Isle of Wight ferry services Isle of Wight ferry services There are currently three different ferry companies that operate vessels carrying passengers and, on certain routes, vehicles across the Solent, the stretch of sea that separates the Isle of Wight from mainland England. These are Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel. Since the Isle of Wight was separated from mainland Britain, probably about 7000 years ago, vessels have transported people and goods across the Solent. However the earliest record of an Isle of Wight ferry service is from 1420 when the Lord of the Manor in Ashey was responsible for boats crossing between Portsmouth and Ryde.
Lord of the Isle of Wight Lord of the Isle of Wight The Lord of the Isle of Wight is a title that began when William the Conqueror granted the Isle of Wight to William Fitz Osbern. It was a hereditary title. The last Lord of the Island of Wight was actually not a lord but a lady. Countess Isabella de Fortibus acquired the lordship when her brother died in 1262. The countess had been widowed in 1261 and became the wealthiest female in the British Islands who was not a member of a royal family. Isabella dwelt in Carisbrooke Castle. She exercised her rights and