Bus

by Creek

Rambles

peace and tranquility and peace

Island

and those in search of search in those and to see the see to

best way best The Newtown

a haven for yachtsmen... for haven a

Right: Right: Yarmouth Town Hall Town Yarmouth

Inset Inset Eric and Susan Hiscock Susan and Eric Left: Yarmoth lifeboat lifeboat Yarmoth Left: needed. needed.

Main picture Main View across Newtown Creek Newtown across View

examination anchorages for identification and, if if and, identification for anchorages examination had the desired deterrent effect and the guns were never never were guns the and effect deterrent desired the had

In war time, unidentified vessels were to report to to report to were vessels unidentified time, war In

in a protruding bastion on the land side, but the castle castle the but side, land the on bastion protruding a in

town! town!

an ‘examination anchorage’ for the western Solent. Solent. western the for anchorage’ ‘examination an

of monasteries at Quarr and Beaulieu. Guns were placed placed were Guns Beaulieu. and Quarr at monasteries of

they could decide who would be the two MPs for the the for MPs two the be would who decide could they

Built between 1937-8, Battery was part of of part was Battery Bouldnor 1937-8, between Built

two sides. The stone was sourced from the destruction destruction the from sourced was stone The sides. two

where the Town Corporation and Mayor met, and where where and met, Mayor and Corporation Town the where

edge of and River Yar with a moat on the other other the on moat a with Yar River and Solent the of edge

homesteads that had been occupied. occupied. been had that homesteads

during the reign of George III. The upper chamber was was chamber upper The III. George of reign the during

and again in 1543. The square structure was built at the the at built was structure square The 1543. in again and

and over time vacant plots were incorporated into those those into incorporated were plots vacant time over and

It was built in 1763 to replace a plain market house, house, market plain a replace to 1763 in built was It

following two invasions by the French, firstly in 1377 1377 in firstly French, the by invasions two following

First World War. The take-up was not particularly strong strong particularly not was take-up The War. World First The Town Hall Town The

Yarmouth Castle was commissioned by Henry VIII VIII Henry by commissioned was Castle Yarmouth

who wished to start a new life on returning from the the from returning on life new a start to wished who

The Castle The

Lloyd George’s Land Fit For Heroes scheme – for veterans veterans for – scheme Heroes For Fit Land George’s Lloyd 1764, being named after George III. III. George after named being 1764,

In 1919, land around Cranmore was set aside – under under – aside set was Cranmore around land 1919, In Sir Robert Holmes in 1669. It became the George Inn in in Inn George the became It 1669. in Holmes Robert Sir

Wildlife Trust . Trust Wildlife

of the . It is thought to have been built by by built been have to thought is It Wight. of Isle the of

reserve. reserve.

nature reserve managed by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wight of Isle and Hampshire by managed reserve nature

years and before that was the home of two Governors Governors two of home the was that before and years

archaeological site, and a beautiful salt marsh nature nature marsh salt beautiful a and site, archaeological

is now a scheduled ancient monument and a national national a and monument ancient scheduled a now is

This has been the main hotel in Yarmouth for over 250 250 over for Yarmouth in hotel main the been has This

the area is a significant and undisturbed medieval medieval undisturbed and significant a is area the three seasonal ponds caused by bomb craters. The site site The craters. bomb by caused ponds seasonal three

The George Hotel George The

of 68 people returned two MPs to Westminster. Today Today Westminster. to MPs two returned people 68 of battery during the Second World War have created created have War World Second the during battery

before being disenfranchised in 1832, its population population its 1832, in disenfranchised being before over the guns. Attempts by the Germans to bomb the the bomb to Germans the by Attempts guns. the over

1793.

French attack and the deprivations of the plague. Just Just plague. the of deprivations the and attack French supervision and rough concrete air defences constructed constructed defences air concrete rough and supervision

area and created the mill pond. The tidal mill was built in in built was mill tidal The pond. mill the created and area

Newtown (as it became known) did not recover from a a from recover not did known) became it (as Newtown minefield were laid across the Solent under Royal Navy Navy Royal under Solent the across laid were minefield

the Mill is today. This sealed off the sea from the Thorley Thorley the from sea the off sealed This today. is Mill the

Bishops of Winchester. Unlike its neighbour Newport, Newport, neighbour its Unlike Winchester. of Bishops In 1940 an anti-submarine boom and controlled controlled and boom anti-submarine an 1940 In

this experiment ended, an embankment was built where where built was embankment an ended, experiment this

This was one of several ‘new towns’ established by the the by established towns’ ‘new several of one was This

island with a drawbridge to the outer town gate. When When gate. town outer the to drawbridge a with island over it. over

towards the 13th century settlement of Francheville. Francheville. of settlement century 13th the towards

the eastern end of Yarmouth, and so the town became an an became town the so and Yarmouth, of end eastern the would detect a magnetic current as the submarine passed passed submarine the as current magnetic a detect would

suddenly open up across the silted-up medieval harbour harbour medieval silted-up the across up open suddenly

In 1662, for security reasons, a cut through was made at at made was through cut a reasons, security for 1662, In consisted of a submerged cable on the seabed, which which seabed, the on cable submerged a of consisted

Emerging onto the shores of Newtown Creek, views views Creek, Newtown of shores the onto Emerging

The Mill The laid across the channel for submarine detection. This This detection. submarine for channel the across laid

Newtown Creek Newtown

searchlight positions nearby and an indicator loop loop indicator an and nearby positions searchlight

in 1927. 1927. in and a battery observation post. The battery also had had also battery The post. observation battery a and Yarmouth

Coast

wooden pier in . A pier master’s office was added added was office master’s pier A England. in pier wooden

the ammunition to be raised to the gun emplacements, emplacements, gun the to raised be to ammunition the

Ningwood to

entirely of wood, at 609 feet it is the longest completely completely longest the is it feet 609 at wood, of entirely stores and magazines complete with electric lifts for for lifts electric with complete magazines and stores

passengers brought by ferry from the mainland. Built Built mainland. the from ferry by brought passengers Solent provide accommodation and shelter, underground shell shell underground shelter, and accommodation provide

The pier was built in 1876 as a landing point for the foot foot the for point landing a as 1876 in built was pier The 6-inch mark VII breach-loading guns, basic huts to to huts basic guns, breach-loading VII mark 6-inch

The Pier The necessary, destruction. The battery consisted of two two of consisted battery The destruction. necessary,

Leave the car Ramblesby at home – take a Countryside Code Bus bus The Respect Protect Enjoy to the Isle of Wight’s best way Solent to see the Respect other people most inspiring walks. Ningwood to Just use the handy Island Coast • Consider the local community and other QR code inside Yarmouth people enjoying the outdoors to find your • Leave gates and property as you find bus route them and follow paths unless wider access Description A coastal walk overlooking Newtown is available estuary and the Solent. Distance Seven miles. Start Car park by Horse and Groom at Ningwood Protect the natural environment on A3054. No 7 bus stops here and at Yarmouth • Leave no trace of your visit and take your Harbour. Access information Mostly level, easy litter home walking, but can be muddy after prolonged wet • Keep dogs under effective control periods. Refreshments Horse and Groom pub or Enjoy the outdoors many places in Yarmouth. Toilets Patrons of pub or at Yarmouth. Internet All walks in this series can • Plan ahead and be prepared be downloaded from this website www.iowramblers. • Follow advice and local signs com/page44.htm or www.islandbuses.info/things-do/ rambles-bus/ Solent Coast Ningwood toYarmouth

Front cover Newtown Creek is a safe haven for all kinds of boatmen Main picture, this page Soft cliffs along the Solent coast are very prone to erosion Inset left Yarmouth Pier and Hurst Castle silhouetted in the afternoon sun A linear walk beside enchanted wooded creeks beloved of yachtsmen Inset right Boardwalks allow safe passage along boggy stretches of the shore in summer, and a bird watcher’s paradise in winter.

Route Take the sign posted S9 footpath beside the After the board walk the path passes between a field Then take a footpath on your left through a wooded Horse and Groom car park. Follow the left hand side of and woodland and then over a bank to reach the shingle area. The path opens up with sea views on your right the field cross three stiles and a footbridge. Turn right shore line 4 . (Along the shore line set back in the and the Bouldnor nature reserve on your left. Also to follow a creek to the next stile. Follow this path to hedgerow you will find a Celtic Cross stone memorial to on your left you will see the remains of a WW2 gun another stile. Follow the way-marked grass path right two young men who drowned off Hampstead Ledge in emplacement 7 . Follow the path across a boardwalk Solent and then left, go over another stile into woodland and 1932). then close to the shoreline until you need to turn inland follow the meandering path to track S27 where you 8 along a track to join the Yarmouth Road. Turn right turn left. You are now on the coastal path and you will Ningwood to The path turns left to follow the shore line, then it rises to follow the verge of the A3054 9 until you reach a be following the blue coastal path signs from now on to and bears inland to Hampstead farm. After the farm car park with views across the Solent. Follow the coastal Coast Yarmouth 2 . follow the track to a junction where you take a right Yarmouth path 10 along the promenade and across Yarmouth hand path next to a steel field gate 5 . Then cross Green to join the end of Yarmouth High Street. Walk Continue along the Coastal Path track ignoring a left a stile and follow the hedgerow on the left side of a through the town to the bus stop next to the ferry turn at Pigeon Coo farm to reach a right turn sign field. At the next metal gate pass through an adjacent terminal 11 . Information posted to Hampstead. Proceed straight along this track squeeze stile. Cross the next field to another stile. In Bus times 0871 200 22 33 past Creek farm and through a steel gate until you reach calls from landlines cost 10p per minute the subsequent field follow the path keeping a conifer a jetty overlooking Newtown Bay 3 . After taking a hedge on your right. Cross a private drive then take the Web www.islandbuses.info www.iowramblers.com break to enjoy the views, back track a short distance to path between wooden railings to join a track. At the facebook.com/southernvectis rejoin the coastal path sign posted S3 on your right. next junction bear right along West Close, 6 , this is facebook.com/Ramblersiow Follow this path and board walks skirting the creek to Cranmore. 4 twitter.com/southernvectis reach a field. Walk up the left side of the field to reach Email [email protected] a stile through the hedgerow on your left. Crossing the stile walk diagonally across a field until you reach the Lost property 01983 523831 start of another board walk.

Key Tea rooms

Public house

Bus stop 3

Car park 5

Public footpaths Walk route

6 Pictured, left to right Fishbourne Yarmouth Pier; memorial to drowned boys at Hamstead shore; Yarmouth Mill Yarmouth Newport Freshwater 7 8

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