ПереводThe Isle of White is a part of Hampshire. Since the

Перевод
The Isle of White is a part of Hampshire. Since the Victorian times it was adopted as a holiday island and tourism has been its bread and butter ever since. The island, 23 miles from west to east and 13 miles from north to south, is far smaller than Greater London and is known for its beauty and variety of scenery. A morning drive can cover most of the better-known places. In summer the island is crowded with visitors, its safe bathing and enviable sunshine making it ideal for family holidays. Newport is capital of the Isle of Wight, standing at the head of the River Medina. It is a market town and its Saturday market has been known since 1184. The main industries are plastics, manufacturing woodwork, milling, brewing and mineral water manufacture. Newport has an excavated Roman villa, and many attractive 17th century houses and a guildhall, designed by the 19th century architect John Nash.
Carisbrooke is the old capital of the island, with a mighty 12th century Norman castle, built on the site of a Roman fort. Charles I was imprisoned there in 1647-48, and his son Henry and daughter Elizabeth came as prisoners in 1650. Cowes is Britain's yachting capital. There is Cowes Castle, built by Henry VIII, and the Royal Yacht Squadron is housed there. Its 22 brass guns stand ready on Victoria Parade to start races and fire Royal Salutes. Osborne House, one mile south-east, was Queen Victoria's home at the time of her death in 1901. Prince Albert and Thomas Cubitt together designed it as an Italian villa. Visitors can see the state and private apartments, furnished as they were in Queen Victoria's time.
Nearby is Norris Castle, where the young Princess Victoria frequently stayed with her mother. Ryde is one of the main Gateways to the Isle of Wight, having a half a mile long pier built in 1813. Its electric railway built in 1880 was one of the first in the world. Ryde has 5 miles of excellent sandy beach. The island is known for its St. Catherine's lighthouse, warning ships in the Channel of the coastline's dangers, and for its multi-coloured sandstone. Island souvenirs show their 12 distinct shades of sand.