3. HISTORIC BACKGROUND

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3. HISTORIC BACKGROUND EAST COWES PAST AND PRESENT Historical OS Plan - Dating Circa

16th Century (around a defence fort built during the reign of Henry VIII) into to

During this time, the town has developed extensively, gaining a reputation as the

of international signiﬁcance such as the seaplane and hovercraft.

to high proﬁle public ﬁgures such as the eminent Regency architect John Nash and Mr

Island for residents and commerce, just as it did over 500 years ago.

1 3. HISTORIC BACKGROUND EAST COWES PAST AND PRESENT Historical OS Plan - Dating Circa 1898 Strategically, East Cowes has developed from a small hamlet at the end of the 16th Century (around a defence fort built during the reign of Henry VIII) into to the large port town that it is today. During this time, the town has developed extensively, gaining a reputation as the favourite royal residence of Queen Victoria, as well as the birthplace of inventions of international signiﬁcance such as the seaplane and hovercraft. In addition to Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort, East Cowes has been home to high proﬁle public ﬁgures such as the eminent Regency architect John Nash and Mr Burbridge (at one time, the owner of Harrods) and remains a key gateway to the Island for residents and commerce, just as it did over 500 years ago. Until 1894, East Cowes fell within the parish of Whippingham and although they are now neighbouring parishes, they remain inextricably linked, sharing both history and landscape. 13

THE ROYAL CONNECTION When Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort, bought Osborne House with plans to make it their summer home in 1845, there was a huge level of excitement in the town.

2 THE ROYAL CONNECTION When Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort, bought Osborne House with plans to make it their summer home in 1845, there was a huge level of excitement in the town. It is understood that each time the royal household arrived on the Island; the local Headmaster would have no choice but to give pupils a half-day off school as his attendance fi gures regularly took a dip! Although there were (and still are) several buildings of historical signifi cance in and around the town, such as Norris Castle, the development of the Osborne Estate brought the prominence of the palace and grandeur even further into the town itself, by constructing buildings within the town itself such as Queen s Gate, Victoria Cottage, Albert Cottage, The Priory School (formerly known as Whippingham Primary and Queensgate Schools) together with Kent House (purchased by Queen Victoria in 1864) and later lived in by Princess Alice s eldest daughter (also called Victoria) and her husband Prince Louis of Battenburg, amongst many others. Following the death of Queen Victoria in January 1901, Osborne House was eventually gifted to the country by King Edward VII. King Edward kept neighbouring Barton Manor and used it for several years to entertain both the British and European royal families, including Tsar Nicholas II (sometimes referred to as the Last Tsar) and his family, so although the impact of monarchy on East Cowes was no longer as great as it had once been, neither did it completely end. Undoubtedly, the impact of Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort to the area was not only greatly felt at the time, but continues to be the case now. Osborne House remains one of the most popular visitor attractions on the Island, and one of the most popular English Heritage site amongst a portfolio of over 400 properties that includes Stonehenge and Tintagel Castle. The impact to the farming community was felt too, with the model farm of Barton Manor Farm (immediately adjoining the existing Osborne House Estate) providing work for many, in addition to several cottages and gatehouses on the Estate. In addition to the model farms themselves, where the farming practices and the development of new and in some cases, untested, farming methods and machinery, together with many miles of drains, driveways and roads crossing both over and under the land. Osborne House and Norris Castle (photo by Mark Pilbeam

INVENTION AND INDUSTRY Although East Cowes has been used as a port for several centuries, perhaps the most signifi cant impact to the town has been the industrial technological advances which have

3 INVENTION AND INDUSTRY Although East Cowes has been used as a port for several centuries, perhaps the most signifi cant impact to the town has been the industrial technological advances which have arisen because of the location to the Solent. Companies such as J. S. Whites & Co Ltd (ship builders) and Saunders Roe (also known as SARO, and later to become BHC) together with GKN have provided some of the most signifi cant technological advances in ship building and aero-engineering known. J. S. Whites & Co Ltd Industrial Past and Present (photos - J. S. White & Co Ltd came to East Cowes in 1811 and was known for the sound craftsmanship and the quick delivery of ordered items. It is understood that J. S. White s shipyards employed between 500 and 1,000 men, depending on the work in hand (Whites had several shipyards in Cowes and East Cowes) and were responsible for building warships, lifeboats and cruise liners, all from East Cowes, as well as Wight No. 1 Seaplane (in 1913) which although wasn t an overall success (it was fl imsy and crashed a few days after taking to the water) it provided new excitement and energy to the newly emerging aviation industry. WWI had a huge impact to the business, as many ships were ordered, built and left from the shipyard in East Cowes. Once again, WWII saw the shipbuilding company complete orders for destroyers, although air raids and the night of the blitz (4th 5th May 1942) caused much damage to both the factory and East Cowes, setting back production by around a year. S. E. Saunders Ltd S. E. Saunders Ltd was offi cially set up in 1908, although Sam Saunders had been involved within boat design and building in East Cowes for several years beforehand with various business syndicates. With a client list that included King George V, Duke of Westminster and the King of Spain, Saunders business brought prestige and skill development to East Cowes and not just to boat building, but to the wider, newer and fast developing aero navigation industry; several of the boats built claimed world records, as well as the fi rst fl ying boat manufactured in Europe, The Sopwith. Business was further boosted by the WWI, when S. E. Saunders Ltd made over 1,000 aircraft. This gained Mr Saunders an OBE in recognition of his services to the nation, although none of this would have been possible without the dedication of his workforce. During 1928, S. E. Saunders Ltd was sold to Alliott Verdon Roe, which resulted in the name change to Saunders Roe. As with Whites, the impact of WWII was felt and the company was responsible for producing many more aircraft to be used in combat, as well as rescue. Over the years, the demand for aircraft grew, and the need for a larger hanger became more crucial to the business, so, in 1935 the Columbine Workshop was built to accommodate the huge aircraft. The Princess was to be the world s largest metal fl ying boat, with the fi rst fl ight taking place on 22nd August 1952, and although it was originally planned to fl y non-stop to America, The Princess completed just 90 hours of trials and due to unreliable engines and a change in demand meant that the project was eventually mothballed. Hovercraft engineering was also down to the skilled workforce and creativity of those at Saunders Roe, with the world s fi rst hovercraft being designed and built in East Cowes, with the press launch on the 11th June 1959 from the front of Columbine Shed showing the world the fi rst hovercraft. The change in direction from shipbuilding, as well as resulting in some of the world s fi rst aircraft, in part lead to the development into space rockets providing the only British satellite (Prospero) launched by a British rocket into orbit to date. The Columbine Shed still exists today, providing the now iconic Union Flag on the seaward facing doors (these doors were originally painted in 1977 to mark the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II). Several mergers, divisions and take overs of the company saw it come and go as British Hovercraft Corporation (BHC), Westland Aerospace and now, GKN. When Whites closed in 1965, many local people lost their jobs and were unable to sell their homes and relocate. This lead to a signifi cant downturn in the prosperity of East Cowes as there were simply too few opportunities for the number of residents, leading to localised mass unemployment and subsequently cheaper housing. 15

GKN The formation of GKN can be traced right back to 1759, when the Dowlais Ironworks in Merthyr Tydfi l, Wales fi rst opened.

precision components for cars, fi ghter jets and even the Space Shuttle. GKN Aerospace has long been a major employer in East Cowes, having acquired a stake in Westland Aerospace in 1988.

4 GKN The formation of GKN can be traced right back to 1759, when the Dowlais Ironworks in Merthyr Tydfi l, Wales fi rst opened. Over the course of 250 years, the company has grown from a small ironworks into one of the leading engineering companies in the world, with offi ces and production units in 30 countries, supplying precision components for cars, fi ghter jets and even the Space Shuttle. GKN Aerospace has long been a major employer in East Cowes, having acquired a stake in Westland Aerospace in Today, GKN Aerospace is one of four divisions of GKN GKN Driveline, GKN Powder Metallurgy and GKN Land Systems a global company with sales in 2012 of almost 7 billion, employing 45,900 people around the world. Clearly, such a specialist company based in East Cowes is a major benefi t not only to the town itself but also to the Isle of Wight in providing a diverse range of skilled jobs in engineering, human resources, management and accountancy to name but a few. Because of the shared history of Westlands and Saunders Roe, it is considered an integral part of the town. As of January 2014, 956 people are employed at the Falcon Yard site, with a further 139 employed on the nearby Osborne site in Whippingham. The benefi ts of having GKN Aerospace located in East Cowes are many, including having the immediate and obvious effect of providing local, year round employment, but also by providing a signifi cant secondary spend element in many of the local shops as well as maintaining the town s reputation as one of industrial invention. GKN in centre looking west GKN, Clarence Road (rear of factory) GKN, Entrance on Ferry Road 16

Red Funnel remains an important asset to the town and in terms of passenger numbers is the seventh largest port in the UK (nearby Fishbourne is forth) providing the gateway to the mainland (and vice

5 RED FUNNEL Red Funnel ferries have operated from East Cowes since 1865, transporting cargo to East Cowes and passengers to Cowes. Over the years, the number of crossings has increased and brought with it problems of congestion to the town, but also offered opportunities of redevelopment and rejuvenation. Red Funnel remains an important asset to the town and in terms of passenger numbers is the seventh largest port in the UK (nearby Fishbourne is forth) providing the gateway to the mainland (and vice versa). As the size and capacity of the vehicle ferries have increased, the size of the docks have had to adapt to accommodate the new boats, but with larger boats comes a larger impact to the existing infrastructure. There are plans within the East Cowes Project to relocate the marshalling yard, relieving pressure on the town centre, although this is yet to get underway. Red Funnel (photo

THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT The built environment of the town is varied, from the wide avenues of Victoria Grove and York

Grand villas sit alongside modest bungalows, with rows of terrace housing dating back to the end of the late 1800s.

land between York Avenue and Victoria Grove and Clarence Road, and was the brain child of George Brooks.

Sadly, although in hindsight perhaps for the benefi t of the town, it resulted in only the construction of several of the

Although the grand plans ultimately failed, it is due to these failed plans that East Cowes benefi ts from the wide

Furthermore, the botanic park provided the basic structure and layout from which the town grew.

providing an overview when East Cowes was a busy, thriving and popular town.

Whites, simply because there was little demand for housing.

6 THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT The built environment of the town is varied, from the wide avenues of Victoria Grove and York Avenue, to the narrow roads of St David s, Kings and Osborne Roads. Grand villas sit alongside modest bungalows, with rows of terrace housing dating back to the end of the late 1800s. The plans for East Cowes in the 1840s included a botanic garden development, which would have incorporated most of the land between York Avenue and Victoria Grove and Clarence Road, and was the brain child of George Brooks. In 1842, Brooks bought Shamblers Farm to begin creating his vision. Sadly, although in hindsight perhaps for the benefi t of the town, it resulted in only the construction of several of the planned houses; Kent House, Powys House and Park Gate still remain. Although the grand plans ultimately failed, it is due to these failed plans that East Cowes benefi ts from the wide approach of York Avenue and that of Victoria Grove. Furthermore, the botanic park provided the basic structure and layout from which the town grew. The mixture of grand villas and terraced housing provides an insight into the historical development of the town, providing an overview when East Cowes was a busy, thriving and popular town. There was little new house building and development within the town itself for several decades after the closure of Whites, simply because there was little demand for housing. However, the recent developments (and in some cases, redevelopments) such as Hawthorne Meadows and Victoria Walk, the development of the marina, the addition of Waitrose supermarket and the new medical centre have provided a much needed boost to the confi dence in the area. Although there are still many elements of the regeneration project that remain unfulfi lled, the progress to date has been encouraging. Various photographs of around East Cowes, demonstrating the built environment and variation in architectural typology from all ages. 18

CONSERVATION AREAS There are two Conservation Areas within the town, the fi rst is known as Esplanade, which was adopted on the 4th April 2006 and includes the water ends of Cambridge Road, Columbine

7 CONSERVATION AREAS There are two Conservation Areas within the town, the fi rst is known as Esplanade, which was adopted on the 4th April 2006 and includes the water ends of Cambridge Road, Columbine Road, Albany Road and of course, the Esplanade. The second is known as the Town Centre was adopted on the 11th January 2008 and actually consists of two areas, the fi rst comprises of the Town Hall and several properties at the end of Clarence Road and Ferry Road, and the second containing areas along Church Road and Well Road as well as St James s Church. The extract of the council s Conservation Appraisal is continued in Appendix 5. The town was previously identifi ed and described within the Unitary Development Plan (now superseded by the Island Plan Core Strategy) as East Cowes grew around heavier industries and shipbuilding associated with the harbour and more recently as a ferry port which although accurate to an extent, does little to address the historic importance nor the future aspirations of development within the town. The Island Plan Core Strategy provides the existing framework and states that It [East Cowes] is currently undergoing re-development of key sites within the town centre to contribute to the regeneration of the town. It is also home to employment areas specialising in aerospace, radar, electronics, communications, composites technologies and renewable energy, which are based either on the river frontage or to the southern side of East Cowes. For the last 500 or so years, East Cowes has played a role in developments that have literally shaped and affected the world, from the entertaining of international dignitaries at Osborne through to the precision engineering and development at GKN (for example). The historical infl uences are demonstrated by the architecture and road names, together with the street art, such as that on the side of Waitrose supermarket depicting several historical achievements and moments of historical importance. East Cowes Esplanade Conservation Area Boundary Plan East Cowes Town Centre Conservation Area Boundary Plan 19

8 LISTED BUILDINGS Listed Buildings (Grade I, II* and II) (Above) and Historic Park / Garden (Osborne Estate) (Right) 20

For Sale or To Let. 3 separate sites located within close proximity in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

For Sale or To Let. 3 separate sites located within close proximity in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. For Sale or To Let 3 separate sites located within close proximity in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The sites provide a range of existing and new build opportunities for industrial/ office use, which