Cowes
Encyclopedia
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight
. Cowes 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 two towns are linked by the Cowes Floating Bridge
, a chain ferry
.
The population was 9,663 in the 2001 census, a figure that is easily doubled during the regatta in early August.
Leland's
19th century verses described the towns poetically as "The two great Cowes that in loud thunder roar, This on the eastern, that the western shore".
Cowes has been seen as a home for international yacht racing since the founding of the Royal Yacht Squadron in 1815. The town gives its name to the world's oldest regular regatta, Cowes Week
, which occurs annually in the first week of August. Later on in the summer, powerboat
races are held.
Much of the town's architecture is still heavily influenced by the style of ornate building which Prince Albert popularised.
. Travellers to Southampton
are served by a high speed catamaran
passenger ferry from Cowes known as the Red Jet
. Southern Vectis route 1
is the main bus service in Cowes, serving the Red Jet terminal and running to Newport
to take travellers on to other Island destinations. Wightbus
also run local services around Cowes and Gurnard
. The Cowes Floating Bridge
connects the two towns of Cowes and East Cowes
throughout the day. It is one of few chain ferries left not to have been replaced by a physical bridge.
Cowes is the start of the Isle of Wight Coastal Path
.
Cowes was once served by Cowes railway station
on the Island Line
. However, this was closed as part of the Beeching Axe
.
estuary, so-called after a supposed likeness to cows. The name was subsequently transferred to fortifications built during the reign of Henry VIII
on the east and west banks of the river to dispel a French invasion, referred to as cowforts or cowes. They subsequently gave their names to the towns of Cowes and East Cowes
, replacing the earlier name of Shamblord.
The towns name has been subject to dispute in the past, sometimes being called Cowes, and then West Cowes. For example a Milestone from the 17th century exists, calling the town Cowes, but up until the late 19th Century the Urban District Council bore the name West Cowes. 1895 saw the last major point where the town was called West Cowes, when West Cowes Urban District Council applied for permission to change the name of the town to Cowes officially, and this was granted on the 21st of August 1895. Despite the vast majority of businesses and people in the town in the past century calling it Cowes, the name West Cowes is still contentiously used throughout the literature of Red Funnel
, the ferry provider that provides routes from Southampton
to Cowes and East Cowes.
The Isle of Wight
was a target of attempted French invasions, and there were notable incursions. Henrician Castles were built in both settlements in the sixteenth century. The west fort in Cowes still survives to this day, albeit without the original Tudor
towers, as Cowes Castle. The fort built in East Cowes is believed to have been similar but was abandoned c1546 and since destroyed.
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.
, 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.
Cowes and East Cowes became a single urban district
in 1933.
on 4/5 May 1942, the local defences had been fortuitously augmented by the Polish destroyer Blyskawica
(itself built by White's in East Cowes
), which put up such a determined defence that, in 2002, the crew's courage was honoured by a local commemoration lasting several days to mark the 60th anniversary of the event. In 2004 an area of Cowes was named Francki Place in honour of the ship's commander. The Friends of the ORP Błyskawica Society is active in Cowes.
s, and sail-making. It is the place where the first hovercraft
was tested.
Major present-day employers include BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies
(Insyte), which occupies the site of the old Somerton Aerodrome at Newport Road, Cowes; and GKN Aerospace in East Cowes.
The population of the town increases dramatically during Cowes Week
, and becomes the busiest time of the year for local businesses. The town has recently been reported to be doing well, despite the economic downturn.
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina
River Medina
The River Medina is the main river of the Isle of Wight, rising at St Catherine's Down in the south of the Island and through the capital Newport, towards the Solent at Cowes. The river is a navigable tidal estuary from Newport northwards where it takes the form of a ria . The Medina is 17km long...
facing the smaller town of East Cowes
East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish to the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina next to its neighbour on the west bank, Cowes....
on the east Bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floating Bridge
Cowes Floating Bridge
The Cowes Floating Bridge is a vehicular chain ferry which crosses the River Medina on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. The ferry crosses the tidal river from East Cowes to Cowes. The first floating bridge between East Cowes and Cowes was established in 1859 and is one of the few...
, a chain ferry
Cable ferry
A cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....
.
The population was 9,663 in the 2001 census, a figure that is easily doubled during the regatta in early August.
Leland's
Charles Godfrey Leland
Charles Godfrey Leland was an American humorist and folklorist, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was educated at Princeton University and in Europe....
19th century verses described the towns poetically as "The two great Cowes that in loud thunder roar, This on the eastern, that the western shore".
Cowes has been seen as a home for international yacht racing since the founding of the Royal Yacht Squadron in 1815. The town gives its name to the world's oldest regular regatta, Cowes Week
Cowes Week
Cowes Week is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world. With 40 daily races, up to 1,000 boats, and 8,500 competitors ranging from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors, it is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world...
, which occurs annually in the first week of August. Later on in the summer, powerboat
Powerboat
A powerboat is another name for a motorboat. Powerboat may also refer to:* Powerboating* F1 Powerboat World Championship* Offshore powerboat racing...
races are held.
Much of the town's architecture is still heavily influenced by the style of ornate building which Prince Albert popularised.
Transport
Cowes is a gateway town for the Isle of WightIsle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. Travellers to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
are served by a high speed catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
passenger ferry from Cowes known as the Red Jet
Red Funnel
The Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited, which trades as Red Funnel, is a ferry company that carries passengers and vehicles on routes between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight...
. Southern Vectis route 1
Southern Vectis route 1
Southern Vectis route 1 is a bus service operated by Southern Vectis between Cowes and Newport on the Isle of Wight. The daytime frequency of the route is every 7-8 minutes. There are two route variants between Northwood and Cowes Pontoon, running either via Cowes Round House or Cowes Park and Ride...
is the main bus service in Cowes, serving the Red Jet terminal and running to Newport
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
to take travellers on to other Island destinations. Wightbus
Wightbus
Not to be confused with Wrightbus, the bus manufacturerWightbus was a bus operator on the Isle of Wight, owned by the Isle of Wight Council...
also run local services around Cowes and Gurnard
Gurnard, Isle of Wight
Gurnard is a village and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, two miles to the west of Cowes. Gurnard sits on the edge of Gurnard Bay, enjoyed by the Gurnard Sailing Club.Gurnard's main street features a pub , a few shops and a few houses...
. The Cowes Floating Bridge
Cowes Floating Bridge
The Cowes Floating Bridge is a vehicular chain ferry which crosses the River Medina on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. The ferry crosses the tidal river from East Cowes to Cowes. The first floating bridge between East Cowes and Cowes was established in 1859 and is one of the few...
connects the two towns of Cowes and East Cowes
East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish to the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina next to its neighbour on the west bank, Cowes....
throughout the day. It is one of few chain ferries left not to have been replaced by a physical bridge.
Cowes is the start of the Isle of Wight Coastal Path
Isle of Wight Coastal Path
.There are a couple of cafes on the cliff path which I believe are open in the summer months. The only public convenience on the cliff path now appears to be closed permanently ....
.
Cowes was once served by Cowes railway station
Cowes railway station
Cowes Railway Station took pride in being the “prettiest station on the Garden Isle” . Opened in 1862, the very first on the island as part of the inaugural “Cowes and Newport” railway it expanded to three platforms as the railway branched out towards Ryde in the years before the motor bus began...
on the Island Line
Island Line
Island Line can refer to:*Island Line , one of the ten lines of the MTR metro system in Hong Kong*Island Line, Isle of Wight, a railway line on the Isle of Wight, England*Island Line Trains, a train operating company in the United Kingdom...
. However, this was closed as part of the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
.
Name
The name Westcowe was attested in 1413 as the name of one of two sandbanks, on each side of the River MedinaRiver Medina
The River Medina is the main river of the Isle of Wight, rising at St Catherine's Down in the south of the Island and through the capital Newport, towards the Solent at Cowes. The river is a navigable tidal estuary from Newport northwards where it takes the form of a ria . The Medina is 17km long...
estuary, so-called after a supposed likeness to cows. The name was subsequently transferred to fortifications built during the reign of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
on the east and west banks of the river to dispel a French invasion, referred to as cowforts or cowes. They subsequently gave their names to the towns of Cowes and East Cowes
East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish to the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina next to its neighbour on the west bank, Cowes....
, replacing the earlier name of Shamblord.
The towns name has been subject to dispute in the past, sometimes being called Cowes, and then West Cowes. For example a Milestone from the 17th century exists, calling the town Cowes, but up until the late 19th Century the Urban District Council bore the name West Cowes. 1895 saw the last major point where the town was called West Cowes, when West Cowes Urban District Council applied for permission to change the name of the town to Cowes officially, and this was granted on the 21st of August 1895. Despite the vast majority of businesses and people in the town in the past century calling it Cowes, the name West Cowes is still contentiously used throughout the literature of Red Funnel
Red Funnel
The Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited, which trades as Red Funnel, is a ferry company that carries passengers and vehicles on routes between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight...
, the ferry provider that provides routes from Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to Cowes and East Cowes.
Early history
In earlier centuries the two settlements were much smaller and known as East and West Shamblord, the East being the more significant settlement.The Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
was a target of attempted French invasions, and there were notable incursions. Henrician Castles were built in both settlements in the sixteenth century. The west fort in Cowes still survives to this day, albeit without the original Tudor
Tudor architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
towers, as Cowes Castle. The fort built in East Cowes is believed to have been similar but was abandoned c1546 and since destroyed.
Royal patronage creates a yachting centre
It is believed that the building of an 80 ton, 60 man vessel called Rat O'Wight on the banks of the river Medina in 1589 for the use of Queen Elizabeth IElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
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
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
that the stage was set for the heyday of Cowes as 'The Yachting Capital of the World.' In 1826 the Royal Yacht Squadron
Royal Yacht Squadron
The Royal Yacht Squadron is the most prestigious yacht club in the United Kingdom and arguably the world. Its clubhouse is located in Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom...
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.
Great houses
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 ArnoldThomas Arnold
Dr Thomas Arnold was a British educator and historian. Arnold was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement...
, headmaster of Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
.
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
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language....
and in whose memory the poet wrote six lines.
Cowes and East Cowes became a single urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
in 1933.
World War II and the Blyskawica
During an air raid of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on 4/5 May 1942, the local defences had been fortuitously augmented by the Polish destroyer Blyskawica
ORP Blyskawica
ORP Błyskawica was a Grom-class destroyer serving in the Polish Navy during World War II, currently preserved as a museum ship in Gdynia. It is the only ship of the Polish Navy awarded with the Virtuti Militari medal, as well as the oldest preserved destroyer in the world.She was the latter of two...
(itself built by White's in East Cowes
East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish to the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina next to its neighbour on the west bank, Cowes....
), which put up such a determined defence that, in 2002, the crew's courage was honoured by a local commemoration lasting several days to mark the 60th anniversary of the event. In 2004 an area of Cowes was named Francki Place in honour of the ship's commander. The Friends of the ORP Błyskawica Society is active in Cowes.
Economy
Local industry in both Cowes and East Cowes has always centred on the building and design of marine craft and materials associated with boat-making, including the early flying boatFlying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s, and sail-making. It is the place where the first hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
was tested.
Major present-day employers include BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies
BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies
BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies was formed on May 3, 2005, by bringing together BAE Systems' interests in C4ISR and the UK operations of AMS following the Eurosystems Transaction....
(Insyte), which occupies the site of the old Somerton Aerodrome at Newport Road, Cowes; and GKN Aerospace in East Cowes.
The population of the town increases dramatically during Cowes Week
Cowes Week
Cowes Week is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world. With 40 daily races, up to 1,000 boats, and 8,500 competitors ranging from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors, it is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world...
, and becomes the busiest time of the year for local businesses. The town has recently been reported to be doing well, despite the economic downturn.
Notable residents
- Ellen MacArthurEllen MacArthurDame Ellen Patricia MacArthur, DBE is an English sailor, up until 2009, from Whatstandwell near Matlock in Derbyshire, now based in West Cowes, on the Isle of Wight. She is best known as a solo long-distance yachtswoman. On 7 February 2005 she broke the world record for the fastest solo...
- solo long-distance yachtswoman - Alan TitchmarshAlan TitchmarshAlan Fred Titchmarsh, MBE DL is an English gardener, broadcaster and novelist. After working as a professional gardener and a garden journalist, he established himself as a media personality through appearances on gardening programmes...
- gardener, novelist and broadcaster - Princess Zita of Bourbon-ParmaZita of Bourbon-ParmaPrincess Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the wife of Emperor Charles of Austria...
, future Empress of Austria-HungaryAustria-HungaryAustria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
was educated at a nearby convent as a young girl - Dr Thomas ArnoldThomas ArnoldDr Thomas Arnold was a British educator and historian. Arnold was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement...
— Headmaster of Rugby School - Jeremy IronsJeremy IronsJeremy John Irons is an English actor. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969, and has since appeared in many London theatre productions including The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the...
— film actor and OscarAcademy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
and double-Emmy winner - Cliff MichelmoreCliff MichelmoreArthur Clifford "Cliff" Michelmore CBE is a British television presenter and producer. He is best known for the BBC television programme Tonight, which he presented from 1957 to 1965....
— BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television and radio presenter/producer - Mark KingMark King (musician)Mark King is an English musician. He is most famous for being the lead singer and bassist of the band, Level 42. In the early 1980s King popularized the 1970s-era slap and pop style for playing the bass guitar by incorporating it into pop music.-Early life:King was brought up on the Isle of Wight,...
— bassist and lead singer of Jazz/Funk Fusion band Level 42Level 42Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the... - Albert KetèlbeyAlbert KetèlbeyAlbert William Ketèlbey , born Ketelbey, was an English composer, conductor and pianist.-Biography:...
— composer, conductor and pianist - Kenneth KendallKenneth KendallKenneth Kendall is a retired British broadcaster. He was a contemporary of Richard Baker and Robert Dougall...
— journalist and broadcaster - Celia ImrieCelia ImrieCelia Diana Savile Imrie is an English actress. In a career starting in the early 1970s, Imrie has played Marianne Bellshade in Bergerac, Philippa Moorcroft in Dinnerladies, Miss Babs in Acorn Antiques, Diana Neal in After You've Gone and Gloria Millington in Kingdom...
— actress - Uffa FoxUffa FoxUffa Fox CBE was an English boat designer and sailing enthusiast.-Life:Uffa Fox was born on the Isle of Wight and was raised in East Cowes. He lived for a while in Puckaster on the Isle of Wight.-Work:...
— naval architect, author, yachtsman
See also
- Cowes Maritime MuseumCowes Maritime MuseumThe Cowes Maritime Museum is a local maritime museum in Cowes, Isle of Wight, southern England.The museum is co-located within Cowes Library. It was started by library staff in the 1970s. It has a small exhibition area that displays model boats from its collection. The museum also has a...
- Holy Trinity Church, CowesHoly Trinity Church, CowesHoly Trinity Church, Cowes is a parish church in the Church of England located in Cowes, Isle of Wight.-History:The church is was built in 1832 by the architect Benjamin Bramble.It has an unusual location at the edge of the sea...
- St. Mary's Church, CowesSt. Mary's Church, CowesSt. Mary's Church, Cowes is a parish church in the Church of England located in Cowes, Isle of Wight.-History:The church is was built in 1867 by the architect Arthur Cates. It stands adjacent to Northwood House.-Organ:...
- St. Faith's Church, CowesSt. Faith's Church, CowesSt. Faith's Church, Cowes is a parish church in the Church of England located in Cowes, Isle of Wight.-Organ:A specification of the organ can be found on the .-Previous Vicars:...
External links
- Cowes.co.uk — official Cowes Harbour Commission website
- Isle of Wight Tourism — Isle of Wight Tourist information
- Online current nautical charts, Cowes and approaches
- Old postcards of Cowes, Gurnard, East Cowes and Osborne House
- The history of the Customs Service at Cowes
- Old pictures of Cowes