VENTNOR, a watering-place in the south-east of the Isle of Wight, is finely situated in the Undercliff district, at the foot of St Boniface Down (784 feet), 12 miles southsouth-west of Ryde and 10 south-south-east of Newport, with both of which there is communication by coach as well as by rail. The town is finely and picturesquely built on a succession of terraces sloping towards the sea, and from its sheltered situation, equable temperature, and comparatively dry atmosphere is regarded as one of the best resorts in England for consumptive invalids. About fifty years ago it was only a small fishing hamlet; now it extends along the shore for a distance of about 2 miles, including Bonchurch to the east. It possesses assembly rooms and a literary and scientific institution. An esplanade was constructed in 1848, and a pier (645 feet in length) in 1872, which was greatly improved in 1887. There are extensive recreation grounds. The churches are all modern and without special architectural features. The church of St Boniface at Bonchurch is perhaps the oldest in the island. Among the benevolent and charitable institutions are the royal national hospital for consumptives (begun in 1869), the seaside home of the London city mission, the St Catherine’s home for consumptives, and the convalescent home of the Royal Hants Hospital. An Act for establishing a market was passed in 1844. The town is governed by a board of eighteen members, established in 1858. The population of the urban sanitary district (area 215 acres) was 4841 in 1871 and 5504 in 1881; but there is a considerable population outside the district.