This comprehensive and generously illustrated guide explores the beguiling buildings of the Isle of Wight. The island's many towns, villages, and resorts are included in a detailed gazetteer, as are the charming villas and "cottages ornes" dotted around the spectacular coasts. Among the grand architecture found on the island are the powerful fortress of Carisbrooke Castle, the rich Baroque mansion of Appuldurcombe, Victoria and Albert's Osborne House, and the extraordinary Quarr Abbey, a masterpiece of Expressionist brick. Other attractions include Roman villas, sturdy manor houses, powerful coastal defenses built for Henry VIII (and reinforced under Queen Victoria), and the retreats of Tennyson and other Victorian notables, not to mention a well-established tradition of innovative modern design.