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
Drill Hall Road Army Reserve Centre, Newport, Isle of Wight Drill Hall Road Army Reserve Centre, Newport, Isle of Wight The Drill Hall Road Army Reserve Centre is a military installation in Newport, Isle of Wight. The building was designed as the headquarters of the Isle of Wight Rifle Volunteers in 1860. This unit evolved to become the 5th (Isle of Wight, Princess Beatrice's) Volunteer Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment in 1885 and the 8th Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment in 1908. The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to India. The regiment converted to the Princess Beatrice's (Isle of Wight Rifles) Heavy Regiment, Royal