5 Alexandra Gardens

5 Alexandra Gardens is one of the two houses that is still a single unit, along with Bermuda House at number 3.

Until recently it was the Winsor Carlton Guest House though the original name was Enville House. The first reference to this was made in the Kelly’s Directory of 1888. At that time Mrs Roff ran it as a lodging house.

Many of the houses were run as lodgings or apartments up to the 1920’s. A story told to us whilst researching Alexandra Gardens was that many people, who had received medical treatment at the Ventnor Chest Hospital, loved the area so much they stayed on in Ventnor after completing their treatment. Many, it would seem, lived in lodgings in Alexandra Gardens.

After a while the houses were again separated, doorways were blocked up and number 5 became Carlton House. Number 6 was sold and continued as Dean House. These pictures are of the dining room and drawing room in Carlton House, taken around the 1960’s. Later the dining room became the breakfast room after being used as a bar for approximately 40 years. The drawing room was on the first floor with stunning views of the Ventnor coastline.

In the 1960’s the owners of number 5 acquired number 4, Windsor House. The two houses where joined at ground level via a door and covered walkway, and at basement level. The two names were put together and numbers 4 and 5 became known as the Windsor Carlton Hotel.

The ground floor rooms and their functions changed over time.

In 2003 Paul and Ann Hutchins bought the Windsor Carlton Hotel. The Windsor Carlton continued as a holiday destination during July and August and as a residence for school trips from March through to July and in September. Often the Windsor Carlton Hotel played host to as many as 45 children at a time. Over the years this had taken its toll on the condition of the buildings and much renovation and updating was required to bring the rooms into the 21st Century.

After two years of negotiations with the Isle of Wight Council, planning approval was, finally, granted to separate the two buildings. In December 2007 the doorway and covered walkway between 4 and 5 were blocked up and removed.

In January 2008 number 4 was sold and Paul and Ann Hutchins refurbished number 5 to offer five en-suite rooms to adults only. The lease and freehold of number 5 were joined in January 2009.

In 2018 the Windsor Carlton was sold and it has now been refurbished into a private residence.

Dates

Here are some of the key names and dates associated with the house, gleaned from the Deeds, Kelly’s Directories and other sources.