Shanklin Prior to 1837

In the 1820's there was no development on the shore and the only resident in the vicinity was the Inn Keeper of the Chine Inn who had grazing rights for his cow over the whole of the cliff area for one shilling a year.

The Chine was not opened to the public and it was only possible to see into it from the top.  In the Chine was a cottage occupied by a labourer name Kingswell and it was not for 20 years that it became fashionable with honeymooners.

There was no school in Shanklin at that time.                  

Visitors to Shanklin were rare but the occasional traveler was guided around the village by old farmer peach who occupied Providence Cottage.     

There were two Inns in the village at that time, The Crab & The Chine Inn.  The villagers were still wary of invasion by the French and false alarms were common.  Smuggling was ripe at this time and both Shanklin and Luccombe were extensively used.  This continued for several years until the authorities installed excise men who were based at Sandown.

Only one man was employed on road mending (Mr Miller) and he gleaned stones from the fields for this purpose.
However, virtually the only traffic was the occasional farmer's wagon.

The high road to Bonchurch from the High Street was by Shop Lane  (Pomona Road), up the Farm Lane and through the farmyard near the Old Church, emerging on the present road just above the Old Tollgate.

In 1820 there were no shops in Shanklin with the only Post Office being at Newport and Eglantine Cottage offered the only accommodation.