Newtown Harbour
Newtown, Isle of Wight - the honey-pot of The Solent.
June 22, 2022
Newtown Harbour is a "National Nature Reserve" within a "Heritage Coast" surrounded by an "Area of Outstanding Beauty". Need I say more?
Owned by the National Trust and a jewel in their crown, this special harbour has been overseen by HM Davie Flannagan for 25 years, 23 of those completely alone. Maybe living and working in this oasis of calm explains how relaxed Davie is. It was a real pleasure to have him onboard Good Dog for a coffee with his volunteer driver Jill. Both Davie and Jill were previously Merchant Navy Ships' Masters, Davie going to sea at the age of 17 from Aberdeen and enjoying a long career as a Marine Surveyor.
The estuary he looks after is one of the most popular destinations for boats in the Solent. With limited room and strong tides (the ebb here occurs over just 3 hours) the jostling of boats trying to anchor takes some overseeing. Added to which the surrounding dunes and mudflats are strictly forbidden to visitors given the rarity of the flora and fauna. So Davie's idyllic job as HM has some serious responsibilities..... some more unexpected than others. Investigating a loud scream from a woman on a boat, she showed him an adder wrapped around the top of her rudder. Anyone for a swim?
Newtown village was founded before the Norman Conquest. With its (then) deep estuary, in 1344 it was known as the "safest harbour" on the Island. As I have found around the whole of the UK, the mark of wealth of a medieval port is measured in the prominence of salt works and oyster beds - both in abundance here.
In 1348 the Black Death struck and following a raid by the French n 1377 the village never recovered. Infamous as a "rotten borough" in the 18th C, it returned two members of parliament. Not bad for a village of 14 houses and 23 voters!
Please do visit this magical place by foot or boat.... and maybe Davie will be doing his rounds for another 25 years! #nationaltrust @nationaltrust
I am slowly circumnavigating #GB to support @seafarers_kgfs The Seafarers' Charity in a #Nauticat, attempting to visit every #harbour with a #harbourmaster
Owned by the National Trust and a jewel in their crown, this special harbour has been overseen by HM Davie Flannagan for 25 years, 23 of those completely alone. Maybe living and working in this oasis of calm explains how relaxed Davie is. It was a real pleasure to have him onboard Good Dog for a coffee with his volunteer driver Jill. Both Davie and Jill were previously Merchant Navy Ships' Masters, Davie going to sea at the age of 17 from Aberdeen and enjoying a long career as a Marine Surveyor.
The estuary he looks after is one of the most popular destinations for boats in the Solent. With limited room and strong tides (the ebb here occurs over just 3 hours) the jostling of boats trying to anchor takes some overseeing. Added to which the surrounding dunes and mudflats are strictly forbidden to visitors given the rarity of the flora and fauna. So Davie's idyllic job as HM has some serious responsibilities..... some more unexpected than others. Investigating a loud scream from a woman on a boat, she showed him an adder wrapped around the top of her rudder. Anyone for a swim?
Newtown village was founded before the Norman Conquest. With its (then) deep estuary, in 1344 it was known as the "safest harbour" on the Island. As I have found around the whole of the UK, the mark of wealth of a medieval port is measured in the prominence of salt works and oyster beds - both in abundance here.
In 1348 the Black Death struck and following a raid by the French n 1377 the village never recovered. Infamous as a "rotten borough" in the 18th C, it returned two members of parliament. Not bad for a village of 14 houses and 23 voters!
Please do visit this magical place by foot or boat.... and maybe Davie will be doing his rounds for another 25 years! #nationaltrust @nationaltrust
I am slowly circumnavigating #GB to support @seafarers_kgfs The Seafarers' Charity in a #Nauticat, attempting to visit every #harbour with a #harbourmaster