town at the northern extremity of the Isle of Wight (Wight, Isle of), historic county of Hampshire, England, 11 miles (18 km) south of Southampton. The estuary of the River Medina separates East Cowes and Cowes.

Cowes Castle (1540) was built for coastal defense by Henry VIII; it has been the headquarters of the Royal Yacht Squadron (founded 1815) since 1856. Nearby Osborne House became Queen Victoria's marine residence in 1845, and she died there in 1901. Annual sailing regattas culminate in Cowes Week (early August). Cowes is the most industrialized part of the Isle of Wight. Its industries include the manufacture of hovercraft, yachts, and sails. Pop. (2001) 9,663.