D'Oyly Carte Island
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D'Oyly Carte Island is a small private island in the River Thames, England, administratively and historically part of Weybridge, near its other inhabited islands and near part of Old Shepperton, on the reach above Sunbury Lock, 200 metres downstream from Shepperton Lock. Before 1890 the island was known as Folly Eyot. The impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte bought the island in about 1890 and built the 13-bedroom Eyot House on the property. His widow sold the island, and it was last sold in 2021.
Geography
The wooded island is 145 metres in length, and apart from its two points, 30 to 45 metres in width.
Etymology
The island was called
History
Carte intended to use the island as a special secluded annex, accessible by boat, to his new Savoy Hotel, but a panel of local magistrates refused to grant him an alcoholic drinks licence for the property.[5] Instead, Carte had a 13-bedroom mansion, Eyot House, built on the island, and it became one of his main residences.[6][7] Among the famous guests who stayed at the house were the dramatist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan.[8] In later years, Carte displayed his macabre sense of humour by keeping a crocodile on the island.[9]
Carte died in 1901, and his widow
Features
Eyot House has a large garden, which Carte and his wife helped to design, surrounded by trees.[7][14] The house has 13 bedrooms, five bathrooms, four reception rooms, a ballroom and 1.9 acres (0.8 ha) of grounds.[10] It incorporates fairytale elements on the facade, including gargoyle and crocodile carvings in the eaves. The property includes nearby land on the mainland with parking for more than 20 cars.[6]
A single-span footbridge built in 1964 provides access to the house, whereas, previously, the island was reached by pulling oneself across the river on a chain ferry.
See also
References
- ^ a b Grid Reference Finder distance tools
- ^ a b "D'Oyly Carte Island marina" Archived 7 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine, World Marine Guide, 2009, accessed 12 November 2012.
- ^ Weybridge St James Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Church of England
- ^ Surrey Council Council interactive maps (various) (exact URLs and platform changeable) Retrieved 2013-10-26
- ^ a b Barrington, Rutland (1908). Rutland Barrington: A Record of 35 Years' Experience on the English Stage, By Himself, p. 73.
- ^ a b c d Neate, Rupert (5 August 2021). "D'Oyly Carte Island, complete with crumbling mansion, sold for £3m". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ ISBN 1445222396
- ^ Winn, Christopher. I Never Knew That about the River Thames (London: Ebury Press, 2010), p. 138.
- OCLC 3651931.
- ^ a b c Cornish, Natalie. "Private island in the Thames with Grade-II listed Victorian mansion for sale for £3.2m", House Beautiful, 1 July 2019
- ^ a b c Elvery, Martin. "The island in the Thames with stunning mansion that was sold for £3 million", MyLondon, 10 February 2022
- ^ Nye, Richard. "Carte and Soul: Celebrity mansion in Richmond is opening to the public for the first time", Essential Surrey & SW London, July 17, 2022
- ^ "A La Carte", D’Oyly Carte Island, accessed 25 May 2023
- ^ "Shepperton Lock", About the Thames, accessed 11 April 2009
- ^ A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of the Borough of Elmbridge
Further reading
- Vickers, Miranda. Eyots and Aits, Islands of the River Thames, The History Press (2012) ISBN: 978-0752462134
External links
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