Ventnor Approaches

Isle of Wight

Old postcards are sometimes poorly produced and grainy, I've done my best to scan them. Please click thumbnails for full size picture. Dates are from the card or my estimate (where possible). The manufacturer of the card is shown in brackets (where available).

From the Royal National Hospital (Ventnor Botanical Gardens) to Steephill Cove

The Royal National Hospital

"The National Cottage Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest on the separate principle" may be said to have been conceived in 1867, founded in 1868 and opened in1869. It was closed on April 15th 1964 by which time it had changed to the "Royal National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest"

The Story of the Royal National Hospital Ventnor by E.F.Laidlaw (1990)

After remaining derelict for some years, the buildings were demolished and the grounds developed as Ventnor Botanic Garden.


On the Cliffs, with a distant view of Ventnor, 1908. (Hartmann)	Ventnor from St Lawrence, showing the Royal National Hospital, the town and Radio Masts on the Downs above, 1954. (Nigh)

An undated view of the Royal National Hospital. The chapel is in the centre of the picture	Another view of the Royal National Hospital, this time from the South. (Nigh)

Flowers Brook pleasure park (now closed) from the air with Steephill Castle (now demolished) behind, undated.	A view of Flowers Brook putting green. Probably from the 1950's. (Valentine)

Steephill Castle from 1906. (R E H) More about Steephill Castle	Steephill Cove, 1906

A similar view, 1912	An artistic view of Steephill Cove from the east, about 1910. (Tuck, Oilette)

Steephill Cove, around1910, with Ventnor pier in the background	Steephill Cove, probably in the late 50's. (Constance)

Ventnor Approaches

Isle of Wight

The Royal National Hospital

5 November 2008