Picture a medieval seaport with tall masted ships dwarfing the
collages. Picture the bustling quays with merchandise being unloaded and
provisioning going on. See the sailors and longshoremen sweating over their
tasks - and the idlers sunning themselves and watching. In the streets adjoining
the quay would be the business houses: bankers, gold and silver smiths and all
the hundred and one activities surrounding and servicing a seaport.
What has all this to do with Newtown? Difficult though it may be to believe now,
that was once an accurate description of Newtown - or Franchville as it was then
Franchville, literally meaning free ville or free town, was the premier port and
town of the Isle of Wight, was free from obligation of
service to the Lord of the Manor. The origin of the Borough is lost in antiquity
but is known to be from before King Richard 1, pre 1189.
Most of the Borough's early history is lost but it is said to have been ravaged
by the Danes in 1001 under Sweyne. It was this gentleman who settled a little
inland and gave Swainston its name. Just as the south of England suffered from
the Danes so. later, it was under constant attack by the French. Most such raids
were fairly successfully repelled. However, about 1377 Franchville, as Wolverton
near Brading. was completely sacked. Wolverton never recovered. Franchville
recovered to its present state.
The new name ol Newtown is said by some authorities to derive from the Newlown
built alter the sacking by the French. Others say that the new name predates
this catastrophic event. Either way it is a purely academic question for it is
doubtful if the town was ever fully rebuilt between then and now. The harbour
probably continued to be used in a limited fashion for some time and it is
certain that salt making was an important industry.
Newtown became a Parliamentary Borough when Queen Elizabeth summoned more
Members in 1585. This lasted until the Reform Act of 1832. The most famous of
the Members of Parliament from Newtown was John Churchill (1678) later Duke of
Marlborough and forbear of the even more famous Winslon. Later in 1796, George
Canning, Prime Minister, represented the Borough.
Virtually all of Newtown is now under the care of the National Trust and
much of its history is now preserved in the old Town Hall. Little has changed
for several hundred years.
There can be few places where you can walk old town streets as you can here. Few
signs are left of the old houses as they would all have been of wooden
construction and. of course, burnt beyond trace by the French. The original
street names are still used and the older of the houses to be seen were marked
on the map of 1724. The Silver Mace, together with Borough Deeds and Seal. may
be seen in Carisbrooke Castle Museum. A replica of the Mace is on the long table
in the Town Hall.
As sea salt ceased to be used the saltings became derelict but later,
through not being flooded for salt making, they slowly developed into grazing
ground. The Marsh, some 130 acres, was mostly below sea level and protected by a
sea wall on its east. west and north sides. Later the sea wall was reinforced
and all seemed safe. However, a severe storm in November 1954 inundated the
Marsh and breached the sea wall. The Farm never recovered.
The Marsh is now a Nature Reserve. It is a lake at high water and mud flats at
low. It supports an interesting variety of waders and wildfowl.
Text courtesy of:
Southern Life (UK)