![John Nash](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/John_Nash.jpg)
East Cowes Castle, located in
East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish in the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina, next to its west bank neighbour Cowes.
The two towns are connected by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry operated by the Isle ...
, was the home of architect
John Nash between its completion and his death in 1835. Nash himself was the designer of the site, and began construction as early as 1798. It was completed in 1800 and was said to have been built at unlimited expense.
[Morning Post dated 27 June 1842, Page 1] Nash was finally interred in the grounds.
The structure gained renown for its complex castellation, its
gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
-style turrets and towers, which were built in the style of the period of
Edward VI
Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...
,
and for the notable individuals who came to be Nash's guests there, including the Prince Regent, who went on to become
King George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...
and
J.M.W. Turner
Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbule ...
, who painted a picture of the location.
On Nash's death, the estate was sold to the
Earl of Shannon
Earl of Shannon is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1756 for the prominent Irish politician Henry Boyle, who served as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and as Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer. The earldom is named a ...
who added a lodge at the south of the estate. It was then briefly held by the politician, George Tudor, before being acquired by the
Viscount Gort
Viscount Gort is the title of two peerages in British and Irish history. Gort is a small town in County Galway in the West of Ireland. The original title was in the Peerage of Ireland and is extant. A viscountcy with the same title as the Irish p ...
family, who held it until 1934.
The castle was requisitioned by the
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...
during the Second World War, under whose use the condition of the building suffered greatly; and due to subsequent neglect and deterioration, the castle was finally demolished in 1963. The castle's gatehouse, North Lodge and an original icehouse survive and the castle's clock remains on display at the
Carisbrooke Castle
Carisbrooke Castle is a historic motte-and-bailey castle located in the village of Carisbrooke (near Newport), Isle of Wight, England. Charles I was imprisoned at the castle in the months prior to his trial.
Early history
The site of Carisbro ...
Museum.
Over the next thirty years, housing developments were built over the estate. The estate used to cover the area now bordered by Old Road, New Barn Road, York Avenue and Castle Street.
Although East Cowes Castle no longer exists, there is an exact copy of the original castle called
Lough Cooter Castle, near
Gort
Gort ( or ) is a town of around 3,000 inhabitants in County Galway in the west of Ireland. Located near the border with County Clare, the town lies between the Burren and the Slieve Aughty and is served by the R458 and R460 regional roads, wh ...
,
County Galway
"Righteousness and Justice"
, anthem = ()
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg
, map_caption = Location in Ireland
, area_footnotes =
, area_total_km2 = ...
. For the circumstances concerning its creation, see the paragraph below.
[Portsmouth Evening News dated 26 August 1902, Page 3]
Description
The castle apartments, described as a marine mansion in 1842, contained one square and two circular embattled towers. It was said to be lofty and expensively finished, containing a dining room, drawing room, a library, a billiard room, an octagon library, numerous principal and secondary bedchambers, servants apartments, offices of every description, with ample stabling and coachhouses. There were also splendid conservatories, a picture gallery, gardens of superior order, hothouses and five commodious detached residences.
The grounds were laid out with the help of
Humphry Repton
Humphry Repton (21 April 1752 – 24 March 1818) was the last great English landscape designer of the eighteenth century, often regarded as the successor to Capability Brown; he also sowed the seeds of the more intricate and eclectic styles of ...
,
[The East Cowes Group of the Isle of Wight Society] the famous landscape designer, who also designed the gardens for the nearby
Norris Castle
Norris Castle is located on the Isle of Wight. It was designed by James Wyatt for Lord Henry Seymour (politician), Lord Henry Seymour. The estate adjoins Osborne House, country home to Victoria of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria. On the othe ...
. They were said to be of around 43 acres in 1842, but reached 74 acres by 1934.
[Isle of Wight County Press dated 6 October 1934, Page 4] They were beautifully undulated, with gardens, a gardener's cottage, two lodges and paddocks, laid out in the 'first style', with terraces embellished with noble timber plantations of luxuriant growth, through which walks and carriage drives of considerable extent had been cut.
There was also a castle farm.
The castle also had its own
icehouse
Icehouse or ice house may refer to:
* Ice house (building), a building where ice is stored
* Ice shanty, a shelter for ice fishing also known as an ''Icehouse''
* Ice skating rink, a facility for ice skating.
* Ice hockey arena, an area where ice ...
, which still survives in Sylvan Avenue. There was also a round, brick-lined pond at the corner of Old Road and New Barn Road, to supply its ice in the winter-time. Largely underground, the icehouse was designed in such a way that even throughout the summer, the ice would not melt.
The castle had a battery of eight guns, from which
Royal Salutes were often fired, when the
Royal Yacht
A royal yacht is a ship used by a monarch or a royal family. If the monarch is an emperor the proper term is imperial yacht. Most of them are financed by the government of the country of which the monarch is head. The royal yacht is most often c ...
was visiting Cowes.
Lough Cooter Castle
This exact copy of the original East Cowes Castle was built on
Lough Cooter,
County Galway
"Righteousness and Justice"
, anthem = ()
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg
, map_caption = Location in Ireland
, area_footnotes =
, area_total_km2 = ...
in 1814. As described, East Cowes Castle was originally designed, built and owned by the famous architect
John Nash, who was the protégé of the Prince Regent, who was to become
King George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...
.
The circumstances surrounding its creation was that
Charles Vereker, 2nd Viscount Gort
Charles Vereker, 2nd Viscount Gort PC (Ire) (1768 – 11 November 1842), known as Charles Vereker until 1817, was an Irish soldier and politician.
Background
Gort was the son of Thomas Vereker by Juliana, daughter of Charles Smyth and sister o ...
happened to visit East Cowes Castle, along with the Prince Regent. Viscount Gort said to Nash that he wished he could transport East Cowes Castle to Lough Cooter, a lake near Gort, County Galway. Nash said that he would do it for him, for a price of £50,000; and an agreement was made. Nash therefore built an exact copy of East Cowes Castle there for him, although the cost was finally put at around £70,000.
Lough Cooter Castle became the seat of the Gort family, although they were forced to sell the castle due to the great Irish famine of 1846. However, by a strange turn of events, East Cowes Castle itself eventually came into the ownership of the Gort family, when the Viscount's son,
John Vereker, 3rd Viscount Gort
John Prendergast Vereker, 3rd Viscount Gort (1 July 1790 – 20 October 1865), was an Irish peer and politician.
Background and education
Gort was the son of Charles Vereker, 2nd Viscount Gort, and his first wife Jane, daughter of Ralph Westr ...
, acquired it by marrying Elizabeth Tudor.
The story has it that he had no idea that East Cowes Castle was identical to his Lough Cooter Castle, until she took him down to the Isle of Wight to see it. He was said to have been in quite a state of shock when he saw it and was led around the inside, already knowing its layout.
[Portsmouth Evening News dated 14 May 1935, Page 7]
Like East Cowes Castle, Lough Cooter Castle was used to billet troops during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and like East Cowes Castle, it almost became derelict as a result of it. However, its fate proved to be better and it has now been restored, being quoted as being one of the most remarkable properties in Ireland. It is now occupied and in private ownership, although it can be hired for weddings and other special events.
Owners of East Cowes Castle
John Nash (1798 - 1835)
John Nash, the famous architect, designed many famous London buildings, including
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
and
Marble Arch
The Marble Arch is a 19th-century white marble-faced triumphal arch in London, England. The structure was designed by John Nash (architect), John Nash in 1827 to be the state entrance to the cour d'honneur of Buckingham Palace; it stood near th ...
. Many of his commissions came from the Prince Regent, who would later become
King George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...
. Nash also designed many Isle of Wight buildings, including Newport Town Hall,
Whippingham Church, and
Northwood House
Northwood House is a country manor house in Cowes on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. The current building dates back to 1799 and was built for the London businessman George Ward, remaining in his family for five generations. It is a ...
. He also designed the IW County Club, which is the ornate arched building on the corner of Newport High Street and St James' Square.
In July 1817, the Prince Regent dined at the castle, with four hundred soldiers from
Parkhurst Barracks forming a guard of honour.
In October 1818, Lady Anne Romilly, wife of Sir
Samuel Romilly
Sir Samuel Romilly (1 March 1757 – 2 November 1818), was a British lawyer, politician and legal reformer. From a background in the commercial world, he became well-connected, and rose to public office and a prominent position in Parliament. A ...
, died after a long illness, whilst staying as a guest of John Nash at East Cowes Castle. Her husband was so distraught that he committed suicide just a few days later in his London home, by cutting his own throat.
In 1819, just six months before his coronation as King George IV, the Prince Regent visited Nash again at East Cowes Castle, whilst touring on the
Royal Yacht
A royal yacht is a ship used by a monarch or a royal family. If the monarch is an emperor the proper term is imperial yacht. Most of them are financed by the government of the country of which the monarch is head. The royal yacht is most often c ...
. In 1825, the
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
and the
Duchess
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranked ...
of
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
stayed at East Cowes Castle.
In August 1830, the Dauphiness and Duchess De Berri, accompanying the expatriated
King of France
France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the Kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions.
Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I () as the first ...
, visited East Cowes Castle. The king had abdicated on 2 August and left France for England on 16 August, when it seemed that their safety was in jeopardy from angry mobs of French citizens. One of their first ports of call was Cowes and East Cowes. The Princesses were said to be charmed by the scenery of the island, although they complained of their 'stinted' lodgings at the Fountain Hotel.
Nash lead an opulent lifestyle, entertaining important guests and royalty. However, in his later life, he was to fall out of favour and the spiraling costs of his project on Buckingham Palace was partly to do with this. The consequence of this, was that he never received the honours that might otherwise been bestowed upon him.
The number of commissions he received dwindled and he got more and more into debt. It was reported that he died a pauper in 1835, after a long illness, leaving his widow to pay off his enormous debts. His furious creditors apparently went to East Cowes Castle, demanding his body. It was therefore taken to
St James's Church, East Cowes in the dead of night for the funeral service.
[Portsmouth Evening News dated 26 October 1951, Page 4] The castle and all of its contents were quickly sold in a number of auctions. Six years later, his executors were finally able to pay off his remaining debts, which even at that time were put at £15,000.
The Right Honourable Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon (1836 - 1842)
Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon
Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon KP, PC (Ire) (8 August 1771 – 22 April 1842), styled Viscount Boyle from 1764 until 1807, was among the last surviving Members of the Parliament of Ireland. He represented Cork County in the new Parliament of ...
KP,
PC (Ire) bought East Cowes Castle and its furniture in February 1836 for twenty thousand
guineas
The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from t ...
. He was an Irish career politician who served in the Parliament of Ireland and the Parliament of the United Kingdom. He married Sarah Hyde in 1798 and had twelve children. His heir,
Richard Boyle, 4th Earl of Shannon
Richard Boyle, 4th Earl of Shannon (12 May 1809 – 1 August 1868), styled Viscount Boyle until 1842, was a British politician of the Whig party. He served as Member of Parliament for Cork County from 1830 to 1832. had recently married the daughter of
Lord George Seymour
Lord George Seymour-Conway (21 July 1763 – 10 March 1848), known as Lord George Seymour, was a British politician.
A member of the Seymour family headed by the Duke of Somerset, Seymour was the seventh son and youngest child of Francis Seymo ...
, the owner of nearby
Norris Castle
Norris Castle is located on the Isle of Wight. It was designed by James Wyatt for Lord Henry Seymour (politician), Lord Henry Seymour. The estate adjoins Osborne House, country home to Victoria of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria. On the othe ...
.
[East Cowes Heritage Centre]
Boyle was a
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for a number of Irish constituencies. He became a Knight, Order of St. Patrick in 1808 and was Clerk of Pells in Ireland between 1808 and 1822. He also became a Privy Councillor and as well as being Earl of Shannon, he was also Viscount Boyle of Bandon, 2nd
Baron Carleton and 3rd Baron of Castle Martyr. He held the office of
Lord-Lieutenant
A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ...
and
Custos rotulorum
''Custos rotulorum'' (; plural: ''custodes rotulorum''; Latin for "keeper of the rolls", ) is a civic post that is recognised in the United Kingdom (except Scotland) and in Jamaica.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
The ''custos rotulorum'' is t ...
of
County Cork
County Cork ( ga, Contae ChorcaÃ) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...
between 1831 and 1842.
Under the Earl's ownership, the castle became known as Shannon's Castle. He built the impressive South Lodge gatehouse to the castle, in a very different style to the other North Lodge gatehouse. Each wing of the lodge was two stories high, with an archway for carriages to drive through. There was a tunnel linking two courtyards and a tiled passageway linking two basement rooms. A mock
portcullis
A portcullis (from Old French ''porte coleice'', "sliding gate") is a heavy vertically-closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, which slides down gr ...
hung over the arch and either side of the gatehouse were railings and pillars, one of which still remains. The gatehouse was demolished around 1965.
In April 1836, the Earl of Shannon sold at auction John Nash's choice wines from the East Cowes Castle cellar.
In May 1837, the Earl was reported to be dangerously ill from the bursting of a blood vessel. The report said that he had been thrown from his horse many months earlier and had not been well since. In August 1837, the
Dowager
A dowager is a widow or widower who holds a title or property—a "dower"—derived from her or his deceased spouse. As an adjective, ''dowager'' usually appears in association with monarchy, monarchical and aristocracy, aristocratic Title#Aristocr ...
Queen Adelaide
, house = Saxe-Meiningen
, father = Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
, mother = Princess Louise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Meiningen, Saxe-Meiningen, Holy Rom ...
stayed at East Cowes Castle for some time to recuperate from a serious illness, after her physicians felt that the mild sea air would help her convalescence. She was the widow of
King William IV
William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...
and the
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n city of
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
was named after her. When
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
was proclaimed Queen, it was subject to the proviso that Queen Adelaide was not pregnant at the time.
In October 1838, the Earl was again reported to be dangerously ill and in 1841, he was prevented from visiting the castle, due to the delicate state of his health. The Earl of Shannon died at the age of 70 in April 1842, after his long and serious illness. He had been receiving a pension of £3,133 per year from his abolished office as
clerk of the pells The Pell Office was a department of the Exchequer in which the receipts and payments were entered upon two rolls of parchment, the one called the ''introitta'', which was the record of monies received, and the other the ''exitus'', or the record of ...
in Ireland.
Following the 3rd Earl's death, his son shipped all of the castle's "splendid furniture and appointments" back to the family seat in
Castlemartyr
Castlemartyr (, formerly anglicised as ''Ballymarter'' or ''Ballymartyr'') is a village in County Cork, Ireland. It is located 25 minutes east of Cork city, 10 km (6 mi) east of Midleton, 16 km (10 mi) west of Youghal and 6&n ...
,
Cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
, so that the 'marine villa' could be let out. For some years, the castle was let to Nathaniel Barwell Esq, a gentleman of 'great opulence'.
In 1844, a steeple chase challenge was made between Barwell's horse and a Mr Jacobs of Chale's chestnut. The winner was the first horse to reach the gate of the newly built racecourse. The race was won by Mr Barwell.
In 1847, it was confidently reported that the castle had been sold to the
Queen Dowager
A queen dowager or dowager queen (compare: princess dowager or dowager princess) is a title or status generally held by the widow of a king. In the case of the widow of an emperor, the title of empress dowager is used. Its full meaning is clear ...
, who had stayed there to recuperate in 1837. However, this was soon found to be incorrect. The following year it was reported that the
Marquis of Conyngham
A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman w ...
was trying to buy the estate for his family. Shortly afterwards it was reported that the exiled former King of France, the
Count de Neuilly had leased the castle for a term, of several years.
In 1852, the castle was occupied by Mr Charles Sawyer esq.
Mr George & Mrs Elizabeth Mary Tudor (1853 - 1861)
It was reported that the castle was finally sold in 1853 for £12,500, considerably less than its earlier sale in 1836. George Tudor was a
Member of parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for
Barnstaple
Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town in North Devon, England, at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool and won great wealth. Later it imported Irish wool, bu ...
in 1830.
[Hampshire Advertiser dated 13 October 1880, Page 3] However, he did not have long to enjoy the castle, dying in 1857. His widow, Elizabeth Mary Tudor, was the only daughter and heiress of Mr John Jones esq. She remained at the castle, along with continuing to own their main residence at No. 1,
Portman Square
Portman Square is a garden square in Marylebone, central London, surrounded by elegant townhouses. It was specifically for private housing let on long leases having a ground rent by the Portman Estate, which owns the private communal gardens. ...
, London.
In 1855, during a severe thunder storm, a bolt of lightning hit the castle and entered one of the rooms. The only damage caused was the breaking of three dozen panes of glass and scaring the plumbers and workmen working their out of their wits.
The Right Honourable Viscount Gort & Lady Elizabeth Mary Gort (1861 - 1880)
In 1861,
John Vereker, 3rd Viscount Gort
John Prendergast Vereker, 3rd Viscount Gort (1 July 1790 – 20 October 1865), was an Irish peer and politician.
Background and education
Gort was the son of Charles Vereker, 2nd Viscount Gort, and his first wife Jane, daughter of Ralph Westr ...
married the widowed Mrs Tudor, whom he had met in Paris
and thus became the new lord of East Cowes Castle. However, he died in 1865, at the age of 75.
Viscount Gort held the office of
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
between 1817 and 1820. He was also Mayor of
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
between 1831 and 1832. He became the 3rd Viscount Gort of
County Galway
"Righteousness and Justice"
, anthem = ()
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg
, map_caption = Location in Ireland
, area_footnotes =
, area_total_km2 = ...
and the 3rd Baron Kiltarton of Gort. He also held the office of
Representative Peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords. Until 1999, all members of the Peerage of England held the right to ...
of
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
between June 1865 and October 1865.
In January 1876, the Dowager Viscountess Gort was honoured with a visit to East Cowes Castle by
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
and the
Princess Beatrice
Princess Beatrice, Mrs Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (Beatrice Elizabeth Mary; born 8 August 1988) is a member of the British royal family. She is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. She is a niece of Charle ...
.
Prince Leopold was also in attendance.
Lady Gort died in October 1880 at the age of 89, after an illness of only a few days.
She left £140,000 in her will. The majority of her estate went to her stepson, Viscount Gort, although she also left £1,000 to the parish of East Cowes, to found a coal, food and clothing fund, to be distributed to the poor of East Cowes at Christmas.
Standish Prendergast Vereker, 4th Viscount Gort (1880 - 1895)
Inheriting the castle in 1880, the 4th Viscount Gort was married to Caroline Harriet Gage, daughter of
Henry Gage, 4th Viscount Gage
Viscount Gage, of Castle Island in the County of Kerry of the Kingdom of Ireland, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1720 for Thomas Gage, along with the subsidiary title of Baron Gage, of Castlebar in the County of May ...
. He held the office of
High Sheriff in 1843 and gained the rank of Honorary Colonel in the service of the 4th Brigade, South Irish Division,
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
. He also held the office of
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
for County Galway and succeeded as the 4th Baron Kiltarton of Gort and 4th Viscount Gort.
Standish Vereker had some major additions made to the castle in 1883. The entrance porch was reduced in size and a lot of the walling removed. The kitchens were extended and a new bakery built, with a room above it. A circular tower was constructed as a separate building and a new courtyard formed with new walling, enclosing some other new buildings. The work was done to a high standard, with matching materials used throughout. Shortly afterwards East Cowes Castle Farm was constructed on the estate, which consisted of a red brick cottage, a dairy and various farm outbuildings.
John Gage Prendergast Vereker, 5th Viscount Gort (1895 – 1902)
It was reported in 1895 that the castle had been given away as a Christmas gift to
John Vereker, by his father. He would later become 5th Viscount Gort and it was intended that East Cowes Castle would become his seaside residence. His wife, Eleanor Surtees, was the heiress of novelist
Robert Smith Surtees
Robert Smith Surtees (17 May 180516 March 1864) was an English editor, novelist and sporting writer, widely known as R. S. Surtees. He was the second son of Anthony Surtees of Hamsterley Hall, a member of an old County Durham family. He is rem ...
and owner of
Hamsterley Hall
Hamsterley Hall is an 18th-century English country house at Hamsterley, Rowlands Gill, County Durham, England. It is a Grade II* listed building.
The estate at Hamsterley was given, in 1762, by Sir John Swinburne Bt to his younger brother Henry ...
, near
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...
.
Like his father, Vereker was in the service of the 4th Brigade, South Irish Division, Royal Artillery, gaining the rank of captain. He also held the office of Justice of the Peace for the Isle of Wight, as well as Justice of the Peace for
County Durham
County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly â€About North East E ...
, He succeeded as the 5th Viscount Gort as well as the 5th Baron Kiltarton of Gort.
Viscount Gort died in 1902, leaving £79,000 in his will. This included giving his wife Eleanor, use of East Cowes Castle for the rest of her life, although ownership of the castle was to be held in trust for his second son, the future
7th Viscount Gort. He left his
Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road (occasionally abbreviated as TCR) is a major road in Central London, almost entirely within the London Borough of Camden.
The road runs from Euston Road in the north to St Giles Circus in the south; Tottenham Court Road tub ...
estate and his house at No. 1, Portman Road, London in trust for his eldest son, the new
6th Viscount Gort.
Lady Gort retained ownership of Hamsterley Hall in her own right. She went on to marry Colonel Starling Meux Benson, formerly of the
17th Lancers
The 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1759 and notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. The regiment was amalgamated with the 21st Lanc ...
, in 1908. Both she and her new husband died in 1933.
Dowager Lady Eleanor Gort (1902 - 1934)
East Cowes Castle remained under the Control of Lady Gort, held in trust for her children until her death.
Of particular note was her eldest son,
6th Viscount Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...
The Right Honourable
''The Right Honourable'' ( abbreviation: ''Rt Hon.'' or variations) is an honorific style traditionally applied to certain persons and collective bodies in the United Kingdom, the former British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations. The term is ...
Viscount Gort
VC,
GCB,
CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
,
DSO &
Two Bars,
MVO,
MC, who was a highly decorated war hero. However, his younger brother,
Standish Vereker, 7th Viscount Gort MC KStJ
The Order of St John, short for Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (french: l'ordre très vénérable de l'Hôpital de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem) and also known as St John International, is a British royal order of c ...
, who served under him, was also a war hero.
Upon the death of Lady Eleanor Gort in 1933, the contents of the castle was auctioned in August of that year, on the instructions of her executors. It would seem that despite being held in trust for her children, the castle would never actually legally fall to either of them.
The castle itself was auctioned in November 1934 and sold. The report said that the buyer's name could not be disclosed, but it was mentioned that there was a prospect that the castle could be inhabited again. The following week it was announced that a company was being formed to manage the estate and that the secretary was a Mr R G Burke, with the registered office being 6 Birmingham Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Development Plans (1934 - 1963)
![North Lodge, East Cowes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/North_Lodge%2C_East_Cowes.jpg)
In 1934, the castle was bought by Cowes Estates LTD, a development company. From that time until the start of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the estate was only inhabited by caretakers and its only actual use was for a short time as summer tea gardens for island visitors.
In 1940, during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the castle was requisitioned for use by the military, who left it in a serious state of decay. It was used to billet British and Canadian troops of the Free French Canadians, the
South Saskatchewans. The grounds were also used as a site for
air-raid shelters
Air raid shelters are structures for the protection of non-combatants as well as combatants against enemy attacks from the air. They are similar to bunkers in many regards, although they are not designed to defend against ground attack (but many ...
, with space for 150 people. There are stories of the doors and ornamental panelling being taken down and burnt in the fireplaces, to help warm the freezing soldiers therein.
By 1946, the castle was in a very sorry state, with the lead roofing and floorboards having been sold or taken to patch up bombed local properties. Once rain was able to enter through the roof, serious decay set in. Because of its condition, nobody was prepared to pay for the restoration of the castle.
[Isle of Wight County Press dated 18 May 2012, Page 49]
By 1951, it had been announced that the castle was to be demolished and that by the following summer, its once carefully tended lawns were to be used to grow strawberries. Demolition workers were already stripping the once luxurious castle of its fittings. There were bonfires all over the estate, as more and more of its trees were being up-rooted and burned.
A subsidiary of Cowes Estates called Cowes Growers LTD were responsible for growing the fruit and vegetables. Winter lettuce had already been planted and as well as the plan to plant 10,000 strawberry plants, there were plans to grow raspberries, apples, cucumbers and blackcurrants on the 58 acres. There were originally some plans to save parts of the castle, but these were seen to be impracticable.
In 1958, the ramshackle estate was sold to a Mr Arthur Guy for just £1,000. He applied for planning permission for a holiday development and 18-hole golf course, which would have saved the castle. However, when his application was refused, he sold the site on to developers, hoping that the castle would still be saved. However, this was proven not to be.
Ultimately, in 1963,
the castle was completely demolished, followed shortly afterwards by the Southgate Lodge. Over the years, housing has been built on most of its grounds, finally ending this noble estate. However, the original northern gatehouse to the Castle still survives, being North Lodge in Old Road, East Cowes.
Stone taken from the demolition of East Cowes Castle was later used in the rebuilding of
West Cowes Castle
Cowes Castle, also known as West Cowes Castle, is a Device Fort in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Originally built by Henry VIII in 1539 to protect England against the threat of invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, it comprised a ci ...
, the home of the
Royal Yacht Squadron
The Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) is a British yacht club. Its clubhouse is Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. Member yachts are given the suffix RYS to their names, and are permitted (with the appropriate warrant) to we ...
.
Post demolition (1963 to date)
![East Cowes Castle Icehouse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/East_Cowes_Castle_Icehouse.jpg)
Over the next thirty years, housing developments were built over the estate. These were Sylvan Avenue, Birch Close, Vereker Drive, Hefford Road, John Nash Avenue, Oak Tree Way, Hendy Road, Benton Close, Glossop Close, St James Close and Moon Close.
In 1989, efforts were made to save East Cowes Castle's
icehouse
Icehouse or ice house may refer to:
* Ice house (building), a building where ice is stored
* Ice shanty, a shelter for ice fishing also known as an ''Icehouse''
* Ice skating rink, a facility for ice skating.
* Ice hockey arena, an area where ice ...
, the only other remaining part of the castle's original estate. It was situated in the middle of the new Sylvan Avenue housing development. The bottle shaped brick building, which was about twelve feet high, was buried partially underground, next to one of the brand new buildings. There was a gaping hole in the roof, but the IW Council architect felt that if the hole could be repaired, then the icehouse could indeed be saved. At that time there were said to be twenty icehouses left on the Isle of Wight.
Indeed, the icehouse was preserved, after the IW Council agreed to take responsibility for it in March 1990. It was loosely filled in with chalk, so that the structure would retain its integrity and then buried under a grass mound to preserve it. In this way, it might be possible to reconstruct it properly in the future. There is an information board erected there to explain its history.
In 1997, the clock
movement
Movement may refer to:
Common uses
* Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece
* Motion, commonly referred to as movement
Arts, entertainment, and media
Literature
* "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...
from a square turret in the castle was put on permanent display at
Carisbrooke Castle
Carisbrooke Castle is a historic motte-and-bailey castle located in the village of Carisbrooke (near Newport), Isle of Wight, England. Charles I was imprisoned at the castle in the months prior to his trial.
Early history
The site of Carisbro ...
. The clock was built in 1819 by
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell () is an area of central London, England.
Clerkenwell was an ancient parish from the mediaeval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington.
The well after which it was named was redisco ...
clockmaker John Moore, who supplied clocks for churches and turrets across the world. It was restored in 1995 to working order.
[Isle of Wight County Press dated 7 February 1997, Page 8]
References
Castle clockCastle history
;Specific
{{coord, 50, 45, 25, N, 1, 16, 51, W, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title
Buildings and structures demolished in 1960
Country houses on the Isle of Wight
Castles on the Isle of Wight
British country houses destroyed in the 20th century
East Cowes