ON THIS DAY: BINSTEAD LODGE ‒ HOME OF LORD DOWNES ‒ BURNT DOWN ON THIS DAY IN 1851

On 17th February 1851, Lord and Lady Downes were heading across the Solent on a steamer when they saw their Isle of Wight summer residence ‒ Binstead Lodge ‒ on fire.

Ryde fire brigade were called to the scene, but the Lodge was partly covered in thatch and therefore of a highly combustible nature. The cause of the fire was said to have been a badly installed stove.

Their property was burnt to the ground. Lady Downes ‒ who had married into the wealthy Fleming family before her marriage to Lord Downes ‒ was said to have lost £30,000 worth of jewellery in the blaze (over £5million in today’s money).

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The owner of Binstead Lodge ‒ General Ulysses de Burgh, 2nd Baron Downes ‒ was a distinguished soldier and Tory politician. He was twice wounded in the Peninsula War: at the Battle of Tavera (1809) and the Battle of Toulouse (1814). He had had his horse shot from under him at the Battle of Nivelle (1813). The Baron entered the House of Commons in 1818 and the House of Lords in 1833.

Binstead Lodge (also known as Binstead Cottage) was a cottage villa and marine residence north of Binstead Church. It was built in 1807 by Elizabeth Fleming as the Island home of the Willis Fleming family, who have given their name to Binstead’s Fleming Arms.

The Lodge was described in Beauties of the Isle of Wight (1826) as follows:

“Immediately on the side of the church stands the elegant cottage of J. Fleming Esq. The view is lovely, and the grounds are exceedingly well laid out, especially a fancy garden, which from its singularity and elegance, is an object of general admiration.”

After Binstead Lodge had been burnt to the ground, Binstead House was immediately built in its place. The building later became known as Binstead House Hotel. Its current name is “The Keys”.

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