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is a
Seaport Town on the
Isle Of Wight , an island due south of the major southern
English port of
Southampton . It is located on the west bank of the estuary of the
River Medina facing the smaller town of '''East Cowes''' on the east Bank. The town is therefore sometimes referred to as '''West Cowes''', especially where distinction is needed such as at the ferry termini.
Leland's Nineteenth Century verses, described the towns poetically as ''"The two great Cowes that in loud thunder roar, This on the eastern, that the western shore"''. The two towns are linked by a
Chain Ferry . The combined population was 19,919 in the 1991 census, a figure that is easily doubled during the regatta in early August (see below).
Cowes is now renowned for sailing, Cowes Castle being home to the world famous
Royal Yacht Squadron , which ranks amongst the world's elite yacht clubs. The town gives its name to the world's oldest regular regatta,
Cowes Week , which occurs in the first week of August. Later on in the summer,
Powerboat races are held.
East Cowes is home to Norris Castle, and
Osborne House , the former summer residence of
Queen Victoria and
Prince Albert . The Prince had a major influence on the building of St Mildred's Church in
Whippingham , East Cowes, which features distinctive turrets imitating those found on a German castle. Both towns' architecture is heavily influenced by the distinctive style of ornate building which was popular in
Prince Albert 's time.
Cowes and East Cowes are key gateway towns for the
Isle Of Wight . Those travelling to
Southampton are served by a high speed
Catamaran passenger ferry from "West" Cowes and a vehicle ferry from East Cowes. Visitors arriving at East Cowes find it hard not to notice the worlds largest
Union Jack on the hangar doors of the building originally used by
Saunders Roe and successive marine and aerospace manufacturing companies.
There are two theories about the origin of the name:-
- Cowes and East Cowes derive their names from the time of Henry VIII , when fortifications called cowforts or cowes were built on the east and west banks to dispel a French invasion.
- Cowes and West Cowes were named after two Sandbank s, one on each side of the River Medina estuary, and recorded in 1413 as ''Estcowe'' and ''Westcowe'', which were named after a supposed likeless to cows (animals).
In earlier centuries the two settlements were much smaller and known as East and West ''Shamblord''; the East then being more significant settlement. The
Isle Of Wight had been a frequent target of attempted French invasions with some notable incursions. The west fort survives to this day, albeit without the original
Tudor towers, as ''Cowes Castle'' but the east fort disappeared in the eighteenth century and should not be confused with ''East Cowes Castle'' built subsequently by
John Nash .
It is believed that the building of an 80 ton, 60 man vessel called Rat O'Wight on the banks of the river Medina for the use of Queen
Elizabeth I sowed the seed for Cowes to grow into a world renowned centre of boat-building. However, seafaring for recreation and sport remained the exception rather than the rule until much later. It was not until the reign of keen sailor
George IV that the stage was set for the heyday of Cowes as 'The Yachting Capital of the World.' In
1826 the
Royal Yacht Squadron organised a three-day regatta for the first time and the next year the king signified his approval of the event by presenting a cup to mark the occasion. This became known as
Cowes Regatta and it soon grew into a four-day event that always ended with a fireworks display.
In Cowes the
18th Century house of Westbourne was home to a collector of customs whose son, born there in
1795 , lived to become Dr
Thomas Arnold , headmaster of
Rugby School .
Northwood House was the home of the Ward family. It was donated under trust to the town in
1929 , the grounds becoming
Northwood Park . William George Ward was a close friend of the poet
Tennyson and in whose memory the poet wrote six lines.
During the reign of
Queen Victoria , who made her summer home at Osborne by acquiring and rebuilding
Osborne House , East Cowes was the subject of planned estate of grand houses, groves and parks. The scheme, not finding the finances it needed, was folded, but a few residences built in the early stages still survive to this day such as the former ''Albert Grove'' residences of ''Kent House'' and ''Powys House'' on York Avenue.
In East Cowes
Norris Castle was designed in the Norman style by
James Wyatt in the late eighteenth century. The building survives and today remains a private home. In
1798 , the architect John Nash, began building his home,
East Cowes Castle , where he later entertained the Prince Consort and other prominent guests. East Cowes Castle was notable for its
Gothic towers and turrets, and elaborate
Castellation . Nash died in
1835 and is buried in the tower of East Cowes Church which he also designed. East Cowes Castle was demolished during the
1960s , although the
Ice House remains and is visible in Sylvan Avenue.
Local industry in both Cowes and East Cowes has always centred on the building and design of marine craft, including the early
Flying Boat s, and sailmaking. It is also noted as the place where the first
Hovercraft was tested. East Cowes was also once home to the manufacturer
Saunders Roe , who built the flying boat The
Saunders-Roe Princess .
West Cowes and East Cowes became a single
Urban District in 1933.
Its industry and proximity to Southampton and the Royal Navy's home at
Portsmouth made the Isle a frequent target of bombing during
World War II .
To celebrate the
Silver Jubilee of the
Queen's Coronation in
1977 , the main hangar doors of what was then the
British Hovercraft Corporation (a successor to
Saunders Roe ) were painted with the world's largest image of the
Union Jack .
Although respected as being the home of yachting in the UK, Cowes suffers from a severe lack of useable public slipways. The nearest, most convenient slipways being in East Cowes or the port of Yarmouth on the West of the Island.
The name of the town has led to many jests and
Pun s over the years. Here are some examples, which, perhaps it need not be said, are best read out loud to be fully appreciated.
- "I used to introduce my act by saying things like "Hello, London", or wherever else I was performing. Then I got into terrible trouble when I played a Ladies' Night in Cowes..."
''- attributed to Bernard Manning ''
- Q: What's brown and smelly and comes out of Cowes? A: The Isle Of Wight ferry.
