Friday 30 August 2013

LIFE IS GOOD AT THE BEACH


 For this post, I am going back to the day Sharon arrived from Northern Ireland and  also to tell you a  little about Appley Tower (requested by another blogger).  This sign was up on a little cafe just overlooking the Appley beach. 




This is the view from the table I was sitting at and you can see Appley Tower in the middle of the shot.  Appley tower is situated East of Ryde and can only really be qualified as an interesting curiosity and conversation piece.  It was originally part of the Appley Towers estate being the seat of the Hutt family and latterly of that of Sir Hedworth Williamson.


 The estate is no longer there.  It is right on the water's edge and at the headland.  Appley Tower It is the only survivor of the estate today.   It is Grade 2 listed building, early to mid C19.  

It has a fairly squat tower of coursed rubble with ashlar dressings. Splayed base, machicollation and crenellatedparapet, corbelled turret with slit lights.  Towards the sea, there is a rectangular stone bay window with inclined face, on stone brackets.  Hipped tiled roof over with overhanging bracketed eaves. Stone steps with rubble parapet curve up from East side to asmall terrace in front of rectangular entrance bay facing South. Four centred arch to blocked door in ashlar surround. 

Above on wall a plaque with the Appley Arms. Below terrace, on ground floor, another 4 centred doorway in plain ashlar surround.



Local legend claims that this Victorian gothic construction was erected for the amusement of Mary of Teck who married King George V. Her previous fiance, George's elder brother Albert Victor, died shortly after their engagement aged twenty-eight and Mary, perhaps unwilling to let the crown of England escape her, married George as the next heir. 

Finding Osborne House tiresome she often escaped to Appley Towers while her husband was busy sailing. Unsurprisingly this gave rise to speculation as to her relationship with the owner.




While waiting for Sharon to arrive at the ferry terminal at the end of the pier, I saw Black headed Gulls and these 2 Little Egrets.



 Before Sharon's ferry arrived, the Hoovercraft came in, right up the sand.  I have a short video at the end regarding this and the pier's train.


At last, Sharon's Ferry arrived and Sharon was all smiles as she set foot on the Isle of Wight for the first titme.



Later that evening, we took a walk and these 2 photographs were the sunset.



This was a moon that evening.

The short video can be accessed at 

  http://youtu.be/eLr2YXC_KAo

If there is a black space below,click it and the video will appear.



Thank you for visiting and I hope you will visit again soon.
Thanks to all bloggers with answer to my unknowns and corrections especially to Trevor from The Herald who has helped and encouraged me a lot.

22 comments:

  1. Interesting and informative as always. I would like the money to build a folly.

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    1. Hi Adrian Many thanks for your comments. I think the 'roundness' would put you round the bend!!

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  2. Life is indeed always good at the beach - gorgeous photos and thank you for the information about Appley Tower. How the other half live...

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    1. Hi EC Yes, life is grand at the beach, sipping cappuccino and looking to the sea. Thanks for comments

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  3. Oh my! That little sign is truthful if that view is any indication of how life is at the beach. :)
    I think I could live in that little tower - such a quaint structure.
    Your sunset skies are gorgeous!!

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  4. HI Carletta Many thanks for your kind comments. The tower is quaint.

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  5. That beach certainly looks welcoming Margaret. Great info on the tower, it was obviously built to last!
    A lovely account of your day...[;o)

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    1. HI Trevor Many thanks for comments. yes, certainly was buillllt to last.

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  6. I like that tower. Much better looking than the other buildings along that coastline.
    Been years since I visited the IOW.
    Lovely sunsets.

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    1. HI Keith Yes the tower is lovely. I am only here becaue my daughter adn family live here.

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  7. The tower is beautiful and the legends surrounding it are fascinating. Gorgeous sunset shots.

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  8. Beautiful images Margaret. What a smile that your friend has, and Hovercraft, superb.

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    1. Hi Bob Thanks for comments. Sharon was delighted to have a hioliday on the island

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  9. Beautiful sunset images Margaret.

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  10. HI Roy Yes every evening there seem to be beautiful sunsets adn if Sharon adn I were walking the dog, of course I jusst had to take photos of them. Later I will be showing you some more.

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  11. Love the little tower....how interesting! Would be fun to have something like that on your property.

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    1. Hi Mary glad you liked the post and thanks for comments

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  12. Thanks for all the information about the interesting tower. Thanks, too, for the video of the hovercraft. I saw a hovercraft once, and it was absolutely fascinating to see it come right up on shore.

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    1. HI George Thanks for comments. I think this is one of the only commerical passanger hoovercrafts left working. It was fun to watch and very clever. My grand daughter goes over to school.

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  13. Really, all the photographs are glorious...

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