coast of Hampshire, at 50°36′N 1°13′W / 50.600°N 1.217°W / 50.600; -1.217. It is 11 miles (18 km) by road south-south-east of the island's county town Newport, and about 100 miles (160 km) south-west of London. Its coastline is dominated by cliff scenery, with the town rising up the steep south-facing terraces between Ventnor Bay and St Boniface Down, which, at 241 metres (791 ft), is the highest point on the island. The town itself extends from the seashore up to the slopes of the downs, with its commercial centre being 45 metres (148 ft) above sea-level;^[36] the urban area is contiguous with the neighbouring settlements of St Lawrence to the west and Bonchurch to the east.

There are nearby

Ventnor is the seventh largest town on the Isle of Wight, with a population of just under 6,000. The nearest town is Shanklin, nearly four miles to the north-east, and the nearest villages are Whitwell and Wroxall, both less than 3 miles (4.8 km) distant.

Geology

The local geomorphology defines the town. The Isle of Wight has complex geology of folded layers of sedimentary rocks (Greensand, chalk, and Gault clay), with Ventnor itself situated on the Undercliff, which is the largest urban landslide complex in North West Europe.^[44] According to the council's Shoreline Management Plan, the "medium to high sandstone, clay or chalk debris cliffs...are important for their geomorphological, ecological and entomological interest".^[7]

A significant area is built on the Gault clay, known locally as 'blue slipper', which when saturated allows the rocks above to suffer from landslip.^[45] The ground is notoriously unstable, and there are indications that the area is becoming less stable as the support provided by the lower slopes is slowly eroded.^[46][47]

The Shoreline Management Plan aims to protect the shoreline from erosion that would otherwise reactivate relic landslides along the Undercliff. The council believes that cliff protection works at Wheelers and Monks Bays "appear to have significantly reduced the occurrences of landslide re-activations".^[7] Nevertheless, the periodic movement has destroyed buildings over the years, led to cracking of local roads, and disrupted utilities. In 2011 a vent opened at the former bus stop in Ocean View Road.^[48] A nearby Site of Special Scientific Interest is known as the Landslip.^[49] In 2014, after storms and heavy rain, a landslip caused the road between Ventnor and Niton to collapse.^[50]

The local area is an important one for fossils; the Compton Chine to Steephill Cove SSSI is a nationally important site with notable invertebrate assemblages.^[7]

Climate

Ventnor and the Isle of Wight have a

According to the Tourist Board, the Isle of Wight is one of the sunniest places in the UK.[52] Ventnor competes with Eastbourne to be considered the sunniest, both with about 1888 hours of sunshine per year,^[53] and averaging five hours of sun a day, peaking at eight hours during the summer. The town is sheltered from north winds behind St Boniface Down, and consequently has its own microclimate.^[52] This enables the Botanic Garden to grow species that would not survive outside elsewhere in the UK.^[54]

Wildlife

The climate and habitats in Ventnor support species that are rare in the UK, including some that are particularly associated with warmer and more southerly locations and are not established in much of the rest of the country. The town has the largest and oldest British colony of

The Isle of Wight is one of the principal British refuges of the once ubiquitous UK red squirrel population.^[60] They are relatively shy and most likely seen in wooded areas away from the town.^[61]

Ventnor downs support a small herd of

The only significant remaining UK population of Glanville fritillary butterfly, one of Britain's rarest, is found along the southern coast of the Isle of Wight including Ventnor.^[65] According to the National Trust, the "downland above the town is immensely rich and important for butterflies... of top national importance".^[66] The coastal downs west of Ventnor are also one of few locations in the UK where Field Cow-wheat can be found.^[67]

Early gentian can be found on Rew Down, just north-west of the town. It is a rare species in the UK first recorded in 1883 at this site and recognised as internationally important by EU Habitats Directives.^[68] This down is also noted for pyramidal orchids and the once-endangered adonis blue butterfly.^[69]

Ventnor's subtidal reefs provide important habitats for marine species, for some of which the Isle of Wight is the eastern limit of distribution, representing the transition zone between the Gulf Stream from the south-west and cooler North Sea waters.^[41] These include the rare seaweed Gracilaria bursa-pastoris (or shepherd’s purse seaweed).^[43] The local coastline attracts bottlenose dolphin, basking shark and other cetaceans, as well as being an important area for fish species, including rays.^[41]

Ventnor Botanic Garden

The Garden has a

Having passed 6,000 by the turn of the 20th century, Ventnor's population peaked at over 7,300 in the early 1950s.[77] According to UK census data, the population of Ventnor parish was 6,257 in 2001 and 5,976 in 2011, with a 2016 ONS estimate of 5,837,^[78] indicating a trend of declining population of just under 0.5% per year. With an area of 0.980 square miles (2.54 km²), the population density in 2016 was 5,730 inhabitants per square mile (2,211/km²). 51.7% of the population is female, with 16% aged 0–17 years, 53% aged 18–64, and 31% aged 65 or over. Mosaic analysis of the 2011 census classified 27% of Ventnor East and 39% of Ventnor West households as "active elderly people living in pleasant retirement locations", with 46% of East and 20% of West as "residents of small and mid-sized towns with strong local roots".^[79]

Population

In March 2011, Ventnor parish had 2,846 occupied households, each containing an average of 2.1 people, 66% being houses (detached 29%, semi-detached 22%, terraced 15%) and 34% flats (18% purpose built, 14% conversions, 2% in commercial buildings).^[85] However, there were a further 733 household spaces (about 20% of the total) with no residents on the 2011 census day. Of the households, 43% owned their home outright, 23% owned with a mortgage or loan, 20% were private rented, and 12% social rented. 26% had no car in the household.^[86]

Of residents aged at least 16 in 2011, 47% were married, 27.5% single and never married, 13.1% divorced, 9.7% widowed, 2.5% separated, and 0.2% in a same-sex civil partnerships. 57.7% were living as a couple, and 42.3% were not. 94.3% had been born in the UK (91.5% in England, 1.4% in Scotland, 1.2% in Wales and 0.2% in Northern Ireland), with 0.6% born in Ireland, 2.1% in the rest of the EU, and 3.0% elsewhere. 24.3% had no passport.^[86]

Age

In 2011 the average age of Ventnor residents was 47.3 years,^[86] compared with averages of 44 years for the island and 39 for England.^[87] The age distribution was as follows:

Ethnicity

Economy

The English Indices of Deprivation 2010 identified the central area of Ventnor as being one of the 20% most deprived areas,^[34] with the economy dependent on low paid seasonal work from tourism, and challenges from child poverty, inadequate housing, and relatively high levels of disability and ill health. The 2015 Indices suggest that this relative position has worsened, with Lowtherville closer to falling into the 20%. In the sub-domains, central Ventnor scored particularly badly for employment, and Lowtherville for children in poverty.^[88] 9% of households in Ventnor East are without central heating, compared to an English average of 2.7%.^[87] An analysis published in 2014 suggests that the average annual income in Ventnor, at £27,978, is the lowest of any sub-area on the island.^[89]

Of the population aged 16–74, on census day 2011 24% were working full-time, 14% part-time, 16% self-employed, 5% unemployed, 5% studying, 4% looking after home or family, 6% long-term sick or disabled, and 24% retired. The most common occupational categories were health and social (15%), wholesale and retail (14%), accommodation and food servicing (14%), and education (11%).^[85] However, of those in employment, 64% worked full-time and 36% part-time.^[86]

The town has many hotels and cafés, open seasonally to support the tourist trade. The main retail centres are the town centre (principally the High Street and Pier Street) and the Esplanade. There is an industrial estate on the site of the former station in Upper Ventnor, and a local shellfish industry near the Haven.^[7] Ventnor also has a small shipbuilding company.^[90]

Regarding its retail sector, an IOW Council Retail Assessment (based on a 2009 health check) concluded: "Although the town has a good mix of local and tourist focussed retail and leisure provision, the high level of vacant units and charity shops gives the impression of a poor quality of retail provision. It suffers from a relative lack of public transport accessibility." It recommended that "planning policies focus on protecting...local convenience and specialist comparison goods, such as antiques and vintage items".^[91]

Arts and culture

Ventnor is recognised as having a lively arts scene for a town of its size,^[27] with several annual arts events, venues for theatre and independent film, and active arts clubs.

Ventnor Fringe Festival has been held annually since 2010. This is an open arts festival taking place in venues across the town, similar to the

Ventnor Carnival is a traditional town carnival, held in the middle of August, with carnival floats, marching bands and drinking. The carnival started in 1889 and claims to be the second oldest carnival in the UK.^[94] From 2016 there has been an annual Ventnor Day to celebrate the town, since 2017 organised on the same day as the Round the Island Race, with music, entertainment and stalls promoting local community groups.^[95]

Between 2005 and 2008, Ventnor hosted the Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival, with headline acts including Maceo Parker, Humphrey Lyttelton and Cleo Laine. Between 2011 and 2016, Isle of Arts was an annual festival held in the town,^[96] with acts including Rich Hall, Sandi Toksvig, Alan Davies and Phill Jupitus. Isle of Arts ended after 2016, because of the costs of the event.^[97] However the range of the Ventnor Fringe has since been expanded, and now runs concurrently with the Ventnor International Festival, with acts visiting from around the world.^[98]

Ventnor does not have a mainstream cinema, but there is a local film club that arranges showings of international films.^[99] There have also been outdoor film screenings during the summer Fringe.^[98] Ventnor Arts Club occupies a former bank in the town centre, and arranges live broadcasts of opera, ballet and theatre performances as well as music events.^[100]

Each July, Isle of Wight Arts holds a free open studios event across the island, with a wide range of local artists and craftspeople opening their homes and studios to the public.^[101]

Landmarks

Ventnor's landmarks arise from its natural environment, its Victorian heritage, and its tourist appeal past and present. Although modest in altitude at 241 metres (791 ft), the chalk St Boniface Down is 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) north of the town. The downs have a thick layer of acid flint gravels, with dry heathland vegetation.^[39] The town's small beach of reddish chert sand and pebbles of flint and chert,^[42] with Ventnor Haven to the east and the prominent Spyglass Inn at its western end,^[102] will be familiar to many visitors. It is backed by an esplanade, which was created in 1848,^[11] now fronted by pubs, cafes, shops and restaurants. The gnomon on the esplanade was presented to the town by Sir Thomas Brisbane in 1851.^[103] At its eastern end is Ventnor's pumping station, a £14 million project completed in 2002 as part of 'Shifting Sands', a joint initiative between English Heritage and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment. It is disguised as a bandstand and viewing platform.^[104]

Just west of the beach is the Ventnor sign on the cliffs at La Falaise, with the town's name in 13-foot-tall (4.0 m) white concrete blocks. It was erected between the wars and intended to provide a landmark visible from the sea,^[105] replacing the chalk letters that were damaged in 1992.^[106] Just along the coastal path is Flowers Brook, a stream flowing through a small coastal meadow and recreation ground. In 2015 the meadow was earmarked for the coastal substation of a tidal energy generation scheme,^[107] but the scheme was suspended in 2017.^[108] A short distance further west is Steephill Cove, a hamlet and small beach that is inaccessible to motor vehicles, which has cafes and self-catering cottages.^[109]

Ventnor Park, on the western side of town, was awarded 'Park of the Year' at the 2016 South and South East England in Bloom Awards.

RAF Ventnor is a former radar monitoring station atop St Boniface Down,[113] and is now used for civilian and air traffic communications antennae. It also contains bunkers that were part of an early warning network, later converted into nuclear shelters during the Cold War as part of the ROTOR programme, now sealed and inaccessible.^[114] There is a memorial plaque nearby at the site of the 1962 Channel Airways Dakota accident, after which new regulations were introduced to improve air passenger safety.^[115]

Ventnor Exchange is an arts centre that opened in 2014 in the old Post Office building on Church Street.^[116] It organises the annual Ventnor Fringe Festival, supports emerging artists, and runs creative workshops for young actors, artists and writers.^[117] The winter gardens is an Art Deco building, dating from 1936, which was designed as a result of a competition in 1935 and built on the site of the vicarage.^[24] It was closed in 2011, then refurbished and re-opened as a cafe/restaurant and entertainment venue in 2014.^[118]

Along the coast, other notable landmarks include

Transport

Surrounded by hills, with no railway connection, no roads within the County's Strategic Road Network,^[120] and only two year-round bus routes connecting to other towns,^[121] Ventnor is relatively isolated from the rest of the island.^[122]

Access by road

Historically Ventnor was difficult to reach by road, along narrow and steep tracks. In the mid-nineteenth century the three routes were, from the east, through Bonchurch via the steep White (now Bonchurch) Shute, from the north, via Old Shute described by Michael Freeman as "a precipitous descent", and from the west by a steep shute connecting Whitwell with St Lawrence. The modern routes respectively via the Leeson Road, Ocean View Road, and Whitwell Road, as well as the route to Niton along the Undercliff (closed to vehicles since 2014 following a landslip) were all created in the later nineteenth century.^[11]

History of the railway

Railways reached the town in 1866 from Shanklin and Wroxall, and in 1900 from Merstone and Godshill.^[11] Ventnor railway station was the terminus of the Isle of Wight Railway (later the Island Line), and it brought many visitors to the town. Ventnor West railway station was the terminus of the Isle of Wight Central Railway from Cowes through Newport. Both stations suffered from being away from the town centre, requiring an onward road journey for travellers.

Ventnor West station was closed in 1952, before the closures ordered by

Between 2004 and 2010 a 'rail link' bus by Wightbus ran from St Lawrence and Ventnor to Shanklin, facilitating the journey to and from Ventnor.^[124]

Bus services

Southern Vectis run buses on route 3 and 6 from Ventnor to destinations including Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin and Niton.^[125] Additionally Island Minibus service run the local number 31 route which connects Ventnor to Bonchurch Village, the Botanic Garden and esplanade. Previously operated by Wightbus, the link to the esplanade was restored in 2011 after many years, despite suggestions that this would be impractical.^[126]

Pedestrianisation

As of 2018, the Town Council is consulting about the possibility of pedestrianising part of the High Street and/or the Esplanade.^[127]

Education

• The Island Free School (secondary);
• St Francis Catholic and CofE Primary School Academy;
• St Catherine's School, a special
  school for pupils with speech and language difficulties.

Of the adult population in 2011, 25% had no qualifications,[85] slightly higher than the English average of 22%.^[129] 24% had degree-level qualifications, compared to 27% in England.

Ventnor's library was founded as the Ventnor and Bonchurch Literary and Scientific Institution in 1848, moving into its current building in the High Street two years later. It has been part of the county library service since 1940. Nearly a third of residents are active members of the library, which also offers a music collection and open access computers, and a venue for both educational and cultural events.^[130]

The town has a small heritage centre and museum, in a local shop purchased by the Local History Society in 1987. The museum's collection and archive documents Ventnor's growth and popularity during Victorian times.^[131][132]

Religious sites

See also:

Gothic Revival style with a tall spire.^[133] The cost of building Holy Trinity was met by three sisters who disliked the evangelical nature of the original parish church.^[135] There is also a third Church of England place of worship, St Alban's, which is anglo-catholic and was built in 1923.^[136]

Our Lady and St Wilfrid's Catholic Church, dating from 1871, was destroyed by fire in 2003 and rebuilt in 2015.[137] There is also a Baptist Church in the town centre, opened in 1875.^[138] The Methodist community meets in the hall of the Catholics.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2011 census, just under 60% of the population defined themselves as Christian, about 30% as having no religion, with about 9% declining to answer and very few people identifying with other religions.^[79]

Sport and recreation

Ventnor Cricket Club has several active teams, and plays on its ground just east of the Botanic Garden.^[139] Its pitch is unusual in that it is not flat but situated in a bowl, rising toward the boundaries.^[140] This has prevented them in being promoted beyond Division Two in the Southern Premier Cricket League.^[141]

Ventnor Rugby Club runs two men's teams, and plays at its ground west of the town on the Whitwell Road.^[142]

Ventnor Football Club is adjacent to the rugby club, with the grounds housing the Ventnor Men’s & Rew Valley youth teams.^[143]

There is a riding school and equestrian centre north of Ventnor on the road to Godshill.^[144]

Rew Valley Sports Centre, in Upper Ventnor, adjacent to the Free School and St Francis Primary school, is available for the local community to use outside of school hours.^[145]

Ventnor has a bowling club, with a ground just north of the town centre.^[146] Ventnor Golf Club has the oldest course on the island, founded in 1892. The course on the high downs north-west of the town centre has views over the English Channel.^[147] The putting green in Ventnor Park is open during the summer.

Ventnor Tennis Club has four hard courts just north of the town centre.^[148] The town also has an angling club with a clubhouse at Wheeler's Bay.^[149]

Ventnor skatepark, at the eastern end of the esplanade, is currently closed following vandalism to the ramps. It is seeking funding to get the ramps repaired and re-opened.^[150]

Ventnor beach, with its mix of sand and shingle, is popular with both locals and visitors. Adjacent is Ventnor Haven with a fresh fish shop and a fish and chips outlet. The Isle of Wight Coastal Path runs along the esplanade, and the beach is dog-friendly from October through April.^[151] Recreational diving is popular offshore, owing to the number of shipwrecks.^[41]

The Isle of Wight has been named as the best place in the world for cycling by Lonely Planet,^[152] and Ventnor is on the route of the annual randonnée.^[153]

Notable people

Residents of the town are known as Ventnorians.^[130]

In history

Resident at Osborne House in East Cowes, Queen Victoria visited Ventnor on the recommendation of her physician Sir James Clark. Its Royal Hotel was so named after enjoying her patronage in 1855.^[154]

Ventnor's popularity during the Victorian era attracted many writers.

Pearl Craigie spent many summers there, and leased St Lawrence Lodge.^[156]

The poet and critic Algernon Charles Swinburne spent his childhood in Bonchurch and his family grave is there.^[156] John Sterling purchased Hillside in 1843 and died of TB the following year aged 38.^[156] Canon Edmund Venables lived in Bonchurch between 1853 and 1864; in 1867 he compiled A Guide to the Undercliff.^[156] The Russian writer Ivan Turgenev stayed in Ventnor during 1860 and is reputed to have started Fathers and Sons there.^[156] Karl Marx rented a house at 1 St Boniface Gardens for the winters of 1881-2 and 1882-3, having written to Engels after his first visit that "this island is a little paradise”.^[157] John Leech, caricaturist, lived in Hill Cottage, Bonchurch Shute.^[156]

Other notable 19th-century residents include

Caroline Alice Elgar spent three weeks on honeymoon there in 1889.^[156]

In the 20th century, Alfred Noyes, poet and playwright, lived in Ventnor from 1929 until his death in 1958. The author Henry De Vere Stacpoole lived in Bonchurch from 1930 until his death in 1951. American businessman John Morgan Richards owned Steephill Castle from 1903 until his death in 1918. The actor Sir John Martin-Harvey owned the Cottage in Bonchurch; Lady Harvey established the adjacent home for nurses.^[156]

Contemporary

• The band
  the Bees are from Ventnor. The band Champs are from Niton, just outside of Ventnor.^[158]
• The actor Brian Murphy was born in Ventnor.^[159]

Media and artistic references

• Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, published in 1862, has a chapter set in Ventnor's clifftop cemetery.
• The 1969 film Battle of Britain recreated the 1940 bombing raid on RAF Ventnor, using models of the radio masts.^[160]
• The 1973 film That'll Be the Day, starring David Essex, Rosemary Leach and Ringo Starr, was partly filmed on the island including in Ventnor.
• The 2011 novel The Guitar Man, by Maurice Taylor, is set in Ventnor.
• An independent film Death in Ventnor was made by David George in 2009.^[161]
• A 2016 edition of BBC's Countryfile featured Ventnor downs and the Botanic Garden.^[162]
• Ventnor is the subject of an edition of Mark Steel's in Town broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2018.^[163]
• The music video for the 2018 Alessi's Ark single DLD (Door Light Dream) was filmed on the Undercliff and in Ventnor.^[164]

Other places named after Ventnor

• Phillip Island, off the southern coast of Australia
  .
• Atlantic City
  in the US.
• Ventnor, Eastern Cape is a farmstead in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.^[165]
• Ventnor, Ontario is a hamlet in Ontario, Canada, near Cardinal.
• Ventnor, Queensland is a locality in the North Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia

See also

• List of places on the Isle of Wight
• Coastline of the United Kingdom
• Battle of Bonchurch
• A3055 road

References

1. ^ "Ventnor". City Population. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
2. ^ ^{a b} "Ventnor: Gateway to the Undercliff". www.ventnor-iw.co.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Parishes: Newchurch". www.british-history.ac.uk. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
4. ^ "Key to English Place-Names". University of Nottingham. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
5. ^ "Ventnor Downs: pre-history to Cold War walk". www.nationaltrust.org.uk. National Trust. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
6. ^ Malcolm, Lyne. "Roman Wight" (PDF). www.iwhistory.org.uk. Isle of Wight History Centre. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
7. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Isle of Wight Shoreline Management Plan" (PDF). December 2010. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
8. ^ "Ventnor's St Boniface". www.nationaltrust.org.uk. National Trust. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
9. ^ "Flowers Brook Recreation Ground & Caravan Park: Evaluation Report" (PDF). Oxford Archaeological Unit. 1992. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
10. ^ "Ventnor Mill becomes Alexandra Gardens". www.alexandragardens.co.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
11. ^
    ISBN 978-0-9511820-2-4
    .
12. ^ "Ventnor, Isle Of Wight". www.historicengland.org.uk. Historic England. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
13. ^ "Acts of Parliament relating to the Isle of Wight". National Archives. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
14. ^ Gwilliam, John (1845). Norris Castle; or, recent tramps in the Isle of Wight. Effingham Wilson.
15. ^ "Domesday Reloaded: Ventnor's newspaper". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
16. ^ "I.W Advertiser/Mercury" (PDF). www.iwight.com. Isle of Wight Council. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
17. ^ "Domesday Reloaded: Ventnor and Bonchurch". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
18. ^ "Ventnor Conservation Area Character Statement" (PDF). www.iwight.com. Isle of Wight Council Planning Department. November 2005. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
19. ^ ^{a b} "Domesday Reloaded: Royal Victoria Pier, Ventnor". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
20. ^ Liberty and Locality: Parliament, Permissive Legislation and Ratepayers' Democracies in the Nineteenth Century, John M. Prest, Clarendon Press, 1990
21. ^ "Fletcher Moor and Victorian Ventnor" (PDF). www.iwight.com. Isle of Wight Council. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
22. ^ "Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Ventnor". University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
23. ^ "Memorials & Monuments on the Isle of Wight: Ventnor Borough War Memorial". www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
24. ^ ^{a b} "Domesday Reloaded: Ventnor Winter Gardens". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
25. ISBN 978-0-7864-6434-0
    .
26. ^ ^{a b} Parker, Dave. "Isle of Wight Nostalgia - Ventnor's lost Railways". www.invectis.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
27. ^ ^{a b} Dixon, Rachel (24 February 2015). "Let's go to … Ventnor, Isle of Wight". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
28. ^ "Isle of Wight Tourism Development Plan". Isle of Wight Tourism. June 2001. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
29. ^ "Interactive map shows how 30 Isle of Wight council boundaries will change next May". www.onthewight.co.uk. On the Wight. 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
30. ^ "Local Government Records". Isle of Wight Council Record Office. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
31. ^ "Ventnor Conservation Area" (PDF). www.iwight.com. Isle of Wight Council. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
32. ^ "Ventnor Town Council website". Retrieved 19 March 2018.
33. ^ "Who Is Hygeia? And Why Is She In Ventnor?". www.onthewight.com. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
34. ^ ^{a b} "Our Place Ventnor". www.mycommunity.org.uk. Core Place Management. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
35. ^ "Ventnor Strategy Plan 2015-25: core strategy statements" (PDF). Ventnor Town Council. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
36. ^ "Altitude Ventnor, UK". www.routecalculator.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
37. ISBN 978-1848854857
    .
38. ^ "Isle of Wight Beaches". www.visitisleofwight.co.uk. Isle of Wight Tourist Board. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
39. ^ ^{a b c} "Wildlife of the Isle of Wight" (PDF). www.wildonwight.co.uk. Isle of Wight Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group. July 2000. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
40. ^ "Tides: Ventnor". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
41. ^ ^{a b c d} "Seascape Assessment for the South Marine Plan Areas: MCA6 South Wight" (PDF). Marine Management Organisation. 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
42. ^ ^{a b} West, Ian. "Introduction to Isle of Wight Geology". University of Southampton. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
43. ^ ^{a b} "South Wight Maritime". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
44. ^ "Ventnor Undercliff landslide complex - an overview, Isle of Wight, UK" (PDF). Alpine Center for Natural Hazards and Risks Prevention. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
45. ^ Landslips on The Isle of Wight
46. ^ West & South Isle of Wight Archived 9 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline.
47. ^ Luccombe - Blackgang Isle of Wight (United Kingdom), Robin G. McGiness, Isle of Wight Centre for Coastal Environment
48. ^ "Hole in road is growing say residents". Iwcp.co.uk. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
49. ^ "Bonchurch Landslide" (PDF). www.risknat.org. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
50. ^ "Isle of Wight landslip: Remaining homes evacuated". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
51. UKMO. Archived from the original
    on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
52. ^ ^{a b} "10 reasons to visit this summer". Isle of Wight Tourist Board. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
53. ^ "Sunniest cities for 2018". swapx.co.uk. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
54. ^ "Ventnor's special micro-climate is helping to secure national stocks of a plant belonging to the Pineapple family". Isle of Wight Radio. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
55. ^ "Ventnor Climate". YR.NO. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
56. ^ "St Catherines Pt. Climate". UK Meteorological Office. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
57. ^ Stares, Clare (14 July 2017). "Jewel-bright lizards look at home on one British isle". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
58. ^ "Gift to Nature - Ventnor Lizard Wall". Retrieved 20 February 2018.
59. ^ "New tunnels for Ventnor's colony of wall lizards". Isle of Wight County Press. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
60. ^ "Wight Squirrel Project". www.wightsquirrela.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
61. ^ "Find out why we're nuts about Red Squirrels". Visit Isle of Wight. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
62. ^ "Goats on Ventnor Downs". National Trust. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
63. ^ "Isle of Wight Biodiversity Action Plan" (PDF). www.wildonwight.co.uk. Isle of Wight Biodiversity Partnership. June 2003. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
64. ^ "The holm oaks of Ventnor Downs". National Trust. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
65. ^ "Glanville Fritillary". www.ukbutterflies.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
66. ^ "Nature lovers claim Ventnor as 'Butterfly town'". BBC. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
67. ^ "Melampyrum arvense". www.brc.ac.uk. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
68. ^ "Special Areas of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive (South Wight Maritime)" (PDF). www.jncc.defra.gov.uk. Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
69. ^ "Rew Down LNR". www.gifttonature.org.uk. Island 2000 Trust. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
70. ^ ^{a b} "Ventnor Botanic Garden, Isle of Wight". www.botanic.co.uk. VBG. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
71. ^ "Ventnor Botanic Garden". www.countrysideclassroom.org.uk. Countryside Classroom. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
72. ^ "Mesmerising night skies captured over the Isle of Wight, in pictures". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
73. ^ "Ventnor Botanic Garden". Isle of Wight Tourist Board. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
74. ^ "Ventnor targets 21st century blueprint". www.hortweek.com. Horticulture Week. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
75. ^ "Ventnor Botanic Gardens gains national collection for puya". BBC News. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
76. ^ "Ventnor Botanic Garden". Historic England. 2002. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
77. ^ "Ventnor UD: Total Population". www.visionofbritain.org.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
78. ^ ^{a b} "Ventnor". www.citypopulation.de. October 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
79. ^ ^{a b c d} "IWC ward profile information packs" (PDF). Isle of Wight County Council. 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
80. ^ "Figuresheets' - Population statistics for the Isle of Wight" (PDF). www.iwight.com. Isle of Wight Council. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
81. ^ "Figuresheets' - Population statistics for the Isle of Wight" (PDF). www.iwight.com. Isle of Wight Council. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
82. ^ "Figuresheets' - Population statistics for the Isle of Wight" (PDF). www.iwight.com. Isle of Wight Council. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
83. ^ "Figuresheets' - Population statistics for the Isle of Wight" (PDF). www.iwight.com. Isle of Wight Council. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
84. ^ "Figuresheets' - Population statistics for the Isle of Wight" (PDF). www.iwight.com. Isle of Wight Council. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
85. ^ ^{a b c} "UK Census Data". www.ukcensusdata.com. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
86. ^
    Office for National Statistics
    . Retrieved 27 April 2018.
87. ^ ^{a b} "Key Ward Information: Ventnor East 2017" (PDF). Isle of Wight Council. 2017. p. 1. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
88. ^ "English indices of deprivation 2015" (PDF). Ventnor Town Council. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
89. ^ "Isle of Wight Strategic Housing Market Assessment" (PDF). GL Hearn Ltd. June 2014. p. 97. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
90. ^ "Cheetah gathering pace". www.seawork.com. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
91. ^ "Island Wide Retail Assessment 2014" (PDF). Isle of Wight Council. 2014. p. 33. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
92. ^ "Ventnor Fringe". Retrieved 19 March 2018.
93. ^ Saunders, Louisa (2 August 2016). "Ventnor Fringe 2016". The Independent. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
94. ^ "Ventnor Carnival". Ventnor Carnival Committee. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
95. ^ "All invited to Ventnor Day celebrations". www.onthewight.com. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
96. ^ "Isle of Arts festival". www.onthewight.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
97. ^ Perry, Sally (27 October 2015). "Sad News: Final curtain for annual Isle of Arts Festival". www.onthewight.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
98. ^ ^{a b} "Ventnor Fringe Festival line-up a cut above the rest". www.iwcp.co.uk. Isle of Wight County Press. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
99. ^ Moreno, Jon (26 January 2018). "Foreign movies in Ventnor's spring season". www.iwcp.co.uk. Isle of Wight County Press.
100. ^ "Background". Ventnor Arts Club. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
101. ^ "Open Studios 2018". www.isleofwightarts.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
102. ^ "Spyglass Inm". Ventnor Town Council. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
103. ^ "A piece of life down under". Island Life Magazine. March 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
104. ^ "Shifting Sands: Design and the changing image of English seaside towns" (PDF). English Heritage and CABE. 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 January 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
105. ^ "Information Board about the Ventnor sign". Ventnor Heritage Centre. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
106. ^ "Town Clerk's Report" (PDF). Ventnor Town Council. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
107. ^ "Council approve plans for tidal energy substation at Flowersbrook". www.onthewight.com. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
108. ^ "PTEC tidal energy plans on hold but chairman claims project still has potential". Isle of Wight County Press. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
109. ^ Duncan, Fiona. "Steephill Cove: the Isle of Wight's timeless hideaway". www.telegraph.co.uk. Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
110. ^ Press Office, IW Council (16 September 2016). "Park of the Year Award for historic Ventnor Park". www.onthewight.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
111. ^ "Ventnor Park". www.ventnorpark.co.uk. 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
112. ^ Ventnor Heritage: Places in Ventnor Archived 10 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine
113. ^ Adams, D. "Ventnor Radar". www.ventnorradar.co.uk. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
114. ^ Catford, Nick. "Site Name: RAF Ventnor ('OJC') R1 CEW ROTOR Radar Station". www.subbrit.org.uk. Subterranea Britannica. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
115. ^ "The Dakota crash memorial on Ventnor Downs". National Trust. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
116. ^ "About the Exchange". Ventnor Exchange. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
117. ^ "New Courses at Ventnor Exchange bring contemporary approach to creative learning". www.onthewight.com. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
118. ^ "Council officers say Winter Gardens are 'substantially completed', so owner should keep it". www.onthewight.com. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
119. ^ O'Connor, Joanne (9 April 2018). "Take the kids to … Blackgang Chine, Isle of Wight". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
120. ^ "Island Plan: Isle of Wight Core Strategy" (PDF). Isle of Wight Council. March 2012. p. 80. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
121. ^ "Ventnor bus map" (PDF). Southern Vectis. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
122. ^ "Our youth offer: Briefing Note" (PDF). www.ventnortowncouncil.org.uk. Ventnor Town Council. p. 2. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
123. ^ "Isle of Wight MP appeals for feasibility cash to extend Island Line". www.onthewight.com. OnTheWight. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
124. ^ "New bus link boost for Ventnor". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
125. ^ "Southern Vectis route list". Southern Vectis. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
126. ^ "Isle of Wight County Press - 'Ventnor needs better buses'". www.iwcp.co.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
127. ^ Woolven, James (16 March 2018). "Consulting on traffic-free Ventnor". www.iwcp.co.uk. Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
128. ^ "Plans to close 22 Isle of Wight schools". Isle of Wight County Press. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
129. ^ "UK Census Data". www.ukcensusdata.com. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
130. ^ ^{a b} "History of Ventnor library". Friends of Ventnor Library. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
131. ^ "Ventnor Heritage Museum". www.culture24.org.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
132. ^ "Heritage Museum". Ventnor Town Council. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
133. ^
     ISBN 978-0300096064
     .
134. ^ "Domesday Reloaded: The parish church, Ventnor". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
135. ^ "Domesday Reloaded: Holy Trinity Church, Ventnor". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
136. ^ "Saint Alban the Martyr Church". www.stalbansiw.org.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
137. ^ "Ventnor - Our Lady and St Wilfrid". www.taking-stock.org.uk. Taking Stock. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
138. ^ "Domesday Reloaded: The Baptist Church, Ventnor". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
139. ^ "Isle of Wight Cricket: Ventnor Cricket Club". Isle of Wight Cricket Board. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
140. ^ "Ventnor cricket ground". www.geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
141. ^ "Shutte stars as Ventnor retain title". Southern Daily Echo. 30 August 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
142. ^ "Ventnor Rugby Football Club". Hampshire Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
143. ^ "Ventnor Football Club".
144. ^ "Desert Springs Riding School". www.riding-schools.com. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
145. ^ "Rew Valley Sports Centre - long-term lease plans approved". Isle of Wight Council. 9 July 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
146. ^ "Ventnor Bowling Club". lawnbowls.com. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
147. ^ "Ventnor Golf Club". Ventnor Town Council. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
148. ^ "Ventnor Tennis Club". Retrieved 13 April 2018.
149. ^ "Ventnor Angling & Social Club". Retrieved 13 April 2018.
150. ^ Thompson, Zoe (25 August 2017). "Vandalism closes Ventnor Skatepark ramps: But good news on the horizon". www.onthewight.com. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
151. ^ "Ventnor Beach". www.britishbeaches.uk. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
152. ^ Elton-Walters, Jack (11 February 2016). "Eight reasons why cycling on the Isle of Wight is simply brilliant". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
153. ^ Little, Lori (1 May 2018). "Isle of Wight Randonnee will hit the roads on Sunday". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
154. ^ Lacey-Davidson, Mattie (25 September 2017). "TRAVEL: Follow in Queen Victoria's footsteps on the beautiful Isle of Wight". Newsquest Papers. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
155. ISBN 978-1347989517
     .
156. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} "Famous Residents". Ventnor Town Council. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
157. ^ Alexander, Martha (30 September 2013). "Isle of Wight: A little paradise". Visit Britain. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
158. ^ Saunders, Louisa (2 August 2016). "Ventnor Fringe 2016". The Independent. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
159. ^ Gough, Patrick (11 July 2009). "By George!". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
160. ^ "The Battle of Britain". www.daveswarbirds.com. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
161. ^ "Death in Ventnor: Charity Screening". www.onthewight.com. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
162. ^ "Countryfile: Isle of Wight". BBC. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
163. ^ Perry, Sally (9 January 2018). "Mark Steel's Radio 4 Ventnor show: Preview of tonight's broadcast". www.onthewight.com. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
164. ^ Perry, Sally (22 February 2018). "Latest music video by Alessi's Ark shot on the Undercliff". www.onthewight.com. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
165. ^ "Weather forecast for Ventnor, Eastern Cape". Yr.no. Retrieved 11 April 2018.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ventnor.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ventnor.

• Images of Ventnor at Geograph
• History and demography of Ventnor at VisionOfBritain.org
• IOW Council Ventnor beach information
• Love Ventnor (Ventnor Business Association)
• Old pictures of Ventnor
• The history of Ventnor's Winter Gardens