Although I do not live on the island, I holiday over here most years. We always stay where the Yarborough Monument is visible and shouts of ''I can see the monument' from our children have always been an indication that we have nearly arrived and our holidays have started.
The impressive Yarborough Monument – the tallest on the Isle of Wight – is a prominent feature on the skyline of the east of the Island. For many years it has acted as a seamark for shipping but, surprisingly, not always from its present position.
It was originally built on the slightly higher summit of Bembridge Down. But this massive granite obelisk on its stepped ashlar stone plinth was painstakingly moved, stone by stone, in the 1860s. It was to make way for Bembridge Fort, which was built as part of the island’s defences against invasion.
The Earl of Yarborough, 1781-1846, was born Charles Anderson Pelham in Lincolnshire. Thanks to the twin circumstances of birth and marriage, he rose to wealth and power.
He received a baronetcy on the death of his father and, in 1806, married Henrietta Simpson. She inherited the estate of her uncle, Sir Richard Worsley, the largest landowner on the Isle of Wight. Charles was one of two MPs returned by the ‘rotten borough’ of Newtown. Why not visit Newtown Old Town Hall and see where the action took place? In 1837 he was elevated to an Earl.
Charles’ great passion was sailing and in 1815 he was one of the founding members and later the first Commodore of what was to become the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes. It's arguably the most prestigious yacht club in the United Kingdom and perhaps the world.
Sadly, his son did not follow in his father’s illustrious footsteps but is remembered nevertheless for the ‘yarborough’ – an exceptionally weak hand in bridge.
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To log this cache:
1) Please message me the answers to the following 2 questions
a) Underneath the coat of arms on two sides of the monument is a name (not the sculptur). What is this name?
b) As you go down the road (additional waypoint), you reach a cattle grid. To the right of this is a gate in memory of two people who 'loved the island'. What are their names?
2) Upload a photograph to your log of either you/your GPS at the monument or of the outstanding view across to the north or south.
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Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.