East Cowes Castle way that even throughout the summer, the ice would not melt. The castle had a battery of eight guns, from which Royal Salutes were often fired, when the Royal Yacht was visiting Cowes. This exact copy of the original East Cowes Castle was built on Lough Cooter, County Galway in 1814. As described, East Cowes Castle was originally designed, built and owned by the famous architect John Nash, who was the protegé of the Prince Regent, who was to become King George IV. The circumstances surrounding its creation was that Charles Vereker, 2nd Viscount Gort happened to visit East Cowes
Cowes local businesses. The town was reported to be doing well in 2009, despite the economic downturn. Cowes has a Non-League football club Cowes Sports F.C., which plays at Westwood Park. Cowes is a gateway town for the Isle of Wight. Travellers to Southampton are served by a high speed catamaran passenger ferry from Cowes known as the Red Jet. Southern Vectis' route 1 is the main bus service in Cowes. Single decker buses branded Red1 serve the Red Jet terminal, whilst route 1 double deckers serve the M&S Foodhall at Carvel Lane (the site of the former Cowes railway station).