Royal George Memorial Garden, Ryde
The Royal George Memorial Garden, Ryde, Isle of Wight was established in 2004 on the site of the former municipal Sandringham putting green.
The garden at the eastern end of the Strand, consists of flower beds, seats and display panels with the story of the exploits of the Royal George from her launch in 1756 to her loss in 1782 while being 'heeled' in Spithead for repair. Unfortunately she was 'heeled' too much and water started to enter the gun ports and corrective action wasn't taken in time to avoid the sinking of the ship.
At the time there were some 820 officers and crew and 400 visitors on board - only 255 of whom survived. The bodies of many of the drowned were washed up on the shore at Ryde and there they were buried.
A previous memorial to the disaster had been unveiled in Ashley Gardens in 1965. With the opening of the Memorial Garden the original plaque from Ashley Gardens was relocated and the story panels erected in 2004.
