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Page 24
The line of Portsdown hills, on one of which is Nelson's monumental
pillar, usually bounds the view to the north; but in clear weather
our range of perspective embraces a portion of the South Downs
which is crossed by the London road near Petersfield: and on the
left, the beautiful retiring banks of Southampton Water to the town
to itself, backed by the woodland heights of the New Forest;--while
to the right it extends to the spire of Chichester Cathedral; but
with the aid of a glass even to Beachy-head, which appears in the
east like a faint cloud upon the horizon of the sea.
* * * * *
THE ENVIRONS OF RYDE
May be characterized as being beautifully rural, enlivened by peeps or
open prospects of the sea: for this is the best wooded quarter of the
island, adorned with several charming seats and villas, and intersected
by good roads.
But perhaps it ought to be here explained to the stranger, that by
_good_ roads, in the Isle of Wight, is only meant that they are
kept in tolerably good order: not that they are level, or even
gently undulating: for the very charm of the island consists in its
sudden alternation of hill and dale, producing a constant change of
scenery: one moment you may be enclosed in a sylvan theatre; and
the next minute stand on the brow of a hill, sufficiently lofty to
command an interminable panoramic prospect of land and sea.
We will first conduct our friends along the shore _eastward_ of the
town, for the distance of two or three miles. The principal objects to
the westward have been already noticed (p. 41, &c.)
APPLEY (about half a mile,) is a marine villa celebrated for its
amenity: hence an excellent road to St. John's, where several very
eligible sites for building on are to be disposed of: and a neat little
church has recently been erected.
ST. CLARE, another delightful residence: the house built in the
castellated style: and the pleasure-grounds and very extensive gardens,
truly exquisite.
PUCKPOOL, a sequestered Swiss Cottage.
SPRING-VALE, a pretty hamlet composed of lodging-houses.--A
carriage-road hence by the back of St. Clare.
SEA-VIEW (two miles), another pleasant hamlet, containing several
lodging-houses: and having near it the beautiful villas of SEA-FIELD,
FAIRY-HILL, SEA-GROVE, &c. A road hence to Nettlestone Green.
The grounds of the Priory extend eastward for about a mile: the sandy
beach the whole of the distance is remarkably fine.
>> _From the above it is apparent, that a Party may have a very
pleasant saunter just as far as may prove agreeable, according to
their ability for walking; as there is a choice of roads by which
to return, thus making a circuit of any extent they like._
* * * * *
We now start by the regular carriage-road for the rocky coast (commonly
called the Back of the island), and first reach a hamlet on the rise of
the next hill, named OAK-FIELD, and then ...
ST. JOHN's, a first-rate seat,--mansion plain, but admirably situated
for prospect, and screened by beautiful wood, as will appear in the
road making several sudden turns, over-arched by lofty trees, especially
the silver fir. Shortly the tower of St. Clare appears on our left:
WESTRIDGE in a valley on the right; and several other minor seats are
successively passed,--some partially seen through the woods and
shrubberies, and others quite secluded.
>> From the hamlet called _Nettlestone Green_ (about two miles from
Ryde,) a carriage-road leads down to Sea-view, by which the party
may on another occasion return on the beach to Ryde, passing the
back of St. Clare.
THE PRIORY is three miles from Ryde: it takes its name from having been
the site of an ancient monastic cell--is a spacious, plain mansion, and
ranks among the finest seats in the island: here too, much of the wood
is uncommonly fine, notwithstanding its exposure to the sea-air.
Arriving at ...
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