Afton, Isle of Wight

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Afton
Village
Afton Farm - geograph.org.uk - 600871.jpg
Afton Farm
Isle of Wight UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Afton
Location within the Isle of Wight
OS grid reference SZ3500086351
Civil parish
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Freshwater
Postcode district PO
Police Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Fire Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Ambulance Isle of Wight
List of places
UK
England
Isle of Wight
50°40′30″N1°30′29″W / 50.675°N 1.508°W / 50.675; -1.508

Afton is a hamlet just outside Freshwater on the west side of the Isle of Wight. It features a local hill known as Afton Down which was the site of the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, one of the largest rock concerts to be held in the UK. [1] Freshwater Bay Golf Course is located on Afton Down. Afton lends its name to a number of local properties, including Afton Lodge, Afton Manor and Afton Thatch, the latter two dating from the 17th Century. [2]

Contents

Exterior scenes of the Cult film Guest House Paradiso , starring Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall, were filmed on the A3055 (Military Road), leading into the hamlet.

A barrow located on Afton Down has been the subject of archaeological interest, and is thought to be from the Bronze Age. [3]

A yearly Apple Day Festival takes place every fall at a commercial nursery known as Afton Park. The Apple Festival draws several thousand people a year to enjoy entertainment, a children's "apple olympics", and demonstrations. [4]

Bus transport is provided by Southern Vectis route 7, which runs close by. [5]

Name

The name means 'the farmstead or estate belonging to a man called Æffa', from Old English Æffa (personal name) and tūn.

1086: Affetune

1189-1204: Affetone

1224: Afton

1271: Afetone

1279: Affton [6]

References

  1. ↑ "Isle of Wight Festival 1970". www.isleofwightfestival.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  2. ↑ "Afton Thatch".
  3. ↑ "Neolithic to Early Bronze Age Resource Assessment: The Isle of Wight" (PDF). thehumanjourney.net. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  4. ↑ "Afton Apple Orchard - Apple Festival". www.aftonapple.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  5. ↑ "Southern Vectis, Route 7". Southern Vectis. Archived from the original on 12 June 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  6. ↑ Mills, A.D (1996). The Place-Names of The Isle of Wight. Shaun Tyas.


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