View source for Knighton, Isle of Wight

{{Short description|Hamlet on the Isle of Wight, England}}
{{Other places|Knighton (disambiguation){{!}}Knighton}}
{{distinguish|Niton}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[File:Knighton, Isle of Wight, UK.jpg|thumb|Griggs Farm, Knighton]]
[[File:Knighton-gorges-gateposts.jpg|thumb|right|Gateposts of [[Knighton Gorges Manor]]]]

'''Knighton''' is a largely deserted hamlet near [[Newchurch, Isle of Wight|Newchurch]] on the [[Isle of Wight]], about 2 miles NW of [[Sandown]]. The name should be{{clarify|date=October 2024}}{{Fix|text=How is it actually pronounced?}} pronounced as ''Kay-nighton'' to avoid confusion with the larger village of [[Niton, Isle of Wight|Niton]], near [[Ventnor]].

Knighton is situated under Knighton Down and has historically always been a part of the [[civil parish]] of nearby [[Newchurch, Isle of Wight|Newchurch]]. Knighton consists of little more than a collection of farmhouses, most now turned to residential use. The only amenity in the settlement is a post-box. To the south is Knighton Sandpit Ltd which is an aggregate extraction company. The pit is also used for off-road driving events.<ref>[http://www.iow4x4club.co.uk/index.php?option=com_easygallery&act=categories&cid=24&Itemid=26 IOW 4x4 Club images]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> This is however, a little way from the main residential area.

== Name ==
The name means 'the farmstead or estate of the young [[wiktionary:thane#English|thanes]] or [[wiktionary:retainer#English|retainers]]', from [[Old English]] ''cniht'' ([[Genitive case|genitive]] plural ''cnihta'') and ''tūn''. There are [[Knighton (disambiguation)|other places called Knighton]] with similar origins.

1086 ([[Domesday Book]]): Chenistone

1193-1217: Cnihtaton

1255: Knyttetone

1316: Knyghteton

1327: Knightone<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mills |first=A.D |title=The Place-Names of the Isle of Wight |publisher=[[Shaun Tyas]] |year=1996}}</ref>

== Knighton Gorges Manor ==
[[Knighton Gorges Manor]] in Knighton was one of the grandest [[Manor house|manor houses]] on the [[Isle of Wight]]. But when the owner's daughter married against his will, he had it demolished, rather than allowing her to inherit it.{{fact|date=October 2024}}

[[Hugh de Morville, Lord of Westmorland|Hugh De Morville]], one of the knights responsible for the murder of [[Thomas Becket]], fled to Knighton Gorges.

== History ==
There was a medieval settlement in Knighton, but nearly all of the population moved to the nearby village of [[Newchurch, Isle of Wight|Newchurch]] to escape the [[Black Death]]. Flint arrow heads can still be found in fields surrounding the area. It was estimated that at one time, the hamlet contained up to 60 houses.

[[Jimmy Tarbuck]] lived at Griggs Farm in the 1980s whilst performing in the nearby town of [[Sandown]].

Knighton is the home of the Wight Crystal drinking water company, whose water comes from Knighton.

John Wavell and Anna Cowlam farmed Knighton farm after their marriage in 1735 in Newchurch. They were the great-great-grandparents of [[Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell]] (1883-1950), former [[Field marshal]] and [[Viceroy of India]].

==Ghost stories==
The area and house are said to be haunted by various ghosts and are a popular stop for ghost tourists. One story often told is that of Sir Tristram Dillington, M.P. for [[Newport, Isle of Wight|Newport]], who is thought to have committed suicide after taking to gambling heavily after the death of his wife. His valet is said to have concealed the nature of his death by placing his corpse upon his horse, Thunderbolt, and driving it into the lake, ensuring that the property was not forfeited.<ref name="ghostclub">[http://www.ghostclub.org.uk/summer2003.htm Ghost Club]</ref> The story is that the ghost of Sir Tristram rides a ghostly horse each year on the anniversary of his death, which occurred on 7 July 1721.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.leighrayment.com/commons/Ncommons1.htm |title=Leigh Rayment: constituencies |access-date=2008-12-14 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107011701/http://www.leighrayment.com/commons/Ncommons1.htm |archive-date=2017-11-07 }}</ref> The most famous haunting is said to take place on New Year's Eve when, it is claimed, the old house "re-appears", many people often gather at the spot on 31 December to try to witness the apparition.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Isle of Wight box}}
{{Settlements on the Isle of Wight}}

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[[Category:Hamlets on the Isle of Wight]]
[[Category:Reportedly haunted locations in South East England]]