East Cowes Castle, located in East Cowes, 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 1800The Sphere dated 3 December 1949, Page 28 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-style turrets and towers, which were built in the style of the period of Edward VI, 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 and J. M. W. Turner, who painted a picture of the location.
On Nash's death, the estate was sold to the Earl of Shannon 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 family, who held it until 1934.
The castle was requisitioned by the War Office during the Second World War, under whose use the condition of the building suffered greatly and owing to subsequent neglect and deterioration, the castle was 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 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 Cutra Castle, near Gort, County Galway. 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.Hampshire Advertiser dated 25 October 1845, Page 7 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.Isle of Wight County Press dated 13 October 1934, Page 4
The grounds were laid out with the help of Humphry Repton,The East Cowes Group of the Isle of Wight Society the famous landscape designer, who also designed the gardens for the nearby Norris Castle. 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, 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 was visiting Cowes.Hampshire Advertiser dated 27 December 1845, Page 8
Lough Cutra Castle
This exact copy of the original East Cowes Castle was built on Lough Cutra, County Galway 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.
The circumstances surrounding its creation was that Charles Vereker, 2nd Viscount Gort 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 Cutra, 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 Cutra Castle became the seat of the Gort family, although they were forced to sell the castle due to the great Irish famine of 1846.Yorkshire Evening Post dated 10 July 1940, Page 4 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, acquired it by marrying Elizabeth Tudor. The story has it that he had no idea that East Cowes Castle was identical to his Lough Cutra 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 Cutra Castle was used to billet troops during the Second World War 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 and Marble Arch. Many of his commissions came from the Prince Regent, who would later become King George IV. Nash also designed many Isle of Wight buildings, including Newport Town Hall, Whippingham Church, and Northwood House.Isle of Wight County Press dated 27 October 1956, Page 8 He also designed the IW County Club, which is the ornate arched building on the corner of Newport High Street and St James' Square.Isle of Wight County Press dated 22 January 1966, Page 10
In July 1817, the Prince Regent dined at the castle, with four hundred soldiers from Parkhurst Barracks forming a guard of honour.East Cowes Castle - A pictorial History by Ian Sherfield, Page 28
In October 1818, Lady Anne Romilly, wife of Sir Samuel Romilly, died after a long illness, whilst staying as a guest of John Nash at East Cowes Castle.Morning Chronicle dated 2 November 1818, Page 2 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.Morning Chronicle dated 14 August 1819, Page 3 In 1825, the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge stayed at East Cowes Castle.London Courier and Evening Gazette dated 1 August 1825, Page 2 In 1827 the artist J.M.W. Turner stayed as a guest of Nash where and attended the Cowes Regatta. He subsequently produced two pictures commissioned by Nash including East Cowes Castle.
In August 1830, the Dauphiness and Duchess De Berri, accompanying the expatriated King of France, 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.Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette dated 26 August 1830, Page 3
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.East Cowes Castle - A pictorial history by Ian Sherfield, Page 49
The Right Honourable Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon (1836 - 1842)
Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon KP, PC (Ire) bought East Cowes Castle and its furniture in February 1836 for twenty thousand guineas.Dorset County Chronicle dated 11 February 1836, Page 3 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 had recently married the daughter of Lord George Seymour, the owner of nearby Norris Castle.East Cowes Heritage Centre
Boyle was a Member of Parliament 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 and Custos rotulorum of County Cork between 1831 and 1842.
Under the Earl's ownership, the castle became known as Shannon's Castle.East Cowes Castle - A Pictorial History by Ian Sherfield, Page 49 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 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.Hampshire Advertiser dated 23 April 1836, Page 3
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.London Evening Standard dated 2 May 1837, Page 2 In August 1837, the Dowager Queen Adelaide 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.South Eastern Gazette dated 15 August 1837, Page 2 She was the widow of King William IV and the Australian city of Adelaide was named after her. When Queen Victoria 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 illClonmel Herald dated 3 October 1838, Page 2 and in 1841, he was prevented from visiting the castle, due to the delicate state of his health.Freeman's Journal dated 17 November 1841, Page 2 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 in Ireland.Cambridge Independent Press dated 30 April 1842, Page 3