Two iconic Isle of Wight landmarks you should visit

Perhaps the most photographed building is Osborne House.

It is now 125 years since the death of Queen Victoria.

While she was in residence, East Cowes was at the centre of the empire.

Her death led to Osborne becoming a new tourist attraction, opening in 1904.

Coachloads of tourists were able to visit the house for the very first time.

In 2001 piper Duncan Matthews played to commemorate the death of Queen Victoria (Image: Contributed)

This year, a visitor to Osborne can see an exhibition about her funeral.

You might think this is a sombre event to mark, but the exhibition is most interesting.

The twelve-foot-long diorama of the funeral procession passing East Cowes Town Hall is so full of life that even Queen Victoria would have approved, we think.

The diorama awaits its protective cover from GKN (Image: Contributed)

She did not want a “black” funeral and even left instructions that purple would be the mourning colour in the shops.

Red curtains were placed over the pictures and mirrors at Osborne in 1901, which has been replicated in the exhibition room.

On the 100th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s death, 25 years ago, a lone piper played at Osborne and led followers down York Avenue to the Trinity House Depot. 

The 2026 commemoration (Image: Contributed)

His uniform has now been gifted to East Cowes Heritage Centre, and where better to display it than Osborne House.

However, it must go into quarantine for a couple of weeks so that wool moth is not accidentally imported into the house.

Hopefully, it too will soon be part of the exhibition.

Modeller Alan Fyson inserts the last section of the funeral procession (Image: Contributed)

The next landmark building on the list of Island icons is thought to be Appley Tower at Ryde.

Thanks to Natural Enterprise fundraising, this little building will be open again this summer to the public and it is possible to climb to the top for a stunning view.  

Donations are welcomed to help with the upkeep of the building, and you will find it is £2 well spent!

Appley Tower early in the morning (Image: Contributed)

It was built as a folly in 1875 by the owner of Appley Towers, Sir William Hutt, as his smoking room.

The Appley Estate was bought in 1945 by Ryde Town Council, the mansion sold, and Appley Park was created as a Public Space.

Appley Towers mansion was demolished in 1959.  

Inside Appley Tower (Image: Contributed)

Appley Tower was closed in 2015 but recently, much restoration work has been completed, stonework repaired, a flat viewing roof and balustrade installed, and an internal staircase now gives access to the roof.

Without these renovations, the Grade II listed tower would have fallen into disrepair.    

In the lower room of the tower there are thousands of ammonites set into the walls.

The stunning view from the top of Appley Tower (Image: Contributed)

However, there is some debate as to whether these are real fossils, or cement replicas.

Are those set in the crazy paving by the door real or not?

Either way, Appley Tower is worth a visit.