What the Society is for

The Society was established to fulfil two objectives, for the benefit of the public. These are to promote the study of natural history and archaeology, especially in relation to the Isle of Wight, and to promote, in every possible way, the conservation of the flora and fauna of the Isle of Wight, and the proper preservation of all objects of special archaeological and geological interest.

How we do it

We do this by holding regular and wide-ranging indoor and outdoor meetings where members can learn about nature, geology and archaeology. Additionally we arrange occasional public meetings to promote the aims of the Society. We also carry out specialist recording, produce publications and hold an extensive Island database of species records, all of which are used to promote and to better understand the natural history of the Island and to inform decision makers.

Meetings
Click here to see our programme of planned meetings.
Please keep an eye on the Society website for any updates or changes.
We recommend contacting the relevant meeting leader to let them know you will be attending as there may be a limit on numbers or a change of plan.
Non-members are welcome to attend two meetings as a ‘taster’ before they join the Society.
Join here.

Our Centenary

November 8th 2019 saw our 100th birthday and marked the start of a year long programme of Centenary Celebrations for The Society. The first meeting of the IWNHAS as we know it took place in Newport on November 8th 1919 with around 50 people attending – read more about our inaugural heritage here.

Read more about some of the events and activities in 2021 where we celebrated our Centenary.

Our Centenary Publication – Roman Vectis

By David Tomalin, past President of IWNHAS, Roman Vectis: archaeology and identity in the Isle of Wight  celebrates our centenary with a new ground-breaking overview of a lost landscape of creeks, forests, fields, grassland and wetlands that once harboured all manner of natural habitats that Romano-British (Vectensian) islanders exploited, and we have since lost. Over the past 100 years, our members have been steadily rediscovering and documenting much that lies hidden. Spangled with many surprising discoveries and enriched by some entertaining scenarios, our centenary publication must surely become every Vectensian’s handbook and every visitor’s guidebook. Further details may be found on the Society’s Articles and Publications page.

This new ground-breaking examination of the Isle of Wight, assembled by David Tomalin, is available from RomanVectis.com. Full-colour hardback; 430 pages with over 600 illustrations. Discount price, £37 including postage.

Once seen as an appendage, Wight now reveals itself, in Roman Vectis, to be a key component in Britannia’s links with the Roman world. Professor Barry Cunliffe, archaeologist, author, broadcaster and excavator of Brading Roman villa.
An enticing archaeology on an island that has long hidden its past. Julian Richards, archaeologist, author and presenter (Meet the ancestors, BBC 2).