“Ramsey Town, O Ramsey Town, Shining by the sea!”
Arguably, Belvedere Court occupies the best location in Ramsey……
Royal Ramsey, the ‘Capital of the North’, is the sunniest part of the Isle of Man – it’s true! Its relatively low rainfall is due to it lying within the 'rain shadow' just north of the mountains of Snaefell and North Barrule. Any clouds coming from the south-west (the prevailing wind direction) tend to lose any rain on the mountains before they reach Ramsey. So Ramsey really offers a truly unique way of life that is blended with miles of sandy beaches that lie within a sweeping Bay. The Bay is crowned by the historic Queen’s Pier; the sixth longest Pier in the British Isles and is longer than Snaefell Mountain is high.
Ramsey became ‘Royal’ when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert arrived in 1847. Albert ventured up the hill overlooking the Town to admire the view and to mark his visit the people of Ramsey erected a granite stone tower rising over 45 feet.
Similarly, Belvedere Court enjoys a very prestigious position enjoying 270 degree panoramic views from the Point of Ayre right around to Sky Hill. This is where King Godred Croven fought a decisive battle in 1079 that resulted in over 200 years of Viking rule leading to the Isle of Man having the longest continuous parliament in the world.
The panoramic sweep also picks up – on a clear day - the English and Scottish coastlines, Queen’s Pier, Maughold Head, the busy harbour, the 120 year old swing bridge over the Sulby River, the Prince Albert Tower, North Barrule, Snaefell, the mountain climb of the TT Race Course in the distance and historic Ramsey. Robert the Bruce landed here “with a multitude of ships” on his way to capturing Castle Rushen in 1313.
Situated on Mooragh Promenade Belvedere Court has the best of both worlds. Far enough away from the bustle of the town centre but close enough that all the amenities are just a short walk away across the Swing Bridge. The swimming pool is right on Belvedere’s ‘doorstep’ as is the Park Hotel and the Mooragh Park. This Victorian pleasure Park was created in 1887 and covers an area of 40 acres. It contains beautiful gardens and a 12 acre boating pool and two cafes and children’s’ play areas. A little further on is Ramsey Cottage Hospital and The Grove Museum and Gardens.
On the other side of the Swing Bridge lies all the amenities of Ramsey. They include a full range of Shops, Cafes, Restaurants and Pubs, Farmers Market, Banks, Post Office, Schools, Library, Bus Station, Electric Tram Station, Manx Sailing and Cruising Club, Milntown House, Gardens and Restaurant, Golf Course and the start of the Millenium Way path. This path, also known as the ‘Royal Way’ links Ramsey with Castletown, some 25 miles away, and is recorded in the 13th Century Chronicles of Mann as an ancient ‘highway’.
Belvedere Court was built in 1888 as a Hotel when Ramsey was booming as a seaside holiday destination. But today Belvedere has been totally refurbished to create eleven stunning apartments with a contemporary finish that enjoys the best of both worlds. Outside it maintains the external grandeur that the Victorians lovingly bestowed upon their works of art with lavish decoration and highly detailed ornamentation that ‘modern’ Elizabethans appear to be unable to match. The interior has been totally refurbished to fully comply with the comfort of modern building techniques and standards including gas central heating, fire sprinkler system, full insulation and decoupled floors to suppress all types of noise transmission, energy saving and mood setting lighting and enhanced thermal insulation ... and still having the most amazing views in the most perfect location!