Also known as the “Pepperpot,” St Catherine’s Oratory stands at one of the highest points of the Isle of Wight. The 35-foot octagonal tower is Britain’s second oldest lighthouse after Dover’s Roman beacon, and as such, the Pepperpot has overseen much of the island’s history. It’s creation, however, tells perhaps its most enlightening tale. In 1313, a boat bearing 174 casks of wine shipwrecked off of Atherfield Ledge. A local lord, Walter de Godeton, desirous of plunderous plonk, took the opportunity to purchase the stolen cargo from criminals that had…
