Wroxall (also spelt Wroxhall) is a village and civil parish in the central south of the Isle of Wight, England. In 2021 the parish had a population of 1,709. It is close to Appuldurcombe House, and the parish church is St. John's Church.
The village also has a primary school and a shop.
Name Its name means 'the nook of land or secluded hollow frequented by buzzards or other birds of prey', from Old English wrocc (genitive case wrocces) and h(e)alh.
1038-1044: Wroccesheale
1086 (Domesday Book): Warochesselle
1155-1160: Wroxala
1188-1189: Wrokeshale
1305: Wroxhale
1769: Wroxall
The Wroxall Stream flows near and is named after the village.
History Before a railway was constructed, a wagonette was the main method of transport. Afterwards, a stagecoach ran from Godshill to Freshwater, with a change of horses at Brighstone.
Many of the houses on the village's main road were built for the workmen who were tunneling to Ventnor through the downs to construct the railway.
Two cottages in the centre may have been involved in smuggling.
Much of the development of the village seemed to have happened during the Victorian era.W.H Smith and Son's map of the Isle of Wight from the Ordnance Survey, during the Victorian era.Ordnance Survey coloured map of the Isle of Wight, end of the Victorian era.
There are 16 listed buildings in and around Wroxall.
Geography The village is surrounded by St Martin's Down, Littledown, Span Down and Stenbury Down. It is located on chalk downland.
Current transport Bus services operated by Southern Vectis link the village with the towns of Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor, as well as intermediate villages and hamlets.
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