.jpg){kind=logo}
.jpg)
Facts - Riddle 1
The oldest building in the village is All Saints’ Church.Thought to have been built of timber in the 1080s then replaced with stone work at a later date.There is evidence of Norman architecture here still today.In the thirteenth century the church was greatly extended, adding a north facade, chapels, tower and chancel.In the late 1920s, eight bells were hung called, Faith, Hope, Joy, Liberty, Love, Patience, Peace and Victory. There are some famous figures buried here including three admirals. One of England’s superior Commanders, Admiral Sir William Cornwallis (1744 – 1819) a Royal Navy Officer, and admiral to Nelson, led the Channel Fleet, blockading the French Fleet at Brest against Napoleon. Cornwallis of Newlands Manor, is a key figure in shaping Milford. There are also two other notable admirals, West and Peyton. These historical figures have a plaque in All Saints church yard, which you will find by the west facing door.
The oldest building in the village is All Saints’ Church.Thought to have been built of timber in the 1080s then replaced with stone work at a later date.There is evidence of Norman architecture here still today.In the thirteenth century the church was greatly extended, adding a north facade, chapels, tower and chancel.In the late 1920s, eight bells were hung called, Faith, Hope, Joy, Liberty, Love, Patience, Peace and Victory. There are some famous figures buried here including three admirals. One of England’s superior Commanders, Admiral Sir William Cornwallis (1744 – 1819) a Royal Navy Officer, and admiral to Nelson, led the Channel Fleet, blockading the French Fleet at Brest against Napoleon. Cornwallis of Newlands Manor, is a key figure in shaping Milford. There are also two other notable admirals, West and Peyton. These historical figures have a plaque in All Saints church yard, which you will find by the west facing door.
Facts - Riddle 2The post box on Victoria Road, dating back to Victorian times. Manufactured in the mid 1800s by Smith & Hawkes, with the distinctive vertical letter slot of its time. You may also notice other differences, for example the postman removes the letters from a section at the back of the box. The design is fluted and you will see the wording 'Post Office' unlike1994 onwards where the boxes are marked 'Royal Mail'. Did you know.... The first boxes were painted green so they did not stand out. However, in the late 1800s this changed to red so the boxes could be clearly seen. 'V R' was stamped on the post boxes during manufacture to mark the current Monarch'. For example here we see V R for Victoria Regina
If you take the path off the road (red route), this is known as the Milford Pleasure Grounds in the Danes Stream which runs through Milford on Sea village. There are shingle paths to walk on. The area is a belt of woodland and scrub. This is a conservation area.
.jpg)
Facts - Riddle 3The hard chalk rocks have formed naturally over the years since 5,000BC. There used to be 4 of them. The missing one collapsed in the mid 1700s during a storm and was shaped like a needle - that’s where the name ‘Needles’ came from. It was the tallest rock, however, the other three have remained in place.There have been many ship wrecks around the treacherous waters off the Isle of Wight, including the 1588 Spanish Armada ship wreck. Led by Francis Drake and Lord Howard, out of Portsmouth against the Duke of Edina Sidonia, out of Spain where a clash ensued. Bad whether pushed the Spanish northwards where they encountered the English fleet just south of the Isle of Wight and a battle commenced. The Needles 31metre high, circular, granite lighthouse, built in 1859 by Trinity House sitting on the western side of the Isle of Wight can be seen from roughly 17 nautical miles away. It has 2 white, 2 red and 1 green glass section each marking the separate routes through the Channel. The foghorn sounds every 30 seconds. There have been no keepers in the lighthouse since 1994 when it became powered by electricity from the Needles Battery which is a building on the IOW. A helipad is used as access to the lighthouse in emergencies now.
Facts - Riddle 4Did you know in 1789 George III started the royal trend of bathing at the seaside. He did this for medical reasons.The southern coastline has had its fair share of unusual articles washing up on the beach including an unexploded bomb from WWII, as well as a decomposing dolphin! The anti tank spikes that appeared were due to the shift in the sand after heavy storms. Milford on Sea beach is always changing, as are all beaches, due to strong currents and the longshore drift effect on its coastline. Constant coastal defence measures are always taking place here, which explains the huge boulders that are placed along the water's edge to try and stop the erosion.
This sign was put up in September 2016WARNINGWWII metalwork below low water tide lineWe have marked known hazards with buoys but further metalwork is emerging as the beach erodesSwimming in this area is at your own riskWe will remove the exposed metalwork when conditions allow
Facts - Riddle 5
Sturt Pond. The Salt Marshes and mudflats stretch all along here and when the tide is out you can see an array of birds feeding on the crustaceans and molluscs as you walk along the path. When the tide comes in, this area floods the road. Migrating birds are the Wheatear, Tern, Swallow, Cormorant, Oystercatcher and Redshank. During the winter you can see the Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Dunlin and Brent geese nesting in the marsh. Reed beds have developed on the reserve where the water is not too saline and the Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting can be seen nesting here. These are the Solent Waters. The Spit is a natural formation but needs to be maintained with shingle deposits to keep it stable. The Spit is important to stop the waves from disturbing the saltmarshes behind it.
Sturt Pond. The Salt Marshes and mudflats stretch all along here and when the tide is out you can see an array of birds feeding on the crustaceans and molluscs as you walk along the path. When the tide comes in, this area floods the road. Migrating birds are the Wheatear, Tern, Swallow, Cormorant, Oystercatcher and Redshank. During the winter you can see the Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Dunlin and Brent geese nesting in the marsh. Reed beds have developed on the reserve where the water is not too saline and the Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting can be seen nesting here. These are the Solent Waters. The Spit is a natural formation but needs to be maintained with shingle deposits to keep it stable. The Spit is important to stop the waves from disturbing the saltmarshes behind it.
Facts - Riddle 6
Overlooking Sturt Pond. The SSSI reserve covers 11 hectares and is made of reed beds, saltmarsh and scrub. Part of it is a Saline Lagoon. You can see many different bird species here in summer and winter. Look at the board for all the information of the variety of birds that come and go. The Pond is tidal as well as freshwater flowing in from the Danes Stream. You can walk the length of the pond to the village but word of warning – the path floods at high spring tide. Walk over the wooden bridge to get to Saltgrass Lane. Here there is a regular sighting of swans swimming on the Solent Waters. This is also an excellent place to go crabbing (please use nets and not hooks because of the swans).
Overlooking Sturt Pond. The SSSI reserve covers 11 hectares and is made of reed beds, saltmarsh and scrub. Part of it is a Saline Lagoon. You can see many different bird species here in summer and winter. Look at the board for all the information of the variety of birds that come and go. The Pond is tidal as well as freshwater flowing in from the Danes Stream. You can walk the length of the pond to the village but word of warning – the path floods at high spring tide. Walk over the wooden bridge to get to Saltgrass Lane. Here there is a regular sighting of swans swimming on the Solent Waters. This is also an excellent place to go crabbing (please use nets and not hooks because of the swans).
.jpg)
Facts - Riddle 7
Until 1861 a moat surrounded the castle. Extensions were added to the castle and the moat was filled in. Hurst Castle (1544) sited on the Spit has a long military history. Dating from Tudor times. Built by Henry VIII to defend the port at Southampton and the naval base at Portsmouth from a French invasion. (The castle has also protected the British Isles from a Spanish invasion). Charles I (the only British monarch to be executed), was imprisoned here, on route to London from Carisbrooke Castle I.O.W. Charles I was tried and executed (1649) in London, ending the Civil War (1651) between Parliamentarians and the King. Charles started the English Civil War 1642 because he didn’t see eye to eye with Parliament. The New Model Army led by Oliver Cromwell (ruled as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth), defeated Charles' Royalist Forces. After Charles I was condemned to death and beheaded, the British monarchy was abolished and the Commonwealth of England was declared. However, this was short lived. The 1700s brought smugglers to the castle, hiding their contraband. The 1870s saw some redevelopment to the castle during the Napoleonic Wars. In the 1940s during World War II coastal gun batteries and searchlights were positioned to protect our boarders. The Fort was decommissioned in the mid 1950s. So Hurst Castle has plenty of history to offer and definitely worth a visit. Now owned by English Heritage, a great deal of time and money have gone into its restoration. Climate change and erosion are rapidly eroding the rocks and undercutting the foundations. The east wing collapsed in 2021. With extensive funding and specialist teams the Castle is slowly being rebuilt and stabilised. However, this will be an ongoing issue.
Let's also not forget the lighthouse and its keepers from the early 1780s. The Low Light. In 1812 a second, taller lighthouse was built on the Spit, this is the High Light. Together they provided a safe channel for the ships on this very hazardous stretch of water ways. There have been several changes and repositioning to the lighthouses over the years, including oil to gas light. The position moved because of the shingle bank they sit on and visibility issues. However, in 1867 Hurst Point High Lighthouse (26 metres high) was built, which we still have today.
Until 1861 a moat surrounded the castle. Extensions were added to the castle and the moat was filled in. Hurst Castle (1544) sited on the Spit has a long military history. Dating from Tudor times. Built by Henry VIII to defend the port at Southampton and the naval base at Portsmouth from a French invasion. (The castle has also protected the British Isles from a Spanish invasion). Charles I (the only British monarch to be executed), was imprisoned here, on route to London from Carisbrooke Castle I.O.W. Charles I was tried and executed (1649) in London, ending the Civil War (1651) between Parliamentarians and the King. Charles started the English Civil War 1642 because he didn’t see eye to eye with Parliament. The New Model Army led by Oliver Cromwell (ruled as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth), defeated Charles' Royalist Forces. After Charles I was condemned to death and beheaded, the British monarchy was abolished and the Commonwealth of England was declared. However, this was short lived. The 1700s brought smugglers to the castle, hiding their contraband. The 1870s saw some redevelopment to the castle during the Napoleonic Wars. In the 1940s during World War II coastal gun batteries and searchlights were positioned to protect our boarders. The Fort was decommissioned in the mid 1950s. So Hurst Castle has plenty of history to offer and definitely worth a visit. Now owned by English Heritage, a great deal of time and money have gone into its restoration. Climate change and erosion are rapidly eroding the rocks and undercutting the foundations. The east wing collapsed in 2021. With extensive funding and specialist teams the Castle is slowly being rebuilt and stabilised. However, this will be an ongoing issue.
Let's also not forget the lighthouse and its keepers from the early 1780s. The Low Light. In 1812 a second, taller lighthouse was built on the Spit, this is the High Light. Together they provided a safe channel for the ships on this very hazardous stretch of water ways. There have been several changes and repositioning to the lighthouses over the years, including oil to gas light. The position moved because of the shingle bank they sit on and visibility issues. However, in 1867 Hurst Point High Lighthouse (26 metres high) was built, which we still have today.
.jpg)
Facts - Riddle 8
The little hamlet of Keyhaven was a fishing port in the 13th Century. Villagers made a living from the natural salt production which was a key industry for preserving meat and fish. Salt was also used for tanning. Salt production was carried out in the shallow lagoons. The sea walls we see today were constructed to trap the sea water and the water ran through the sluice you see to trap the water where some evaporation took place during the summer months. The salt was then extracted, treated and sold. Early Salterns have given way to areas of natural beauty (late 1780s) where you can now see a variety of wildlife on the natural salt marshes. Agriculture, fishing, wildfowling and smuggling were also sources of income.
The little hamlet of Keyhaven was a fishing port in the 13th Century. Villagers made a living from the natural salt production which was a key industry for preserving meat and fish. Salt was also used for tanning. Salt production was carried out in the shallow lagoons. The sea walls we see today were constructed to trap the sea water and the water ran through the sluice you see to trap the water where some evaporation took place during the summer months. The salt was then extracted, treated and sold. Early Salterns have given way to areas of natural beauty (late 1780s) where you can now see a variety of wildlife on the natural salt marshes. Agriculture, fishing, wildfowling and smuggling were also sources of income.
.jpg)
Facts - Riddle 9
Keyhaven War Memorial was erected in 1919 to commemorate the men lost or killed in the First World War (1914 -1918). Five men left this village to fight the war. They never returned. This not only tells us how small a population the village was back then but also how many lives were tragically lost in this awful war. The war was started by a chain of events starting on 28th June 1914 when the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian extremist group who wanted to break up the Austro-Hungarian Empire to increase Serbian power in the Balkans. One man from the village lost his life in the Second World War (1939 – 1945) and his name was added to this memorial. King George VI was on the throne at this time after Edward VIII abdicated to marry Mrs Simpson. The sailor was lost at sea while serving on the HMS Daring (built in 1930s), sunk by a German U-boat off the Pentland Firth in February 1940. Only five of the 162 crew were said to have survived. The cross is made of wood. The base is made of stone. This is a grade II listed monument, protected by the National Heritage, England.
Keyhaven War Memorial was erected in 1919 to commemorate the men lost or killed in the First World War (1914 -1918). Five men left this village to fight the war. They never returned. This not only tells us how small a population the village was back then but also how many lives were tragically lost in this awful war. The war was started by a chain of events starting on 28th June 1914 when the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serbian extremist group who wanted to break up the Austro-Hungarian Empire to increase Serbian power in the Balkans. One man from the village lost his life in the Second World War (1939 – 1945) and his name was added to this memorial. King George VI was on the throne at this time after Edward VIII abdicated to marry Mrs Simpson. The sailor was lost at sea while serving on the HMS Daring (built in 1930s), sunk by a German U-boat off the Pentland Firth in February 1940. Only five of the 162 crew were said to have survived. The cross is made of wood. The base is made of stone. This is a grade II listed monument, protected by the National Heritage, England.
.jpg)
Facts - Riddle 10
You will notice the three roads here are named after some of the birds found on the salt marshes. These houses are relatively new. You can cut through from Swallow Drive back towards Sturt Pond and turn right which takes you to the village. Watch out though, it can flood here at high tide. As you walk into the village you will see on the corner The Smugglers, built in 1803.
Facts - Riddle 11
Milford-On-Sea, started as a Saxon settlement. There is a record of Milford in the Domesday Book (1086).The village was once part of the Christchurch Priory Estate. The manors of Montagu, Barnes and Baddesley all formed part of its estate. You may see roads with these names, for example Barns Lane. Until the 1800s the area was inland, however, over the years the village grew and the land eroded so now we have a coastal village. Back in the 18th century the village green was the site of the reputed Battle of Milford Green between the Militia and the smugglers (1786).This area is ancient common land that has not changed over the many years. A commemorative double lamp was erected in 1911 to celebrate the King’s Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. However, the original gas lamp was struck down by a lorry and replaced with a replica in later years. Look out for the interesting features and buildings in the village, see how many you can spot, like the old Smithy. The Mill, Vicarage and Manor still remain.
Milford-On-Sea, started as a Saxon settlement. There is a record of Milford in the Domesday Book (1086).The village was once part of the Christchurch Priory Estate. The manors of Montagu, Barnes and Baddesley all formed part of its estate. You may see roads with these names, for example Barns Lane. Until the 1800s the area was inland, however, over the years the village grew and the land eroded so now we have a coastal village. Back in the 18th century the village green was the site of the reputed Battle of Milford Green between the Militia and the smugglers (1786).This area is ancient common land that has not changed over the many years. A commemorative double lamp was erected in 1911 to celebrate the King’s Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. However, the original gas lamp was struck down by a lorry and replaced with a replica in later years. Look out for the interesting features and buildings in the village, see how many you can spot, like the old Smithy. The Mill, Vicarage and Manor still remain.