Godshill with its thatched cottages and tea shops is one of the tourist honey pots on the Isle of Wight. The model village is the main attraction.
This was an agricultural area of smallholdings with cattle but few sheep. Many families kept a pig which was slaughtered in the autumn. Electricity didn’t arrive until 1956.
The centre of the village is compact with the best of the thatched buildings along High Street. Don’t miss the family of thatched ducks on top of the roof...
The village centre is now surrounded by 1960s housing.
This church stands on high ground and there has been a church here since 1050. The present building dates from the C15th and is the fourth church to be built on this site. The cluster of thatched cottages around the church date from the same time and may have been for the masons building the church.
A Methodist chapel was built in the village in 1790 and is the oldest Wesleyan Chapel on the island. It was rebuilt in 1838.
The railway arrived and the station opened 1897 with single platform and small goods siding. However, it was never a success and had few passengers. By 1927, it was an unmaned halt and was closed in 1952.
At the start of the C20th Godshill was a thriving village with inns, Blacksmith, Carpenter/undertaker, stonemason, bakehouse, grocers and clothing store. The Griffin Inn is early C19th and was built by the Earl of Yarborough as a coaching inn to change horses on his journey across the Island. It still has a reputation for serving good food.
The other establishments have all closed, although the Old Smithy survives as an upmarket gift and fashion shop.
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This was an agricultural area of smallholdings with cattle but few sheep. Many families kept a pig which was slaughtered in the autumn. Electricity didn’t arrive until 1956.
The centre of the village is compact with the best of the thatched buildings along High Street. Don’t miss the family of thatched ducks on top of the roof...
The village centre is now surrounded by 1960s housing.
This church stands on high ground and there has been a church here since 1050. The present building dates from the C15th and is the fourth church to be built on this site. The cluster of thatched cottages around the church date from the same time and may have been for the masons building the church.
A Methodist chapel was built in the village in 1790 and is the oldest Wesleyan Chapel on the island. It was rebuilt in 1838.
The railway arrived and the station opened 1897 with single platform and small goods siding. However, it was never a success and had few passengers. By 1927, it was an unmaned halt and was closed in 1952.
At the start of the C20th Godshill was a thriving village with inns, Blacksmith, Carpenter/undertaker, stonemason, bakehouse, grocers and clothing store. The Griffin Inn is early C19th and was built by the Earl of Yarborough as a coaching inn to change horses on his journey across the Island. It still has a reputation for serving good food.
The other establishments have all closed, although the Old Smithy survives as an upmarket gift and fashion shop.
website