Norris Castle
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Norris Castle is located on the
Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...
. It was designed by
James Wyatt James Wyatt (3 August 1746 – 4 September 1813) was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the Neoclassicism, neoclassical and neo-Gothic styles. He was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts in 1785 and was its president from 1805 to ...
for Lord Henry Seymour. The estate adjoins
Osborne House Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat. Albert designed the house in the style ...
, country home to
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
. On the other side of Norris Castle sits the Spring Hill estate, bought by William Goodrich in 1794. Norris Castle was built in 1799 and sits in 225 acres of land, with a mile of waterfront. The Castle is a Grade I
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
. The parks and gardens at Norris Castle are the Isle of Wight's only Grade I landscape listed by
Historic England Historic England (officially the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England) is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It is tasked with prot ...
. The landscape at Norris Castle is thought to have been designed in 1799 by
Humphry Repton Humphry Repton (21 April 1752 – 24 March 1818) was the last great designer of the classic phase of the English landscape garden, often regarded as the successor to Capability Brown. His style is thought of as the precursor of the more intric ...
, and it includes a castellated walled garden. Despite its grandeur, the castle's condition has long suffered due to lack of funding for its upkeep.Isle of Wight County Press dated 17 May 1975, Page 14 At the present time, the castle is closed to the public, awaiting restoration.


Features

Norris Castle has a galleted facade with crenellations, but all of this is for show, as the castle has no defensive fortifications. The building's original function was as a residence. The main castle has 15 bedrooms, a grand hall, a circular drawing room and extensive cellars. The estate includes a two-bedroom Lodge Cottage, four-bedroom Farmhouse, three-bedroom Farmhouse Cottage and a two-bedroom Landing House. James Wyatt also designed the farmyard buildings that are further inland, which have a similar design to the castle itself. There are also extensive traditional farm buildings and stabling, a walled garden, a modern two-bedroom farm building and parkland and woodland.


Owners


Lord Henry Seymour (1795–1830)

The first owner and builder of Norris Castle was the politician, Lord Henry Seymour, who bought the estate in 1795, at the age of 49. Having retired, he spent the rest of his life building and improving the Norris Castle estate. It is said that it cost £195,000 to originally build. He had a reputation for both eccentricity and benevolence. His personal habits were also said to be those of extreme simplicity and frugality.Isle of Wight County Press dated 18 February 1939, Page 11 Seymour commissioned stained glass from William Raphael Eginton. Circa 1816, Eginton described it as a "Heraldic Window in Saloon, on Mosaic Ground.". There is an account of a visit by J and H Oldershaw to the island in 1826 and their reminiscences of Lord Seymour. They described him as an eccentric character and an old retired bachelor, who by accounts had not left the island for 20 or 30 years. They said that his normal attire of blue jacket and trousers, together with
hobnail In footwear, a hobnail is a short nail with a thick head used to increase the durability of boot Sole (shoe), soles or provide traction. History Hobnailed boots (in Scotland "tackety boots") are boots with hobnails (nails inserted into the ...
ed boots, made him look more like a labourer, for which he was frequently mistaken. He would often work in hedges and ditches with his men and would even go into town in his dung cart. He would also play jokes on his visitors by pretending to be a labourer, whilst showing them around the estate. He was even known to accept money from them, which he would give to his servants, saying "Here you are. I have got you something today!". After completing his work on the estate, Lord Seymour opened the castle up to the public, to allow them to share its charm and magnificent views. After his death in 1830 at the age of 84, the castle remained closed to the public for over 140 years, when it was opened up again in 1975. In August 1830, the Dauphiness and Duchess De Berri, accompanying the expatriated
King of France France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I, king of the Fra ...
, visited Norris 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. They did however, indicate that they would like to take up residence at Norris Castle.


Lord George Seymour (1830–1839)

Following the death of Lord Henry Seymour, the estate passed to his brother,
Lord George Seymour Lord George Seymour-Conway (21 July 1763 – 10 March 1848), known as Lord George Seymour, was a British politician. A member of the Seymour family headed by the Duke of Somerset, Seymour was the seventh son and youngest child of Francis Seym ...
, who was 67 at the time. George Seymour was a politician who represented Orford between 1784 and 1790 and
Totnes Totnes ( or ) is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is about west of Paignton, about west-southwest of Torquay and ab ...
between 1796 and 1801. He kept the Castle for nine years, before selling it in 1839 to Robert Bell.


Mr Robert Bell (1839–1880)

Mr Robert Bell was a newspaper tycoon, who owned amongst others, the Weekly Dispatch, which he founded in 1801. In 1928 the newspaper was renamed to the Sunday Dispatch, which in turn was merged with the
Sunday Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first published as a broadsheet ...
in 1961. One of the accomplishments of Mr Bell, was that it was he who built the mile long sea wall, which both protects the estate's coastline and also gives a view of the castle. The cost of building the wall was said to be over £20,000. In 1940, a pair of silver 7-light candelabra engraved with the inscription "Presented by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent to Robert Bell, Esq., Norris Castle, 1859" was sold at
Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...
for £40 11s. 6d. Norris Castle was sold to the Duke of Bedford by Robert Bell in 1880.


The Duke and Duchess of Bedford (1880–1897)

In 1880, Elizabeth Russell, the
Duchess of Bedford {{Notability, date=September 2022 Duchess of Bedford is a title given to the wife of the Duke of Bedford, an extant title in the peerage of England which was first created in 1414. Duchesses of Bedford

;1st creation (1414) *Anne of Burgundy ( ...
was appointed Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria. So that they could be near Osborne, her husband, Francis Russell, the
Duke of Bedford Duke of Bedford (named after Bedford, England) is a title that has been created six times (for five distinct people) in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1414 for Henry IV's third son, John, who later served as regent of Fran ...
bought Norris Castle in 1880. In July 1887, the
Frederick III, German Emperor Frederick III (Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl; 18 October 183115 June 1888), or Friedrich III, was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days between March and his death in June 1888, during the Year of the Three Emperors. Known informal ...
and
Victoria, Princess Royal Victoria, Princess Royal (Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa; 21 November 1840 – 5 August 1901) was German Empress and Queen of Prussia as the wife of Frederick III, German Emperor. She was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom ...
, spent about a month in this castle. Princess Victoria was the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria. Prince Fredrick was suffering from his throat problem and was under treatment of the famous British Laryngologist
Morell Mackenzie Sir Morell Mackenzie (7 July 1837 – 3 February 1892) was a British physician, one of the pioneers of laryngology in the United Kingdom. Biography Morell Mackenzie was born at Leytonstone, Essex, England on 7 July 1837. He was the eldest of ...
and after an operation on 28 June 1887, Prince Fredrick came to stay in this castle for a rest and recovery. Later, the throat problem of Prince Frederick was proved to be a rare case of Laryngeal Cancer and he succumbed to his illness on 15 June 1888, just after 99 days of ruling as the German Emperor Kaiser Frederick III In July 1890, Viscount Cantelupe and his bride spent their honeymoon at Norris Castle, as guests of the Duke and Duchess. The Viscount was killed at sea in 1915, whilst on active service during the First World War. The Duke of Bedford died in 1891, at the age of 71, in Eaton Square, London. He committed suicide by shooting himself, when said to be in a state of temporary insanity, whilst suffering from
pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...
. The Duchess died in 1897, at the age of 78, in Latimer House,
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...
.


Lord Ampthill (1897–1903)

Following the death of the Duchess of Bedford, the estate was inherited by the late Duke of Bedford's nephew, the 28 year old Sir Arthur Oliver Villiers Russell , who was the 2nd Baron Ampthill. He immediately declared that he wished to sell the estate and the aging Queen Victoria again considered buying it. This of course never happened. Lord Ampthill served as the Governor of Madras from October 1900 to February 1906 and acted as the
Viceroy of India The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the Emperor of ...
from April to December 1904. In 1898, it was reported that a peacock belonging to Lord Ampthill had been shot and stolen from the Norris Castle estate. In July 1899, it was reported that he let out Norris Castle for the summer to the eccentric
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
millionaire A J Drexel, for the yachting season. At around the same time, Lord Ampthill put Norris Castle up for sale. Drexel was a frequent visitor to Cowes and berthed his 'palatial' steam yacht Margarita there for a long time. The Margarita was 323 feet in length, being at the time, the largest steam yacht built on the Clyde,
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
. She weighed over 1800 tons. Whilst still awaiting sale, the castle was later occupied for a while by Lady Dudley and also by Captain John Orr-Ewing and his wife Ellen Clarissa Kennard.Isle of Wight County Press dated 3 January 1903, Page 5 John, a captain in the 4th Dragoon Guards and a noted yachtsman, was the son of Sir Archibald Orr-Ewing Ellen was a noted singer, who 'gracefully performed' the opening ceremony of an Egyptian themed fund raising event at Victoria Hall, Cowes, in 1902. She was accompanied by their five year old daughter
Jean Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * J ...
. In January 1903, it was reported that Lord Ampthill had sold the castle to a
syndicate A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest. Etymology The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
, although it was said that Captain and Mrs Orr-Ewing would be staying on for a time. This was proved to be the case, as in March 1903, the Orr-Ewings hosted what was thought to be the first
fox hunt Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, normally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds" (or "master of hounds" ...
held at Norris castle. The hunt covered a lot of ground, as they chased a fox from Whippingham Station to Staplers.


The 'Syndicate' (1903–1908)

At the time of the sale, it was reported that Lord Ampthill was probably wise to sell the castle at that time, as it was indicated that Norris Castle had started to fall into a state of disrepair. It was predicted that over the next few years there would be rapid development of the estate, by the building company that had taken over ownership. In March 1904, there was an extensive burglary at Norris Castle, at a time when Captain Orr-Ewing was away from home. Mrs Orr-Ewing was awakened in the early hours of the morning by hearing a noise downstairs. On going downstairs, she discovered that the house had been burgled, but the perpetrators had already fled the scene. Entry had been gained by breaking ground-floor windows and articles of considerable value had been taken. These included Captain Orr-Ewing's silver yachting trophies inscribed with Nyama (the name of his yacht), two hammer-less guns in a leather case, inscribed with the monogram "Sir W Orr-Ewing", silver boxes, a gilt clock and articles of clothing. A week later, much of the stolen articles were recovered when they were found abandoned in the estate's grounds. The Orr-Ewing's moved out of Norris Castle shortly after. In July 1904, it was reported that the castle was occupied for a time by the American businessman, John Morgan Richards and his wife. Their daughter, Pearl Mary Craigie, was a famous novelist, who wrote under the pseudonym John Oliver Hobbes. By 1906, when their daughter died suddenly of heart failure at the age of 39, they were living at Steephill, Isle of Wight. In July 1904, Norris Castle was put up for sale again, by auction. The estate was described as a "grand opportunity for development into a seaside resort with practically every house overlooking the world-renowned yacht anchorage and
Solent The Solent ( ) is a strait between the Isle of Wight and mainland Great Britain; the major historic ports of Southampton and Portsmouth lie inland of its shores. It is about long and varies in width between , although the Hurst Spit whi ...
, through which the shipping of the world passes." However, the castle failed to sell and was withdrawn from the auction when the bidding only reached £38,000. In February 1906, it was proposed that the Norris Castle estate be turned into a golf club, to rival any in the world. It was thought that there was much to commend a venture that would bring both the yachting world and golfing world together at Cowes; and that the course would be particularly attractive to those that sail. It was said that having no golf course in Cowes, was a serious handicap for any fashionable seaside resort. It was proposed that Norris Castle itself be used as a 'Dormy house' for the club. The famous golfer, James Paxton, had already designed a 5700-yard, eighteen-hole course, which could be extended, if needed. It was suggested that there would be a landing stage for yachtsmen and even perhaps a large pier to take railway steamers. History shows that the club was never built at Norris Castle, However, since 1892, there had been a two-hole course at the nearby Osborne House estate, which was enlarged to nine holes in 1904. In July 1907, it was stated that Norris Castle had been unoccupied for several years and that it was doubted that it was in a state capable of occupation. At that time, it was also described as 'empty and dismantled'. Norris Castle was put up for auction again in August 1907, but was withdrawn from sale when the bidding only reached £28,000.


Messrs Alfred and Benjamin Densham (1908–1909)

It is likely that the Densham family only owned the castle for a short time around 1908/09. They were the brothers Alfred and Benjamin Densham, together with Alfred's eldest son Leigh.Isle of Wight County Press dated 23 January 1909, Page 4Norris Castle Heritage Assessment by Ettwein Bridges, Architects Alfred Densham was of Bourton Hall, Totnes and Benjamin Densham was of Bramley Croft, Hindhead, which was said to be a 'splendid house'. They were two of the proprietors of the Mazawattee Tea Company, which was one of the most important and most advertised tea firms in England during the late 19th century. It was stated that in February 1909, an application was to be put before the Newport licensing authorities for an alcohol license for Norris Castle, which was to be converted into a residential hotel. At one time, there were also rumours that the estate was to be developed for housing. However, in August 1909, it was indicated that Leigh Densham had taken over ownership of the castle.Isle of Wight County Press dated 7 August 1909, Page 7 Leigh was Alfred Densham's eldest son, who was obviously a man of many talents. He was a keen yachtsman, who often competed at Cowes. Leigh Densham was at one time in partnership with Charles Sibbick, of Thetis Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight, in the business Charles Sibbick & Co, yacht designers and builders. However, the partnership was dissolved in 1899. In 1901, Captain John Orr-Ewing had a 36-foot yacht, named simply 'D', built for him by Charles Sibbick. Leigh Densham was also involved in many amateur dramatic productions, often in a leading role. In 1895, he appeared in the title role at the Theatre Royal, Bournemouth, in an amateur production by a company under his own stage management. A keen horseman and fox hunter, he was at one time Master of the Ashburton Harriers, which hunted in Dartmouth. He also went on to be master of the Dart Vale Harriers. In October 1902, he fell from his horse whilst jumping hurdles when out hunting. His horse rolled over him, leaving him with a broken collar bone. In August 1909, the grounds of Norris Castle were opened up for the public to view a grand Naval Review. It was said that for this much appreciated concession, the public were indebted to Mr Leigh Densham, the owner of the fine old mansion and grounds. Leigh Densham ultimately sold the castle in October 1909.Isle of Wight County Press dated 23 October 1909, Page 5


Sir Horatio Davies K.C.M.G, MP (1909–1912)

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Horatio David Davies , MP bought Norris Castle in October 1909, at the age of 61. He was an
Alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denotin ...
of the city of London, became the Sheriff of London and Middlesex in 1887 and
Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the Mayors in England, mayor of the City of London, England, and the Leader of the council, leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded Order of precedence, precedence over a ...
in 1897. He was also a former owner of Crosby Hall. Shortly after buying Norris, Davies held a grand auction in the castle, selling a lot of its contents, which came to some 500 lots. This included furniture used by Queen Victoria when she resided at the castle before her marriage. An antique shaped fire-screen with gilded frame and needlework panel, worked on by the Queen when she was a girl, sold for £5 15s. A full-size billiard table was also sold for £32. Sir Horatio Davies died only three years after purchasing the castle, in 1912.


Sir Richard Burbidge (1914–1917)

Following the death of Horatio Davies, the estate was then bought by the 65 year old Sir Richard Burbidge, who had also recently bought the adjoining Osborne Cottage from Princess Henry of Battenberg, youngest child of Queen Victoria. Burbidge said that he would continue to live in Osborne Cottage, but intended to let out the castle. In 1915, he was sworn in as a Justice of the peace at the London Sessions. He went on to become 1st
Baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
of Littleton Park. Burbidge was the managing director of
Harrods Harrods is a Listed building, Grade II listed luxury department store on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It was designed by C. W. Stephens for Charles Digby Harrod, and opened in 1905; it replaced the first store on the ground ...
at the time. By 1916, he had increased its profits from £16,000 to £200,000 per year. Following the outbreak of the First World War, the estate was used to billet Canadian troops and their horses. Most of the men were encamped in tents, except for a few officers who had quarters in the castle itself. It is said that there are some unusual yellow daisies in the Norris fields, which are supposed to have come from seeds from the imported Canadian hay. Sir Richard died in 1917.


Major Arthur Birkbeck (1917–1955)

The estate passed to Major Arthur Birkbeck, who held the castle until his death in 1945. His wife, Florence, then retained Norris Castle until her death, sometime between 1952 and 1955. Arthur Birkbeck was a major in the 2nd South Midland Brigade,
Royal Field Artillery The Royal Field Artillery (RFA) of the British Army provided close artillery support for the infantry. It was created as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 1899, serving alongside the other two arms of the regiment, the ...
. He resigned his commission and was granted permission to retain his rank and to wear the prescribed uniform in 1911. In 1926, four men were charged at the County
Petty Sessions Courts of petty session, established from around the 1730s, were local courts consisting of magistrates, held for each petty sessional division (usually based on the county divisions known as hundreds) in England, Wales, and Ireland. The session ...
with causing damage to growing daffodils at Norris Castle, by picking them. However, the benevolent Major Birkbeck said that he forgave them and wanted to withdraw the summons. He also very generously gave them jobs at the castle. The Chairman of the Bench discharged the defendants, saying that he had brought the case as a deterrent to others and said that any future case would have to be dealt with severely. A similar case arose in 1927, when three men were charged with causing willful damage to growing grass, by treading it down. They said that they did not believe that they were doing damage, as they were following a path. They were each fined 2s. 6d., and ordered to pay 8d. damages. In November 1927, Major Birkbeck applied for a slaughter-house license at the castle. Although the estate grounds proved to be satisfactory, the application was deferred to a later date. In 1932, Major Birkbeck presented to the Cowes and East Cowes Councils a proposal to build an 'opening bridge' over the
River Medina The River Medina is the main river of the Isle of Wight, England, rising at St Catherine's Down near Chale, and flowing northwards through the county town Newport, Isle of Wight, Newport, towards the Solent at Cowes. The river is a navigable tid ...
, on or near the site of the
Chain Ferry A cable ferry (including the types chain ferry, swing ferry, floating bridge, or punt) is a ferry that is guided (and in many cases propelled) across a river or large body of water by cables connected to both shores. Early cable ferries often ...
. The scheme, which was estimated to cost around £35,000, was rejected by the Harbour Commissioners on the grounds that it would cause a probable obstruction to navigation. During the Second World War, the castle was used as a barracks for army troops. In 1947, there was a daring robbery at Norris Castle, in which the elderly Florence Birkbeck suffered a fractured jaw when she was brutally coshed on the head by one of possibly three robbers. She was alone in the house during the evening, with her sister Mary Elizabeth Law. The robbers wore masks and forced their way into the castle saying "This is a hold up", demanding money and jewellery. They had already cut the castle's telephone lines. Mrs Law was in her bathroom, washing her hair, but the robbers dragged her by her hair downstairs to join Mrs Birkbeck. A scuffle then took place, which resulted in Mrs Birkbeck being coshed. The robbers then took three valuable rings from Mrs Blrkbeck's fingers and from two safes, they took about £100 and more jewellery. They were then interrupted by the arrival of Mr C Cassell, the estate
bailiff A bailiff is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. There are different kinds, and their offices and scope of duties vary. Another official sometimes referred to as a '' ...
and made their escape, but left behind in their hurry, a dark brown
trilby A trilby is a narrow-brimmed type of hat. The trilby was once viewed as the rich man's favored hat; it is sometimes called the "brown trilby" in UK, BritainBernhard Roetzel, Roetzel, Bernhard (1999). ''Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style''. B ...
hat, bearing a London maker's name. One had a southern accent and the other a
Cockney Cockney is a dialect of the English language, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by Londoners with working-class and lower middle class roots. The term ''Cockney'' is also used as a demonym for a person from the East End, ...
accent. Due to her injury, Mrs Birkbeck had to remain in the Frank James Hospital for some time afterwards. Following the death of Mrs Birkbeck, an auction was held at the castle in July 1955, for the whole of their furniture and effects. At the same time, the castle itself was put up for sale, either for private sale or for auction at a later date. In due course, the castle went to auction in September 1955. The advertisement stated that if the estate didn't sell as a whole, then it would be offered as a number of lots. These included Norris Castle and 34 acres, Norris Castle Farm and 102 acres, Norris Castle Wood and 50 acres, Queen Victoria's Tea House, The Lodges, Four Cottages, New Barn Lodge, some work-shops, the gravel pit and some enclosures suitable for residences. On 5 November 1955, it was announced that the Norris Castle estate had been sold to an 'Island lady' who at the time, did not want her identity disclosed.


Mrs Catherine Annie Briscoe George (1955–1961)

In fact, in May 1956, it was reported that the estate had indeed been broken up and sold as nineteen separate lots. It was also announced that planning permission had already been granted for Norris Castle itself to be converted into a hotel, although there was some doubt whether the plan would be pursued. Following the sale, Norris Castle was reduced from its original 228 acres to occupying only 34 acres. It later became apparent that the new owner was Mrs Catherine Annie Briscoe George.Isle of Wight County Press dated 6 April 1963, Page 10 When she bought the castle, it was in a very poor state of repair, following its wartime army occupation. However, Mrs Briscoe George, and later her daughter, worked tirelessly to restore the castle. She was the widow of Albert Joseph George and the younger daughter of John Jonathan Briscoe and Agnes Ralph Briscoe. Catherine's elder daughter, Veronica, married Viscount Selby in 1933. Catherine Briscoe George also owned a number of other properties, including Blackburne House,
Mayfair Mayfair is an area of Westminster, London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. It is between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane and one of the most expensive districts ...
and Bridge House, Starbotton, Yorkshire. Mrs Briscoe George died in March 1963, at the age of 85.


Mrs Joan Denyer Lacon, later Coventry (1961–2016)

In March 1961, the Norris Castle estate passed to Mrs Briscoe George's daughter, Joan Lacon and her husband, Commander Reginald Lacon, RN (retired). He fought in the Second World War, and he was
mentioned in dispatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...
four times. He gained the rank of Commander and was decorated with the award of the Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) and bar in 1941. Within a week of taking over ownership, there was a great fire at the castle, which completely burnt out one of the bedrooms. Seven other downstairs rooms were damaged by the heat and the smoke. The damage was put at around £2,000. Firemen were called out at 9.30 a.m. and used breathing apparatus, because of the dense smoke. The castle had been unoccupied at the time and the fire was discovered when Mrs Lacon arrived to take up residence there. In 1975, the Lacons opened the castle to the public for the first time in over 140 years. The reason for this was to help pay for the huge cost of keeping Norris Castle maintained. By this time, the Commander and Mrs Lacon also managed to reunite the castle with its original lands, sold off as nineteen separate lots, when it was auctioned in 1955. This brought the size of the estate back to 225 acres. The Lacons put in a huge amount of work into the estate, saying that "What the public will see, represents years and years of self-sacrifice. We do it because we love the place. We have had a lot of fun doing it, but we have done it on a shoestring". The public opening ceremony was conducted by
jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...
and best-selling author
Dick Francis Richard Stanley Francis (31 October 1920 – 14 February 2010) was a British steeplechase jockey and crime writer whose novels centre on horse racing in England. After wartime service in the RAF, Francis became a full-time jump-jockey, winn ...
. Work that still needed doing by that time was that the building's original and extensive roof needed renewing, the lengthy potholed driveway needed resurfacing, the mile-long crumbling sea wall needed renewing, the massive complex of farm and stable buildings needed restoration and an extensive tree-planting programme was required, to offset the ravages of
beech Beech (genus ''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to subtropical (accessory forest element) and temperate (as dominant element of Mesophyte, mesophytic forests) Eurasia and North America. There are 14 accepted ...
and Dutch elm disease. The Commander and Mrs Lacon were divorced in 1976 and Mrs Lacon went on to marry Major Digby Coventry in 1991. He also fought in the Second World War and was also mentioned in dispatches. He gained the rank of Major in the Royal Artillery and was decorated with the award of the Belgian
Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...
, avec palme. He was also decorated with the award of the Chevalier, Order of Leopold of Belgium, with palm. When Joan Coventry died in 2006, Major Coventry continued to occupy the castle until his death in September 2014.


Norris Castle Estate (Group) Ltd (2016 – )

In February 2016, Norris Castle was bought for £4.7 million, with the intention that it be renovated and opened as a luxury hotel. The owning company is Norris Castle Estate (Group) Ltd. The selling agent set a guide price of £1 million, with the proviso that the estate would need millions spent to restore it. At the current time, the project is in its planning and consultation stages.


History


Etymology

The name 'Norris' is derived from the name of an early landowner, named Richard Le Norey, who held the estate during the
reign A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., King of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, List of Belgian monarchs, Belgium, Co-princes of Andorra, Andorra), of a people (e.g., List of Frankish kin ...
of
King Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...
. But the story of Norris Castle really originates centuries later in 1795, when the Norris farmland was bought by Lord Henry Seymour. Shortly afterwards, he commissioned James Wyatt to build him a new residence there. Wyatt designed and built the house in the style of a castle between 1795 and 1805, using locally mined stone. In the 200 years since it was built, the building remains virtually unaltered.The Norris Castle Estate, document prepared by Spence Willard and Knight Frank, 2016


Visiting royalty

The
prince regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness) or ab ...
and First Gentleman of Europe, later King
George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...
visited the castle in 1819 as the guest of Lord Henry Seymour. The king was on the island to make use of his yacht. Lord Seymour's personal habits were said to be those of extreme simplicity and frugality, but he never-the-less held a banquet for the king which was said to be 'splendid in the extreme and attended with circumstances of unusual conviviality'. In August 1831, the Duchess of Kent, with her 12-year-old daughter the Heiress Presumptive Princess Victoria, who indeed went on to become the future
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
, also resided at the castle for quite some time. The young princess was said to have been able to live a life of unaccustomed freedom, walking her dog and riding her pony. She was also said to frequently enjoy country rambles and listening to the stories of the sailors and the coastguardsmen, as she lingered about the shore. On their arrival to the island, the royals were welcomed with great ceremony in Newport. A huge flag, entirely made of lace, was suspended from the Newport Toll-gate, with the words "Welcome, welcome to our Isle." The flag was made at Broadlands House, the Newport lace factory; and the Broadlands House band was also there playing music amongst the cheering crowds. A grand reception was later held in Newport Town Hall, where the royals were welcomed by the
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
,
Alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denotin ...
and Chief Burgesses of Newport. Afterwards, they were due to visit the nearby Carisbrooke Castle, but due to rain, they returned to Norris Castle. The two royals also visited Norris Castle again in 1833. The old copper bath that Queen Victoria used as a child is still there, although for quite some time in the 1970s it was out in the courtyard, being used as a rainwater butt. Queen Victoria visited the castle yet again in 1843, as a guest of Robert Bell, accompanied by her husband,
Prince Albert Prince Albert most commonly refers to: *Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria *Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco Prince Albert may also refer to: Royalty * Alb ...
. The royal couple disembarked, quite unexpectedly, from the Royal Barge captained by
Lord Adolphus FitzClarence Rear admiral (Royal Navy), Rear-Admiral Lord Adolphus FitzClarence (18 February 1802 – 17 May 1856) was a British Royal Navy officer and illegitimate son of William IV, Prince William, the future William IV, and his mistress Dorothea Jordan. ...
at the Coastguard Station, East Cowes. They then were shown into a carriage and taken to her 'favourite Norris Castle', where she went straight to her former apartments and joyously told the Prince Consort that "this was my room, and this was mine also". Not long afterwards, in 1844, Queen Victoria tried to buy the property from the then owner, Robert Bell, who was a newspaper
tycoon A business magnate, also known as an industrialist or tycoon, is a person who is a powerful entrepreneur and investor who controls, through personal enterprise ownership or a dominant shareholding position, a firm or industry whose goods or ser ...
. However, she baulked at his asking-price and bought the nearby
Osborne House Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat. Albert designed the house in the style ...
estate instead. However, Queen Victoria went on to become a frequent visitor to Norris Castle, particularly after 1880, when it was under the ownership of the Duchess of Bedford, her Mistress of the Robes. She would always delight in remembering her earlier visits as a child. In 1845, Queen Victoria used the castle as lodgings for William II the
King of the Netherlands The monarchy of the Netherlands is governed by the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, country's charter and Constitution of the Netherlands, constitution, roughly a third of which explains the mechanics of succession, accession, and a ...
. In 1881, The Duke and Duchess of Bedford lent Norris Castle to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, the Danish-born German Prince; and his wife,
Princess Helena of the United Kingdom Princess Helena (Helena Augusta Victoria; 25 May 1846 – 9 June 1923), later Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, was the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Helena was educated by private tutors chosen ...
. She was the fifth child of Queen Victoria. In June 1903, Princess Henry of Battenberg took lunch with Captain and Mrs Orr-Ewing at Norris Castle, before opening the new Frank James Memorial Hospital at East Cowes. The German Kaiser Wilhelm II and his wife Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein were also frequent visitors. So much so that Wilhelm had his own shower bath installed, which still remains today. The German Emperor Frederick III and his wife, the
Empress The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
were also frequent guests. The Empress was Queen Victoria's eldest child. In August 1935, Her Majesty Queen Mary visited Norris Castle, whilst her husband, King
George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...
was 'deriving the maximum pleasure from his favourite sport of racing on the
Britannia The image of Britannia () is the national personification of United Kingdom, Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used by the Romans in classical antiquity, the Latin was the name variously appli ...
'. Queen Mary was received by Major and Mrs Birkbeck and shown around the castle. She inspected the rooms previously used by the late Queen Victoria and the ex-Emperor of Germany and was deeply interested in the many improvements that Major Birkbeck had made to the castle. She also walked through the beautiful gardens.


The Great Fire

In 1889, there was a 'great fire' at Norris Castle. The superintendent of the Cowes Fire Brigade said that it was the most serious fire that they had had to contend with for some years. He also said that there was some additional interest and honour lent to the occasion, as royalty were present for some considerable time watching the brigade at work. The bill that was presented by the Fire Brigade for attending the fire was put at £48 18s 6d.


TV appearances

Norris Castle was used extensively in the filming of
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
and the Sea Devils in October 1971. In those episodes, The Doctor was played by
Jon Pertwee John Devon Roland Pertwee (; 7 July 1919 – 20 May 1996), known professionally as Jon Pertwee, was an English actor. Born into a theatrical family, he became known as a comedy actor, playing Chief Petty Officer Pertwee (and three other roles) in ...
, with
Katy Manning Catherine Ann Manning (born 14 October 1946) is a British actress. Although she has made many appearances on both screen and stage, Manning is best known for her part as the companion Jo Grant in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doct ...
playing his companion Jo. The episodes featured other Isle of Wight locations as well, including No Man's Land Fort.


References


External links

{{commons category, Norris Castle
Information and photos of the castle

Norris Castle, East Cowes, Isle of Wight
Country houses on the Isle of Wight Grade I listed buildings on the Isle of Wight Mock castles in England East Cowes