Cowes Maritime Heritage Trail
The Cowes Maritime Heritage Trail links sailing clubs, museums and heritage centres to reveal the history of maritime Cowes and its significance in British and International Yachting. It has been initiated by the Classic Boat Museum which, founded in 1996, is celebrating its 30th Anniversary, achieving its long-term strategic goal of concentrating its activities on one site in the Medina Village by the Hammerhead Crane. It recently formed a Partnership with the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust to promote the heritage of the of the Royal Yachts and the Racing Royals in Cowes.
1. Royal Yacht Squadron
The Castle, Cowes, Isle of Wight, P031 7QT
Founded in 1815, the Royal Yacht Squadron is considered the most prestigious yacht club in the world. Originally ‘The Yacht Club’, it gained ‘Royal’ status in 1820 from George IV and its current name from William IV in 1833. The Squadron holds the unique privilege of flying the White Ensign. Its collection includes regatta cups, maritime paintings and artefacts from the famous HMY Britannia, a cutter commissioned by Edward VII in 1893 that enjoyed a legendary racing career until it was scuttled in 1936 on the command of George V. Open for guided tours of displays in the Pavilion & the Castle on ‘The Racing Royal’ (please book)
Visitors are welcome to view artefacts from the Royal Thames Yacht Club in the Royal Yacht Squadron (please book a tour). These include HMY Britannia’s cased boom cap with Prince of Wales insignia on loan from the RYA, an engraved brass bollard and an oak mainsheet block with inscribed brass plaque presented by Lord Powerscourt in 1947.
4. Panels on the Parade
The Parade, Cowes PO31 7QS Brought to you by the proud partnership of the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust and the Classic Boat Panels featuring the Royal Yachts
5. Cowes Week Limited
Regatta House, 18 Bath Road,
owes M ariti M e H eritage t rail
• June 22nd (10am - 11am) or (11am - 12noon)
• July 13th (10am - 11am) or (11am - 12noon)
• August 31st (10am - 11am) or (11am - 12noon)
2. Royal Ocean Racing Club
The Parade, Cowes PO31 7QU
Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC): Established in 1925 to standardize offshore racing, the RORC manages the Rolex Fastnet Race. It recently celebrated its centenary in 2025.
The Club is open March 30th to 26th July:
Wednesday 11am – 3pm, Thursday to Saturday 11am –11pm, Sunday 12noon – 4pm
3. Royal Thames & Royal London Yacht Clubs
The Parade, Cowes PO31 7QS
The Royal Thames Yacht Club was founded in 1775 by the Duke of Cumberland. It is the oldest continuously operating yacht club in the world. It was formerly known as the Cumberland Fleet, changing its name in 1830. The Royal London Yacht Club grew from the Arundel Yacht Club and obtained its Royal title in 1849.
Cowes Week Limited was formed in 2007 and manages the regatta’s operations. It evolved from the Cowes Combined Clubs, which Prince Philip suggested in 1964 to unify the disparate management of various racing days. It features a display about 200 years of Cowes Week at Regatta
Open for Heritage Trail – Saturday 1st August to Friday
Founded in March 1889 by General Charles Baring, the Island Sailing Club was established to provide an inclusive alternative to exclusive yacht clubs, welcoming all sailing abilities. Known as ‘The Friendly Club,’ it quickly gained popularity and established its permanent clubhouse on Cowes High Street in the late 19th century. The Club is best known for founding the prestigious annual Round the Island Race in 1931, which began with 25 starters and has grown into one of the world’s largest yacht races, often featuring over 1,500 boats.
The Club is open to visitors June 1st – September 30th. Please sign the Visitors Book in either the Office (ground floor) or Bar (first floor) noting you are on the Maritime Heritage Trail.
7. Britannia Exhibition – Commodore’s House
74 High St, Cowes PO31 7AJ (next to Rosalie’s – the green-painted fruit & veg delicatessen)
Sailing through Royal History – The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust is presenting a special exhibition on Royal Racing Yachts and the Uffa Fox story. For more information, please visit:–www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/cowes
Open to visitors 31st July to 29th August
8. Medina Bookshop
50 High St, Cowes PO31 7RR
Open daily 9am to 5pm (Sunday till 4pm)
Selling a superlative collection of antiquarian maritime books as well as new titles, small display of maritime art and in the evenings hosting a number of sailing related talks.
9. Sir Max Aitken Museum
83 High St, Cowes PO31 7AJ
Sir Max Aitken (1910–1985) was a distinguished British Battle of Britain fighter ace, media proprietor, and renowned yachtsman. As the son of Lord Beaverbrook, he flew with 601 Squadron, earning the DSO and DFC. Post-war, he chaired Beaverbrook Newspapers, founded the London International Boat Show, and co-founded the Cowes-Torquay powerboat race. In 1947, he acquired The Prospect in Cowes, an 18thcentury sailmaker’s loft, which now houses the Sir Max Aitken Museum. The museum presents a guided tour of artefacts relating to the ‘Racing Royals’, including: the tillers from HMY Britannia and the Kaiser’s yacht Meteor and the gaff from the HMY Britannia.
Open April 28th to September 30th.
Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm. Free entry Guides available to take you round the exhibits.
10. K1 Britannia
16 High St, Cowes PO31 7RZ
K1 Britannia on the High Street named after the Flag of HMY Britannia, ‘K1’, has a shop selling maritime memorabilia and a museum displaying fascinating artefacts from the yacht.
Open 10am to 5pm (Sundays 11am to 4pm)
11. Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club
39 Birmingham Rd, Cowes PO31 7BH
The Club has long been the meeting point enthusiastic sailors and describes itself as “not posh”. It was founded in 1952 to promote amateur (“Corinthian”) sailing in the Solent. The Club celebrates the legacy of the late Paralympic champion Andy Cassell, who was the Club’s Honorary Admiral and a champion of inclusive sailing. The Andy Cassell Foundation promotes sailing for people with disabilities. The Club also houses the Cowes
Sailability Club, promoting disability sailing.
Open to visitors Tuesday to Thursday 5pm to 10.30pm, Friday to Saturday 12 noon to 11pm and Sunday 12noon to 10pm
12. Classic Boat Museum
Medina Village, Cowes, PO31 7LP (use entrance on Thetis Road)
Open Tuesday to Friday 11am to 3pm Cowes Week – open every day 11am to 3pm Entry £10 for adults, free for accompanied children under 17
The Classic Boat Museum, founded in 1996, is celebrating its 30th Anniversary, achieving its longterm strategic goal of concentrating its activities on one site in the Medina Village by the Hammerhead Crane. It recently formed a Partnership with the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust to promote the heritage of the of the Royal Yachts and the Racing Royals in Cowes. Its exhibits include Bloodhound’s tender and Coweslip (May – July), a large half model of HMY Britannia donated by the family of John and Jack Carter, Captains on HMY Britannia and models of Bluebottle and Coweslip built by local model-maker, Bill Austin.
13. Cowes Maritime Museum
12-14 Beckford Rd, Cowes PO31 7SG
Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday 10am to 12.30pm & 1.30pm to 5pm. Saturday 10am to 4.30pm
Free entry as part of the Library
14. Cowes Library
12-14 Beckford Rd, Cowes PO31 7SG
Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday 10am to 12.30pm & 1.30pm to 5pm. Saturday 10am to 4.30pm
The Cowes Library houses an extensive maritime collection featuring books, journals, and local studies materials. Situated on the library balcony, it provides a dedicated, quiet area for researching sailing history, yachting, and marine activities from the earliest days of yachting to the present.
15. Beckford Centre
Cowes Heritage and Community Group
5 Beckford Rd, Cowes PO31 7SE
Visitors are welcome to view displays about the yachts that have raced in Cowes.
Open Wednesdays and Saturday mornings, 10am12noon. Cowes Week open from Tuesday 4th to Saturday 8th Aug, 10am -1pm. Free entry
