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Ryde Pavillion - Photo: Isle of Wight Tourism |
As well as an important
gateway to the Isle of Wight – it is the
terminus for both ferries and hovercraft –
Ryde is a pleasant, Victorian-style seaside
resort that prides itself on its shopping
experience. It even has a market held in
cellars. Its pier was the first of its kind
built in Britain in 1814. Until then, boat
passengers had to land at the pier at low tide
before being taken to town by horse and cart.
It achieved notoriety in the late 18th
century when it became the port from which
migrants and convicts alike were taken by the
‘First Fleet’, under Arthur Phillip, to Botany
Bay in Australia.
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