Brook
The history of Brook begins in the mists of time, when Bronze Age men walked the ancient road on the Downs, and buried their dead in the barrows which are seen there today. Later it became a scattered community of small farmsteads; there were stretches of common land such as Brook Common to the east of Five Barrows and areas to the south reaching to the cliff edge.
The manor of Brook is mentioned in the Domesday survey. In the reigns of the three Edwards it was held by the Clamorgan family, who occupied it for about 300 years. Through the marriage of a daughter it passed to the Bowermans. Henry VI was entertained at Brook by Dame Joan Bowerman in 1499, and was so satisfied with his visit that he made her a present of his drinking horn, and granted her a fat buck annually from his forests at Carisbrooke. Early in the 18th century the resident Bowerman completely rebuilt the manor house, and in 1792 the manor was purchased by Mr. Henry Howe.
He in turn sold it, in about 1854, to Mr. Charles Seeley, M.P. for Lincoln, on whose death it passed to his son Charles, later created a Baronet. Sir Charles enlarged the house, building a third storey, and bought a number of farms and properties until the estate stretched from Freshwater Bay to Brighstone. He built and furnished Reading Rooms as clubs for men, in Brook, Brighstone and Gatcombe. The room in Brook is now styled the "Seely Hall".
The village school at Hulverstone was also erected by Sir Charles to accommodate the children from Brook and Mottistone, and the substantial red-brick house opposite was for the teaching staff. The school has been closed these thirty years, and has been converted into a pleasant dwelling. Sir Charles also built the house on the Common known as Brook Hill, but died before it was completed in 1915, bequeathing Brook to his younger son, whose nephew Hugh (later Lord Sherwood) inherited from his uncle. The house remained empty for some years, and was then partly demolished and partly converted into flats; in 1958 the estate was sold, the extensive grounds being divided into building plots on which have arisen attractive homes surrounded by beautiful gardens, in one of which is the oak tree planted by Garibaldi when he visited Brook House.
Brook Church stands on a hill to the north, overlooking the village. The date of the original Church is uncertain, but in the reign of Edward III it was endowed with the tithes of the manor of Compton. It was destroyed by fire in 1862, only the tower remaining, and the present building was erected on the same site and to the old plan.
There is a Methodist Chapel, dated 1848, in the centre of the village.
The livings of Brook and Mottistone are now combined, and the Rector lives in a part of Mottistone Manor-house. The delightful house in Brook which had been the Rectory for some generations, has passed into other hands.
The beaches of Brook and Compton provided work for fishermen in the past and now in the summer months give much pleasure to many people. Off Hanover Point are the remains of a petrified pine raft which is visible at low tide. Pieces of the "wood" can be picked up on the shore, also petrified cones which are known locally as "Noah's Nuts".
Along the Military Road from Freshwater Bay to Brook, and also on certain sections between Brook and Chilton, the land bordering the cliff-edge is owned by the National Trust. There are car parks at Compton and Brook, and an effort has been made to keep these areas tidy and attractive.
The Lifeboat House now stands roofless on the Green, a silent memorial to the brave deeds of the past, the station having been closed in 1936. The first Lifeboat was the Dauntless, christened by Mrs. Seely in 1860, followed by The George and Anne,1867; then the William Slaney Lewis, 1888; and lastly the Susan Ashley, 1907, until the station was closed. The first coxswain was John Hayter, and in succession after him Ben Jacobs, Thomas Hookey, Roland Hayter, and the first Lord Mottistone. Over the whole period of service, 263 lives were saved, the Lifeboats going out into the wildest weather, and remaining at sea for many hours.
When the s.s. Sirenia struck the Atherfield Ledge, the Brook Lifeboat had to be rowed through the mountainous seas to assist in the rescue. Almost within reach of the wreck, a huge wave swamped the Lifeboat and three men were washed overboard. Two of them, the Jacobs brothers, managed to climb aboard again, but the third man, Reuben Cooper, was lost, in spite of all efforts to save him. When the crew eventually returned to Brook, at midday the next day, they were so exhausted that they had to be carried to their homes.
Another memorable wreck was that of the Norwegian barque Souvenir, which grounded off Brook in February, 1916. The Susan Ashley was launched and rowed out to the stranded vessel. So strong were the wind and waves that three attempts were made to get alongside, but each failed. The Norwegian crew then decided to jump into the sea. By a miracle they were all picked up and brought ashore, although one man died before reaching land, and the Captain, who had remained on the ship, was drowned when she was battered to pieces within the hour.
