Quarr Abbey House
Encyclopedia
The Quarr Abbey House of the early 20th century was one of several fine houses constructed along the north coast of the Isle of Wight
in southern England
. It was built with stone from the ruins of a Norman
abbey on the site. It was a residence of the Cochrane family.
A prominent member of the Cochrane family was the daring Admiral Lord Cochrane
(1775–1860), "le loup des mers" ("the sea wolf"). Admiral Cochrane was famous for his part in the liberation of Chile
, Peru
and Brazil
from colonial dominion. Admiral Cochrane's life and adventures inspired the fiction of novelists Captain Marryat
, C.S. Forester, Patrick O'Brian
and Bernard Cornwell
.
Admiral Thomas Cochrane's nephew Admiral Sir Thomas John Cochrane (1779–1872) lived at Quarr Abbey House. His daughter Minna was lady-in-waiting to Princess Beatrice, youngest daughter of Queen Victoria
. It was at Quarr Abbey House that Princess Beatrice spent her honeymoon after her marriage to Prince Henry of Battenberg
on July 23, 1885 at St. Mildred's Church, Whippingham
on the Isle of Wight
. Henry died ten years later and was buried at St. Mildred's Church, part of which became known as the Battenberg Chapel.
Queen Victoria visited Quarr Abbey House. The Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, and the German Kaiser William II watched the sailing boats from the balcony of the house during the annual Cowes Week Regatta
. Only ten days before her death, Queen Victoria recorded in her diary she had enjoyed a duet at Quarr Abbey House played by Minna Cochrane and her daughter Beatrice. After the Queen's death at Osborne House
, the Cochrane family and others ceased to frequent the island so often. Quarr Abbey House was left in the hands of a caretaker and put on the market.
In 24 May 1907 Quarr Abbey House was bought by Benedictine
monks who had been leasing the Appuldurcombe House
near Wroxall
on the Isle of Wight
. Since Quarr Abbey House was smaller than Appuldurcombe House, a refectory and monks' quarters had to be constructed on the site. In 1911 work began on the Abbey church which was consecrated on October 12, 1912.
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...
in southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was built with stone from the ruins of a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
abbey on the site. It was a residence of the Cochrane family.
A prominent member of the Cochrane family was the daring Admiral Lord Cochrane
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
(1775–1860), "le loup des mers" ("the sea wolf"). Admiral Cochrane was famous for his part in the liberation of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
from colonial dominion. Admiral Cochrane's life and adventures inspired the fiction of novelists Captain Marryat
Frederick Marryat
Captain Frederick Marryat was an English Royal Navy officer, novelist, and a contemporary and acquaintance of Charles Dickens, noted today as an early pioneer of the sea story...
, C.S. Forester, Patrick O'Brian
Patrick O'Brian
Patrick O'Brian, CBE , born Richard Patrick Russ, was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series of novels set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and centred on the friendship of English Naval Captain Jack Aubrey and the Irish–Catalan physician Stephen...
and Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe which were adapted into a series of Sharpe television films.-Biography:...
.
Admiral Thomas Cochrane's nephew Admiral Sir Thomas John Cochrane (1779–1872) lived at Quarr Abbey House. His daughter Minna was lady-in-waiting to Princess Beatrice, youngest daughter of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
. It was at Quarr Abbey House that Princess Beatrice spent her honeymoon after her marriage to Prince Henry of Battenberg
Prince Henry of Battenberg
Colonel Prince Henry of Battenberg was a morganatic descendant of the Grand Ducal House of Hesse, later becoming a member of the British Royal Family, through his marriage to Princess Beatrice.-Early life:...
on July 23, 1885 at St. Mildred's Church, Whippingham
St. Mildred's Church, Whippingham
St. Mildred's Church, Whippingham is a parish church in the Church of England located in Whippingham, Isle of Wight.-History:The chancel of the church was built in 1854 and 1855 by the architect Albert Jenkins Humbert although Prince Albert is thought to have had a guiding hand.The remainder of the...
on 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...
. Henry died ten years later and was buried at St. Mildred's Church, part of which became known as the Battenberg Chapel.
Queen Victoria visited Quarr Abbey House. The Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, and the German Kaiser William II watched the sailing boats from the balcony of the house during the annual Cowes Week Regatta
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...
. Only ten days before her death, Queen Victoria recorded in her diary she had enjoyed a duet at Quarr Abbey House played by Minna Cochrane and her daughter Beatrice. After the Queen's death at Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat....
, the Cochrane family and others ceased to frequent the island so often. Quarr Abbey House was left in the hands of a caretaker and put on the market.
In 24 May 1907 Quarr Abbey House was bought by Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks who had been leasing the Appuldurcombe House
Appuldurcombe House
Appuldurcombe House is the shell of a large 18th-century baroque country house of the Worsley family. The house is situated near to Wroxall on the Isle of Wight....
near Wroxall
Wroxall, Isle of Wight
Wroxall is a village and civil parish in the central south of the Isle of Wight.It is close to Appuldurcombe House. The parish church is St. John's Church, Wroxall....
on 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...
. Since Quarr Abbey House was smaller than Appuldurcombe House, a refectory and monks' quarters had to be constructed on the site. In 1911 work began on the Abbey church which was consecrated on October 12, 1912.
See also
- Quarr AbbeyQuarr AbbeyQuarr Abbey is a monastery between the villages of Binstead and Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight in southern England. The name is pronounced as "Kor" . It belongs to the Order of St Benedict. The present imposing brick construction was completed in 1912. A community of about a dozen monks maintains...