BBC's The One Show to feature film about Isle of Wight Festival site

The County Press got a sneak peek at what was being filmed on our shores; an archaeological investigation at Afton Down – the Isle of Wight Festival’s former site.

Among those involved in the project was Kelly Wetherick, 46, from Totland – a landscape archaeologist, trustee of Vectis Archaeological Trust, and curator at Dimbola Museum and Galleries.

Speaking to the County Press at the site on Wednesday, July 10, she said: “This year we (Dimbola) have an outreach exhibition for Experience 25, which is 25 years of Isle of Wight Festivals, one of which took place here (Afton Down) in 1970.

Ian, John, Shirley Peter, Hayley and Terry of Vectis Searchers, based in Newport. (Image: Pamela Parker)

“We were approached by the BBC to ask if we wanted to be involved in a short film on the archaeology of the site.

“I said absolutely and put a rabble together; representatives from the trust, Vectis Searchers, Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeology society, trustees and employees of Dimbola, the finance liaison officer of the Isle of Wight Heritage Service, and general volunteers.

“A real mix of people.

A pocket watch found on site. (Image: Pamela Parker)

“We’re calling it an investigation. We’re not doing a full-scale dig, but we are looking for surface finds, and we do have metal detectorists going down to recover items.

“We’ve recovered some interesting things; coins, buckles, buttons, lots of ring pulls, plectrums, a Pepsi bottle, and they all tell a story.

“We have the original plans for the site, so we know what was happening and where.

Roger Simmons Dimbola secretary, Dr Brian Hinton, chairman of Julia Margaret Cameron Trust, Matthew Allwright, Emmylou Morey, Clark shop manager, office manager Elissa Blizzard, and Kelly Wetherick. (Image: Pamela Parker)

“So far, the best find has been parts of the perimeter fencing; a real tangible link to that position in the landscape.

“It’s surreal. When you look at the iconic pictures of the festival, and then finding evidence that backs it all up.

“We can orientate ourselves and the aspects of the festival site.”

Part of the perimeter fencing found on site. (Image: Pamela Parker)

BBC presenter Matt Allwright said: “I’m here with the One Show, and we’re doing a piece about archaeological effort.

“It’s fascinating. I’m a massive music festival fan myself and trying to imagine what it was like at a festival in 1970 where there were no duff acts – only killer content.

“It was a festival of headliners, and to stand in that field and listen to that music and watch those people play is something I can only dream of.

An interview with Dr Brian Hinton on the site of the festival. (Image: Pamela Parker)

“I found a ring pull; picked it up with my own hands and added it to the thousands of others we’ve found.

“What I love more than anything else is people’s stories; talking to the guys about what it was like to be there and contrasting that with festivals today that are so commercialised and corporate.

“That was genuinely a happening, and that happening was on the Isle of Wight, and this place is so beautiful.

“To imagine those people here is just wild. It blows your mind.

“I know the Island well and I love it. The Island is not like anywhere else on earth. It’s very special. It’s very peaceful, but there’s little pockets of activity.

“I used to love skating at Ryde, but sadly that’s not a thing anymore.”

The segment is set to air later this year, in August.

The project was filmed for BBC's One Show by Ryde-based People Media UK, a television and film production company set up in 2021 run by Tony Steyger and Barbara Jane Mackie.

Tony directed the shoot.

He said: "The 1970 festival is undoubtedly an iconic part of the Island's identity and took place at a time of change and hope.

"Islanders by and large welcomed over half a million young people who revelled in the landscape for almost a week listening to the best line-up in pop history.

"Sadly some more powerful people were not so keen on the permissiveness and large festivals were soon banned.

"As a production company proud of its mission to bring these Island stories to the nation, we wanted to look back and discover what might lie underneath those newly ploughed fields at Afton Down - and viewers will be amazed at what was found when the film is broadcast later this summer."