Northwood, Hampshire

Description
Northwood, a hamlet and a parish in the Isle of Wight. The hamlet lies half a mile W of the Medina river, 1 NE of Parkhurst Forest, and 2 1/2 miles S of West Cowes station on the Isle of Wight Central railway. The parish contains also the town of West Cowes, contains likewise the hamlet of Gurnard, and part of Parkhurst Prison. It has a post and money order office under West Cowes; telegraph office, W 1/2est Cowes. Acreage, 4865; population of the civil parish, 9468; of the ecclesiastical, 6900. Many handsome residences are-near the shore, between West Cowes and Gurnard Bay. Vantage grounds, a little inland, command charming views. Gurnard Bay, 1 1/2 mile W of West Cowes, was the place where Charles II. landed in 1671, on occasion of his visit to Sir Robert Holmes at Yarmouth. A seaport is said by tradition, to have been anciently at Gurnard Bay, and to have been destroyed by the inroads of the sea. A monastic house was founded at Northwood in 1512, but had a brief existence,. and has left no remains. The living is a perpetual curacy, annexed to the vicarage of Carisbrooke, in the diocese of Winchester. The church is in the Transition Norman style-of architecture, of plain appearance; consists of nave, aisles,. and chancel, with small wooden belfry; and prior to 1545 was a chapel of ease to Carisbrooke. There is a small Wesleyan chapel.