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Educational visits
for primary and junior schools
kids at play
HMS Victory
Brading Roman Villa
The Needles
Seaview Wildlife Encounter
Osborne House

A 17th-century town hall with no town but a fascinating history

Tucked away in a tiny hamlet adjoining the National Nature Reserve, the 17th-century Old Town Hall is the only remaining evidence of Newtown's former importance.

It's hard to believe that this tranquil corner of the island once held often turbulent elections before sending two Members to Parliament.

Newtown Old Town Hall is the town hall of the former mediaeval and later rotten borough of Newtown. Newtown is now a small village, and its town hall is owned by the National Trust.  It is a Grade II listed building.

The building is open to the public during the summer, on payment of a small admission fee [free for NT members]. Amongst other things, it contains an exhibition on the exploits of Ferguson's Gang, the mysterious group of anonymous benefactors who were responsible for raising the funds to allow the National Trust to acquire this and several other properties.

By the 1930s the building was in danger of collapse; however, the Gang were influenced to save it by Black Maria, a supporter of Ferguson's Gang and mother of Bill Stickers, whose home on the Island was close by.