Royal Visit to Roaches

By Roger Dyke

OK, it was the Princess of Cambridge, not the Duchess of Cambridge: and it was 141 years ago: but the Roaches did indeed have a royal visit…

23rd August 1872, on a typical Roaches summer day, windy and dry but threatening to rain, HRH the Princess of Teck “displayed capital mountaineering powers” on a “scramble up a steep rocky stair”. Not bad for the mother of a future Queen of England. Read all about it in the 14 Sept 1872 issue of “The Graphic” – Google will find it for you.

It looks from the engraving (see over for reproduction) and from a photo taken at the time, that the Prince and Princess were popular, with a large crowd coming to see them. They clearly had an exciting life, leaving England in 1883 to escape creditors (the Dukes of Teck were never very well-off) but returning 2 years later.

In 1891, Queen Victoria (the Princess’ cousin) arranged for their daughter Mary to marry the then Duke of York: He became King George V in 1910, and she Queen Mary.

Where’s Teck? – in Germany, near Stuttgart.

Where’s the plaque? On the left, about 50m on from the top of the steps to the Upper Tier.