The Royal Hotel, Isle of Wight

Ah, but we already knew that.

Message from Lower Slaughter Manor, Lower Slaughter

“Dear Mr Lander,

Thank you for your email. I am afraid the gremlins seem to have been at work, as the property is called Lower Slaughter Manor rather than Lowers Laughter Manor.

Please find attached a copy of the hotel history, which details where the name came from.

We are delighted that we provided you with a few moment's enjoyment, and hope to welcome you to Lower Slaughter Manor soon.

With kind regards,

*** ***

Front of House Manager”

Message to Lower Slaughter Manor, Lower Slaughter

“Hello ***,

I hope you don't mind me saying but the difference between Lowers Laughter and Lower Slaughter has quite taken me aback.

The good news is that the information you sent me has settled my nerves somewhat and I am intrigued about your delightful property. I am sure I will visit you very soon.

I apologise for my failing eyes, I can see now where the error has occurred. I wish you all the best.

Kind regards,

T. Lander, esq.”

The information they sent me about the hotel is quite interesting and so I will copy it to the bottom of this post. Meanwhile...

Message to The Royal Hotel, Isle of Wight

"Dear Sir/Madam/proprietary type,

I was perusing the history of your hotel and can find no reference to royalty whatsoever. It left me pondering; should I wish to stay with you, would I have a chance to bump into Prince Charles and his dear mother or not?

Should this not be the case I would be interested in a list of celebrities who have stayed in your rooms before, although this is mainly so I can avoid the Ant and Dec types. I have no qualms about people from the North East but their quirky mannerisms would have me on guard all weekend.

Thank you in advance,

T. Lander, esq."

A history of Lower Slaughter Manor

The name Lower Slaughter does not recall some fearful bygone carnage as might be supposed. It is said to originate from the name of a Norman Knight, Philip de Sloitre, who was granted land in the area by William the Conqueror. The name proved too much of a “tongue twister” for the peasants who corrupted it to ‘slaughter’, though some say it derives from an Anglo-Saxon word, meaning ‘muddy or watery place’. The first written record is in The Doomsday Book where the name is spelt “Sclostre”.

The history of the Manor dates back nearly 1000 years and it is known that a Manor house stood on the site before the Conquest, even as early as 1004 A.D.

In 1443, the Manor became a convent housing nuns from the order Syon when the order was granted the land. The two storey dovecote that still stands in the grounds is said to have supplied the nuns with nourishment.

Some 100 years or so later, after King Henry VIII’s break with Rome in 1543 and the subsequent dissolution of the monasteries, the Manor was returned to the crown in 1603, during the reign of King James I. The Manor was granted in 1611 to Sir George Whitmore, High Sheriff of Gloucestershire and remained in the family until 1964. In 1655, Sir George’s son contracted Valentine Strong to build a house at Lower Slaughter “for the sum of £200.00.00d in lawful English money”. Valentine Strong was a very important stonemason of his time, and was stated to be of national importance. His son, Thomas was the principal contractor employed by Sir Christopher Wren in the building of St Paul’s Cathedral.

Although much altered by later generations, the house retains some interior fittings, one being the stone fireplace in the lounge dated 1658. The Drawing Room and Panel Room both have splendid ceilings, contemporary with the building, enriched with medallions of fruit, flowers and figures of angelic females and birds.

To the side of the Manor stands the very unusual stable block, dated 1770, which hosts a fine central clock tower. A small addition was made to the east of the building in 1864 and in 1891, a larger wing was added on the east side as well as a gazebo window on the staircase landing, overlooking the gardens to the north.

The house was built on a high basement and in one of the basement rooms, now used as our pastry kitchen, is a mural inscription which reads:

A good character is valuable to everyone, but especially to servants. For it is their bread and butter and without it they cannot be admitted a creditable family, and happy it is that the best of characters is in everyone’s power to deserve”

Richard White 1771