More information : (Area centred SZ51099653). There was a castle at East Cowes but it has long been totally demolished. The place still retains the name of OLD CASTLE POINT. (1)
Forts are mentioned by LELAND AT WEST COWES (SZ 49 NE 10) and East Cowes.(2)
The Castle at EAST COWES was erected by Henry VIII from the ruins of a religious house at EAST SHAMBLORD, not a vestige remains. (SZ59SW4) (3)
The fortification at EAST COWES was evidently only a horn work as it is not shown on SPEEDS map of 1610.(4)
There are no remains of this fortification at OLD CASTLE POINT. Its side may be some distance out in the SOLENT, as, before the modern sea-wall was built, erosion was probably rapid. (5)
(SZ51109656) Approx site. (6-7)
The construction of East Cowes Castle was begun in March/April 1539 and was probably not fully completed until 1542. It was originally conceived as a single defence work, but the plan was quickly adapted to include a second, larger, fort at West Cowes. (SZ 59 SW 10). Since the expenditure on its construction, and the size of the garrison, was roughly the same as for West Cowes Castle, the castle probably resembled that at West Cowes. The engineers may have used stone from the abbeys at Beaulieu and Quarr, and possibly from East Shamblord (SZ 59 SW 4) (3). It was abandoned c.1546-7, and was a ruin by the 17th century. (8) |