area beneath the hall is held the Saturday's market for poultry, eggs,
and butter.

Another showy building is the ISLE OF WIGHT INSTITUTION, or permanent
public Library, to which nearly all the neighbouring gentry subscribe.
Besides the reading-room and library it contains a museum for local
curiosities, &c. Temporary residents in the island may become
subscribers for six months by a payment of 25s.

The FREE-GRAMMAR SCHOOL is the only building claiming respect for its
antiquity (besides the parish-church), situated in the street leading to
the Cowes road: it was erected by subscription in the year 1619, and
duly endowed. Though recently having been repaired throughout, its
appearance is still rather picturesque: and possesses considerable
historic interest, from the memorable conference held here between the
parliamentary commissioners and king Charles the First, up to the
unfortunate moment when he was unexpectedly seized and imprisoned in
Hurst Castle.

The PARISH-CHURCH is considered to be of the age of Henry II, as it is
dedicated to St. Thomas-a-Becket: it is spacious, and has a fine lofty
square tower; but there is nothing very particular either in its
architecture or antiquities to call for minute description. The chief
curiosities are ... the Pulpit, remarkable for its rich and ingenious
carving: a monument to Sir Edward Horsey; and the spot where the second
daughter of King Charles was buried: she died while the family were
prisoners at Carisbrooke--and it was only by accident in the year 1793
that the vault was discovered.--ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, built a few years
ago on the south side of the town, at the foot of Montjoy's, is a
conspicuous object in most points of view: and though plain in