Sir William Hutt and Improvements at Appley
Isle of Wight Observer – April 24 1875
The Wall from Apley (sic) to Springvale – In former years the road from Springvale to Ryde by the sea wall was so dangerous that many timid persons hesitated about choosing that route to Ryde, although such a short one. At one spot the road narrowed so that two persons could not pass at the same time, while the scrambling up and down steps at one part of the road was most inconvenient.
A little further on the wall had broken away again, and the foot passenger had almost to emulate, in a small way, the feat of Blondin, and balance himself upon a narrow wall for some little distance.A false step might precipitate him upon the rocky shore beneath, or in the muddy slush on the other side.
Close against Apley again, yellow clay upon the wall in wet weather was scarcely to be avoided, and altogether the roadway was in a most wretched and disgraceful condition. The public, however, are indebted to Sir William Hutt for an improvement upon these state of things. Since he has become the owner of Apley Towers and the beautiful estate adjoining, he has made various improvements. A handsome little pier for the convenience of his household has been constructed, and he has thrown back his boundary wall along the whole length of his frontage about 1800 feet, which makes the wall about twelve or fourteen feet in width. Instead of the wet clay this is now neatly covered with Portland cement concrete, and the portion completed reflects great credit upon the contractor, Mr Jolliffe, of Newport.
The other parts of the wall adjoining the estate of Sir W Harcourt, at St Clare, have also been much improved, and are not in the dangerous condition they were in former years; but there is still room for improvement, and we hope that ere long we shall see an alteration in the condition of the wall corresponding with that of the portion adjoining the Apley Estate.
