A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
OSBORNE HOUSE, a residence of Her Majesty the Queen on the N coast of the Isle of Wight; between the river Medina and the sea, 1 mile S E of East Cowes. The manor was long held by the Bowermans; belonged, in the time of Charles I., to Eustace Mann; passed, by marriage of his grand-daughter, to the Blachfords; and waspurchased by Her Majesty from Lady Isabella Blachford. The name was originally Austerbourne or Oysterbourne; and has been regarded, by some, as equivalent to East Borne, by others, as derived from adjacent oyster-beds. The mansion of the Blachfords was modern and plain; and was taken down, on becoming the Queen's property. The present edifice was erected after designs by T. Cubitt; is in the domestic Italian style; has a square flagtower, and a square clock tower, respectively 107 and 90 feet high; places the Queen's apartments in advance of theflag tower; is filled with statuary and pictures, principallythe works of modern artists; and was visited by the Emperor Napoleon III. in 1857, and by the Empress Eugeniein 1867. The estate, since coming into Her Majestys possession, has been repeatedly enlarged; comprises now about 5,000 acres; reaches nearly to Ryde by the sea-shore, and nearly to Newport inland; includes terraced gardens and grounds of surpassing beauty, with some rich improvements made in 1866; has a private pier on the shore for the use of the royal household; and is dotted, over part of the outskirts, with excellent cottages for the work-people in Her Majesty's employment. Barton manor was one of the additions made to the estate; had an oratory, for six chaplains and a clerk, founded in 1282; passed to the Bishops of Winchester in 1439; was given by Bishop Waynflete to Winchester college; and was purchased from Winchester college by Her Majesty. Barton Court House, a picturesque gabled mansion, was rebuilt by the Queen, with careful retention of its old features, as a residence for her principal steward.
(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))
| Linked entities: | |
|---|---|
| Feature Description: | "a residence of Her Majesty the Queen" (ADL Feature Type: "residential sites") |
| Administrative units: | Hampshire AncC |
| Place: | Osborne |
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