Cranmore, Isle of Wight

Cranmore
Cranmore Location within the Isle of Wight
OS grid reference	SZ391913
Unitary authority	Isle of Wight
Ceremonial county	Isle of Wight
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	YARMOUTH
Postcode district	PO41
Dialling code	01983
Police	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Fire	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Ambulance	Isle of Wight
UK Parliament	Isle of Wight West
List of places UK England Isle of Wight 50°42′54″N1°26′46″W / 50.715°N 1.446°W / 50.715; -1.446

Cranmore is a village on the Isle of Wight. It is located about three miles east of Yarmouth, in the northwest of the island. It is in the civil parish of Shalfleet.

Name

Its name means 'the marshy ground frequented by cranes or herons', from Old English cran and mōr. The mōr was mentioned in a 10th century Saxon charter describing the bounds of Ningwood, a nearby village, - thæs mores heafde, meaning to the head of the moor or marshland, or could be referring to Newtown Salt Marsh, a nearby marsh.

1235: Cranemore

1559: Cranmores

1781: Cranmore ^[1]

History

On 11 July 1940, a Hurricane P3681 whose pilot was A.W Wooley that had taken off from Tangmere Airfield was shot by an invader in a Heinkel-manufactured plane and burst into flames after being shot in the engine by anti-aircraft guns off Selsey Bill, baled out and landed safely at Thorness Bay, and nose-diving towards the southwest of Cranmore near Ningwood Common. Its remains remained there until 24 April 1982 when it was discovered on a "dig". It was preserved. ^[2]

Transport

Transport is provided by Southern Vectis bus route 7, serving Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport including intermediate towns. ^[3]

SSSI

The beach near Cranmore and Hamstead.

Three areas of grassland, scrub, woodland and cliffs situated around the village are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Together the three areas cover 12.4 hectares (30.7 acres) and were notified in 2002. The sites are home to the dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and the nationally scarce small pearl-bordered fritillary (Boloria selene) and Kent black arches (Meganola albula). Other species include the adder ( Vipera berus ) and the common lizard (Lacerta vivipara), and nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos). ^{[4] [5]}

References

1. Mills, A.D (1996). The Place-Names of the Isle of Wight. Shaun Tyas.
2. Searle, Adrian (1989). Isle of Wight at War 1939-1945. The Dovecote Press.
3. "Southern Vectis - bus route 7". www.islandbuses.info. 2008. Archived from the original on 12 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
4. "Cranmore citation sheet" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 31 January 2008.
5. "Sites of Special Scientific Interest (England)". naturalengland-defra.opendata.arcgis.com. Retrieved 21 December 2025.