Culture of the Isle of Wight Isle of Wight has an active branch of the Pagan Federation (many of whom style themselves as "Druids" and of inmates in Parkhurst Prison, paganism makes up the third most popular religion (according to the Isle of Wight County Press. The Isle of Wight was the last area of English paganism until 686CE when, according to Bede, Cædwalla of Wessex conquered the island, killing its inhabitants and installing Christians in their place. A "sheela-na-gig" is preserved in the gateway to Holy Cross Church in Binstead. Historically several women were alleged to be witches (such as the nineteenth-century Bembridge woman Molly
Afton, Isle of Wight Afton, Isle of Wight Afton is a hamlet just outside Freshwater on the west side of the Isle of Wight. It features a local hill known as Afton Down which was the site of the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, one of the largest rock concerts to be held in the UK. Freshwater Bay Golf Course is located on Afton Down. Afton lends its name to a number of local properties, including Afton Lodge, Afton Manor and Afton Thatch, the latter two dating from the 17th Century. A barrow located on Afton Down has been the subject of archaeological