Spring Vale, Isle of Wight

Spring Vale
Village
Springvale Road at Spring Vale
Spring Vale
Location within the Isle of Wight
OS grid referenceSZ6193492012
Civil parish
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSEAVIEW
Postcode districtPO34
PoliceHampshire and Isle of Wight
FireHampshire and Isle of Wight
AmbulanceIsle of Wight

Spring Vale (also spelled Springvale)[1] is a small coastal village in the civil parish of Nettlestone and Seaview, on the north coast of the Isle of Wight, England, near the Puckpool area of Ryde and 2 miles (3.2 km) from the main area of Ryde.[2] It is the location of Springvale Beach, stretching from Puckpool to Seaview.

Spring Vale hosts a pub and café[3] and behind it is the Alan Hersey Nature Reserve, forming part of the Ryde Sands and Wootton Creek SSSI.[4]

Name

The name means 'the spring in a valley', referring to the valley in the Alan Hersey Nature Reserve. Woodlands Vale, a hamlet and a country house south of the village, have a similar origin: the wooded valley.[1]

History

Roman coin hoards have been discovered and recorded on the beaches in Spring Vale. There may have been an emporium there, with a small hoard of 2nd century sesterii and dupondii being discovered.[5]

The village was formerly in the vast parish of Newchurch.[6]

On 9 August 1940, a bomb was discovered near Woodlands Vale Cottage in Spring Vale, with people being evacuated later that day.[7]

A Saxon v-shaped fishing weir was discovered on the beach during July 2008.[8]

Alan Hersey Nature Reserve

The Alan Hersey Nature Reserve is located to the south and the south east of the village, reaching to Seaview. The site is situated on a flood plain in a valley, with a lagoon, lakes and reedbeds.[4][9]

It was named after Alan Hersey, a councillor who was interested in Seaview and the surrounding areas.[10][11]

It used to be an estuary, during the time of Bembridge Isle (Binbridge Isle).[12][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Mills, A.D (1996). The Place-Names of The Isle of Wight. Shaun Tyas. ISBN 9781900289009.
  2. ^ "History of Spring Vale, in the Isle of Wight and Hampshire". A vision of Britain through time.
  3. ^ "Spring Vale - manonabeach". 16 June 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  4. ^ a b "About". Hersey Nature Reserve. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  5. ^ Lyne, Malcolm (2 September 2026). "Roman Wight" (PDF).
  6. ^ GENUKI. "Genuki: National Gazetteer (1868) - Newchurch, Isle of Wight". www.genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  7. ^ Searle, Adrian (1989). Isle of Wight at War 1939-1945. The Dovecote Press. ISBN 1874336733.
  8. ^ "Isle of Wight History Centre News Archive July 2008". www.iwhistory.org.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Alan Hersey Nature Reserve Routes for Walking and Hiking". komoot. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  10. ^ Whitmore, Warren (10 August 2024). "Duke of Edinburgh Officially Opened Seaview Duver Coast Wall 20 Years Ago Today". Isle of Wight News - Island Echo. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.interreg-messina.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2026. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  12. ^ "The History of Bembridge, Isle of Wight". www.iwhistory.org.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2026.