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Downend
Downend maps
Historic maps of Downend and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Downend maps
Downend photos
We have no photos of Downend, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Arreton| Newchurch| Wootton Bridge| Whippingham| Fishbourne| Quarr Abbey| Binstead| Newport| Ryde| Brading| Sandown| Carisbrooke| Lake| Godshill| Yaverland| Shanklin| Osborne House| East Cowes| St Helens| Wroxall| Seaview| Luccombe| Whitecliff Bay| Cowes| Kingston| Bembridge| Gurnard| Whitwell| Shorwell| Stokes Bay
Downend area books
Displaying 1 of 4 books about Downend and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Downend
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Isle of Wight memories
An Arreton Childhood
I lived in Arreton from birth until my marriage. My family consisted of Dad and Mum, my sister Gill, my paternal grandparents and a retired infant teacher Miss Muskett. She taught me at home before I began school at the village CE school where I remained from 1936-1942. Headmaster was Mr White known to us all as Skipper White. At school in wartime meant carrying our gas masks everywhere, getting to the air raid shelter if a raid occurred while we were at school. During the Battle of Britain we had no time to get to the shelter and had to get under our desks for cover as the planes fought in the sky above us. Sometimes we were machine-gunned as we were out in the fields and had to dive for a ditch or hedge.
Living in the village meant joining in the various organisations. I was a member of the Methodist Church, a Brownie in the village Brownie Pack and later a Guide. We entered in the annual... Read more
Grandad's War Days And Our Family Hols
My grandfather was stationed on the island "During the War"and was very friendly with a family from Arreton called Hendy. The mother's name was Lil and the father was affectionally called"Tit" (because he was quite small). After the war, my gramps and all the family visited Aunt Lil and Uncle Tit quite frequently. Tit grew his own veg in a back garden, I remember picking pea swads for him when I visited. They had a daughter called Ena (can't remember her husband's name) and a grandson called Ralph. Ralph, my mum said, worked for a garage somewhere in Sandown when he got older. The last address I have for Ena is at Arreton, near Newport, I.O.W. They were always very friendly and welcoming and were more like family than friends. Ena wrote to my gran in 1983 to say her father had passed away on March 8th, he was 91.
I am thinking of revisiting the Island sometime this year (2008) and would like to contact anyone who can remember... Read more
Husband
My ex husband lives in Fort Mews, Sandown, Thomas Aexander Burgoyne. I have 2 children with him and went to visit 4 times, it is a lovely place, does anyone know him?
Sandown, Isle of Wight
Not Arreton, Sandown, my ex husband who lives there I visited 4 times, lovely place. Does anyone know of him - Tommy Burgoyne?
The Londoner Rickt@pdq.net
I wonder if any one remembers the cockney kid Fred, who moved into "The Elms" back in 55 at the wonderful age of 15, went to school in Sandown for almost a year until graduation, ended up with the Royal Mail until I eventually returned to London went on to Manchester and then the rest of the world in the oil business.
Had lots of fun back then with the skiffle group at the teenagers hangout, I forget the night but remember the fun times. Always wondered what happened to Ruth Groves, she left for London before me and I lost contact. Anyway, it was also facinating to a city kid to grow thing like toms, cukes, peas, etc. etc. I enjoyed it so much that to this day I have a veg. garden. Oh by the way, I live in Texas now and enjoy all year growing weather with maybe three or four light frosts a year. Contact me for a chat if you remember me.
Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland 1st Annual Camp in England
As a 12 year old boy scout from Dublin, Ireland I remember that our troop (the 26th St. Columba's) was the first from Ireland to hold our annual camp outside of Ireland. I remember camping at Quarr Abbey near the Solent. We swam in the Solent and I can remember one day swimming when one of the big liners passed by and we felt the swell from the ship. I remember the monks, who didn't speak to us and I thought that they were Cistercians. They worked in the garden and farm. Our scout master was a Mr. Hughes who had a connection with someone from the Abbey. If anyone has any memories of this time I would be delighted to hear. I am now 85 years old and recently visited Quarr but Fr. Luke was ill at the time and therefore I could not talk to anyone who could help me.
The Cavaille-Coll Organ
I remember well giving a Recital in the Abbey and playing for the Sunday Mass on this lovely French style instrument. I am informed thar the Organ is now unplayable and will cost many thousands to restore to its original glory. I am looking forward to meeting with the new Prior to see if a way forward can be found to restore this national heritage.
Robert Munns (International Concert Organist)
