Isle of Wight Holiday - Day 13

East Cowes marina

Chain ferry from East Cowes to Cowes

Egypt Point, the most northerly spot on the Isle of Wight

Today was Cowes and East Cowes with a visit to the East Cowes Heritage Centre, a ride over to Cowes on the chain ferry and on to Egypt Point, the most northerly extremity of the island.

Isle of Wight Holiday - Day 12



High Street, Godshill village

All Saints Church, Godshill

Appuldurcombe House, near Wroxall

Another foray over towards the east to the village of Godshill, a very pretty location somewhat spoiled by hoards of trippers and the little gift shops they wander in and out of. Up on the hill stands All Saints Church surrounded by a clutch of thatched cottages which made a pleasant change to the main part of the village below. From Godshill we drove the six miles to the Isle of Wight's version of Witley Court, the ruined seventeenth-century mansion known as Appuldurcombe House near Wroxall. On the way "home" we stopped at various spots on the south coast in order to take photographs.

Isle of Wight Holiday - Day 11



Isle of Wight steam railway, Wootton

Interior of St. Mildred's Church, Wippingham

Ryde pierhead, looking towards Cowes

Former London Underground electric units work the passenger services on the IoW railway system, two of which are seen passing at Ryde St. John's Road station

We made tracks for the east side of the island with an itinerary which included the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, St. Mildred's Church, Wippingham (where Prince Philip's grandfather is buried), East Cowes (where Norris Castle proved elusive) and then on to Ryde where Ruth and Mike went to an evening Speedway meeting, leaving me to explore the island's quirky railway system which runs from the Pierhead at Ryde down to Shanklin. It was a long day and we didn't get back until 10 p.m.

Isle of Wight Holiday - Day 10

"Farringford" near Freshwater Bay, once the residence of Poet Laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson

"The Briary", Freshwater Bay. This house was built on the same site as that which was the residence of the artist G.F.Watts. The original property was destroyed by fire in 1934.

The morning was spent visiting Malcolm & Sue Gould, to whom we had been introduced by some of our other friends and contacts during our research activities. The Gould's live at "The Briary" near Freshwater Bay, which is a large house that was built on the site of the former residence of the artist G.F.Watts, which was  also known as The Briary, and which was destroyed by fire in 1934. Malcolm and his wife made us extremely welcome and gave us an insight into the history of the property, together with a glimpse of many old documents in his possession which were of great interest. We then went for lunch at a small restaurant adjacent to Alfred, Lord Tennyson's former residence, "Farringford" which is a private residence in this day and age.

Isle of Wight Holiday - Day 9

At 8 o'clock in the morning it was almost impossible to see more than a few yards down the road, such was the thickness of the fog that was lapping the coastal areas of the Isle of Wight. However within an hour or so, and just a couple of miles inland, the sun burst through to give a virtually cloudless day with unbroken sunshine, warm, but with a refreshing sea-breeze, resulting in the best day of weather so far on our holiday. We drove over to East Cowes for a splendid day out at Osborne House, the former summer residence of Queen Victoria and her family. The foghorns continued to blast out out their warning until well after lunchtime, indicating that the sea-fog was still a persistent problem in the Solent.

Isle of Wight Holiday - Day 8

Murky weather conditions surround Tennyson's monument on the high downs of the Isle of Wight

Sts. Thomas', Newport Minster, is a typical Victorian Gothick town church and was designed by the architect Samuel Whitfield Daukes, who was also responsible for Witley Court. 

The splendid ruins of Carisbrooke Castle near Newport, Isle of Wight

Fairly early in the morning Ruth and myself climbed to the top of Tennyson Down in order to watch the yachts sailing round the island in the annual Isle of Wight race. It was disappointingly misty and a stiff breeze made conditions unpleasant for both yachtsmen and spectators alike. Another disappointment followed later in the day when we arrived in Newport only to find that the Minster was closed to visitors. Nearby, the castle at Carisbrooke provided the highlight of the day, as yet again the sun broke through in the afternoon and led to a glorious evening of sunshine.

Isle of Wight Holiday - Day 7

The view from the top of St.Catherine's Hill, looking west towards The Needles over Brighstone Bay

St. Catherine's Oratory, known locally as "The Pepperpot", but resembling a medieval spaceship

St. Catherine's Oratory standing on St. Catherine's Hill is a tall medieval octagonal tower, allegedly a lighthouse, built here in 1328 by Walter de Godeton (sometimes spelled "Goditon") as penance for stealing church property from a wrecked ship. Affectionately known as the Pepperpot, it stands on one of the highest parts of the Isle of Wight. It is part of the Tennyson Heritage Coast, a series of linked cliff-top monuments. A later lighthouse can be seen nearby. From the top of the hill there are fabulous views to be enjoyed over the English Channel to the Cherbourg peninsula in northern France.

Isle of Wight Holiday - Day 6

Interior of the Brading Roman Villa complex

Bembridge Windmill

Today was spent roaming around the more eastern extremities of the island, with visits to Brading Roman Villa and then on to Bembridge Windmill. We returned to our base via the picturesque and relatively traffic-free road that follows the south coast via Sandown, Ventnor, Brighstone and Freshwater Bay.

Isle of Wight Holiday, Day 5

Freshwater Bay looking west towards Tennyson Down

Near Freshwater Bay, looking west

The Needles and the Old Battery

Yarmouth Pier from the castle

Today, a trip around the western extremities of the I.O.W. courtesy of an open-top 'bus. The small town of Yarmouth was visited, followed by a pleasant ride through the countryside, ending up at the Needles Old Battery for an excellent view of the rocks, lighthouse and coastline; it was a dry but very blustery day, though as on previous days, the sunshine broke through in the afternoon. I alighted the 'bus at Freshwater Bay where, surprise surprise, I bumped into a fellow researcher by the name of Ruth who gave me a lift back to the bungalow in her van.

Isle of Wight holiday - Day 4

Julia Margaret Cameron's studio at Dimbola Lodge

Ruth Butler "at work", Dimbola Lodge

A scene from J.M.C's bedroom, Dimbola Lodge

The day was spent on researching the family ancestors of Rachel, Countess of Dudley, who, as a young girl, visited her maternal relatives at Freshwater Bay on the Isle of Wight. Time was spent hunting around the cemetery at All Saints Church followed by a visit to the local library and on to Dimbola Lodge. Finally we were invited to meet the eighty-plus year-old Mrs. Elizabeth Hutchings, a local historian of a somewhat eccentric, though very approachable disposition, who regaled us with stories of the old families for over an hour before we headed back to base in the late afternoon.

Isle of Wight holiday - Day 3

Alum Bay landing stage with The Needles and lighthouse in the background

The Needles lighthouse

Chair-lift returning up the cliff face at Alum Bay

A short distance away from our holiday accommodation is Alum Bay from where a chair-lift ride takes the visitor down to the shingle beach. From here I took a small boat out into coastal waters on a short trip to The Needles chalk outcrops and the famous lighthouse, these days unmanned and automatically controlled from the shore. The remains of the old and new gun-battery emplacements are located on the cliff-tops. 

Isle of Wight holiday - Day 2

Marble bust of Alfred, Lord Tennyson in All Saints Church, Freshwater

All Saints Church, Freshwater

Dimbola Lodge, Freshwater Bay with sculpture featuring Jimmi Hendrix

Today we explored the western extremity of the Isle of Wight on foot - we walked nearly ten miles around Freshwater, Totland and the surrounding area. Highlights of the day included All Saints Church and Dimbola Lodge, the former home and studio of the pioneering Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron who was the great-aunt of Rachel, the Countess of Dudley. After a rather poor start weather-wise, the afternoon brightened up nicely.

Isle of Wight holiday - Day 1

Crossing the Severn Bridge

Boarding the ferry at Lymington

At around 10.30 a.m. today, Ruth, Mike and myself set off from Llandrindod Wells on the journey to Lymington, Hampshire, where we boarded the ferry to the Isle of Wight. We then drove the short distance from Yarmouth to Cliff End where we had booked our accommodation, a small bungalow overlooking Colwell Bay near Totland.

Stewarding at the church

This afternoon I was duty steward as a result of a colleague being unavailable, and would I be able to fill-in for her. An average number of visitors with around eighty people through the door. It seemed to be a day for people losing things. The 'phone rang; it was E.H. to say that someone had left their bag in the church and could I find it and hand it back to the owner. Find it I did, and a very grateful gentleman dropped a fiver into the donations tin. Perhaps they could all lose their belongings ? Another 'phone call from Ian Holland who had left his keys on a pew, but I had already found them - panic over. Nancie Stansfield remarked that they had been very busy at the tea-room. Off to the Isle-of-Wight this coming weekend for a fortnight's holiday; watch out for my blogs as they will be coming thick and fast.

Poseidon Fountain Restoration Society, A.G.M. 2nd June 2011.

As was the case last year, this year's A.G.M. was held at the English Heritage visitor centre at Witley Court, courtesy of site operations manager Spencer Trickett, to whom we are most grateful in allowing this facility, and for the privilege of a firing of the Poseidon fountain for our exclusive view. Around sixteen members attended on a glorious early summer evening, including several new people. After our wanderings around the court, society business was conducted in the education services room, where I was elected as society secretary, taking over from Rod Sproat who already has many other commitments, and wished to be relieved of his duties in this respect. Rod will continue as editor of the society journal, and as treasurer, with Mark Brown being re-elected as chairman. Many thanks to all who attended a most pleasant evening's entertainment.