Poorna Bell, editor, MSN Travel
17/07/2012 10:38 | By Poorna Bell, editor, MSN Travel

Queen Victoria's private beach opens to the public for the first time ever

This summer, you can recreate the famous first dip that the monarch took in the sea, at her estate, Osborne House, on the Isle of Wight.


The beach at Osborne House (© English Heritage)

The beach at Osborne House

In the world of swimwear, things have moved on since Queen Victoria's day. Then, she went for a dip dressed in a cap and voluminous black bathing dress, now we live in the age of the string bikini.

But even if any anti-royalists did want to take a rebellious stand by wearing a two-piece as a snub to the famously conservative monarch, when the beach and estate finally opens to the public on 27 July, the waters are likely to be far too cold to frolic in.

Then again, swimming is not the biggest draw here - Osborne House, her private seaside estate, is rich with history and has never been visited before by the public. "It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot," she wrote in 1845. It is where she famously took her first ever swim in the sea, and where her children learned how to swim.

The Queen's wooden 'bathing machine' (© English Heritage)

The Queen's wooden 'bathing machine'

Even how she swam was fascinating - she would ascend the steps of the bathing machine (pictured above), inside which there was a changing room and toilet.

The ornate contraption would then be pushed into the sea via a ramp, allowing her to serenely float into the water. It is currently being rescued from a rather undignified end - after her death in 1901, it was used as a chicken shed.

Osborne House and its accompanying beach is a fascinating addition to the portfolio of Britain's must-see sights.

Bathing alcove (© English Heritage)

The Queen's alcove

It's open until November, and during summer, you can try your hand at Victorian games such as hoops-and-sticks and skittles.

There's even a specially commissioned Royal Punch and Judy show, as it was a form of entertainment enjoyed by the Queen.

Perhaps the most endearing aspect of the new attraction is that it reveals a much warmer, more human side to the monarch.

A highlight, for instance, is the restored covered seat called the Queen's Alcove, where she sat and sketched coastal views.

The exterior of Osborne House (© English Heritage)

The exterior of Osborne House

In 1902, Edward VII gave the house to the nation as a memorial of the Queen, and during World War II, the bay was used to train soldiers for D-Day. Now it is looked after by the English Heritage.

Entry to Osborne House is free for English Heritage members. For non-members it is £13 for adults, £7.80 for children and £33.80 for a family of four. Visit the website or call for more information on 01983 200 022.

6Comments
17/07/2012 16:22
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Am i reading this editorial right.
 Osborne House on the Isle of Wight never before been open to the public. As a member of English Heritage i have visited many times along with joe public.
I would recommend any one who visits the island to go along and see for there selves what a delightful place Osborne house is.     
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I lived on the Isle of Wight from 1975 to 1986, Osbourne house was open to the public throughout that time. It is a fascinating place well worth visiting, shows Victorias love of all things Indian, and the lengths she and Albert went to in providing a happy childhood for her children. 
17/07/2012 16:10
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She was the most privileged individual of her time. To even turn up near the spot  would have brought  simply to notorious prisons. Now,thanks to preservation, it's a still mostly pristine place not ruined  by countless tourists. When there, make pictures and keep silent. It's the place where the most powerful woman on Earth was on regular basis and owned it.. She is also the grandmother of most of aristocracy in Europe and the same ancestor to King Juan Carlos as to Queen Elizabeth II at the same level.
Her cuisine made her long lasting like the current Monarch's. Curiosity has it, that the very same what she consumes can be brought in native supermarkets and more traditional bakeries.
Called it nostalgic, it won't come back.

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Wow, looks very lovly. Good to see it being looked after now.
02/09/2012 12:00
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This place has been open to the public for decades. My first visit, including beach was 50 years ago. John Wilmots description is perfect.
 This article does not make it clear whether the beach is now freely accessable to the general public without paying the house entrance fee,
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