Properties

Park Lodge, Near Woodside

The Lodge has been recorded on some early maps as Lodge Park and on others as Park Lodge. The original building was a two up, two down, built on pure yellow sand, with no footings, and the brickwork has been dated at 1630. There were two staircases, one very narrow, built around the chimneybreast.

The brickwork at the back of the large fireplace is built in an arch shape and was used for cooking, large pots or cauldron hung from a chain in the chimney. The kettle could also be hung this way. The oak beam over the fireplace with Dulce Domum (Home Sweet Home) carved into it, was believed to have been part of the original fireplace, but this was a later addition cut from a tree growing at Woodside.

According to the publication by Victoria Snow, Wootton Bridge & Whippingham on the Isle of Wight, A. H. Stockwell (1986). Her grandfather and grandmother about 1860 lived there. The grandfather worked on the Osborne Estate as a gamekeeper.

During the Second World War landing craft and tanks were used there and also along the Barton beach. They tore up the trees and banks and made a horrible mess of things. Apart from the beach being spoilt by the war effort. Evidence still remains of pre D-Day assaults on the beach at Woodside. The Seabee’s were in the area.

When the ceilings were replaced there was evidence that the roof had once been thatch. At some later date a second fireplace was added at the southerly end and a ground floor extension on the south-eastern side.

Mr and Mrs Dennis Medcalf bought the house in 1957. The house was derelict and there were no services. The only source of water was a well in the garden, which although only 5 feet deep always contained water, even in drought years. There was evidence that at some time the house had been divided into two dwellings of one up, one down.

Mr and Mrs Medcalf added a ground floor extension behind the original fireplace on the northwest end, using stone from Westwood House.

In 1971 the Medcalf’s sold the house to Mr and Mrs Peter Bailey. Mrs Bailey’s grandmother had once lived there. Mr and Mrs Bailey added another extension above the one built by the Medcalf’s. The Bailey’s sold the property c.1990.

According to historical documents as advised in May 2009

Source: Mrs E Loughin and others