Appley Tower Heritage Project
The Appley Tower Heritage Project will ensure that the iconic landmark on Ryde seafront may be enjoyed by the community for many years to come, thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Latest news...
A free exhibition, telling the story of the emergence of Ryde as a holiday destination though postcards, is on display in the groundfloor of Appley Tower, 1st-13th October, 10:30am - 4pm.
Appley Tower is an ideal starting (and finishing) point to discover the heritage of Ryde and its surrounding countryside and seascape. We have put together a set of four trails for people with varying mobility, each with a different theme.
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Get involved...
As well as the restoration of the building itself, community engagement activities are taking place throughout the duration of the project. If you would like to arrange a talk or guided visit for your group, please contact rachael.ardley@naturalenterprise.co.uk or complete the form below.
You can become a volunteer tour guide at Appley Tower and share your love of local heritage with its visitors. Contact Monkton Arts for more details: monktonarts@gmail.com
Learn new skills...
The project also gives the local community the chance to learn new skills. Volunteers have been trained in historical research skills and the resulting information is informing three exhibitions: 150 years of Solent Views; Appley Tower Postcards – what they tell us about tourism on the Isle of Wight and Appley Tower 150th Anniversary.
To read Ken Dueck's Historical Research Report click here.
Beyond the project...
To ensure a sustainable future for the building, its maintenance costs will be funded by the hire of four new beach huts. These are being administered by Monkton Arts, who are running Appley Tower on a daily basis.
How the project evolved...
The 2019 Appley Tower Feasibility Study, funded by the Coastal Revival Fund, determined the cost to bring the Tower into a good state of repair and carry out vital improvements, establish the future annual maintenance costs, explore the income generating options and provided an evidence base to secure future funding.
The next stage of the project was to build on the findings of the Feasibility Study and develop a detailed proposal to raise the funds required to carry out the essential repairs to the tower and establish a sustainable future. One where the tower is able to self-fund the annual cost to keep it in a good state of repair. Support received from the Architectural Heritage Fund allowed us to move to the next and final development stage.
In 2023, The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded Natural Enterprise funding to deliver an Appley Tower heritage engagement project. This will include undertaking vital repairs to the tower and to restore access to the roof via a new mezzanine floor, researching and sharing the rich history of the tower and Sir William Hutt, who had the tower built, and the holding of three exhibitions.
