Newtown

A lovely walk today, and not too taxing in the summer heat (remarkable considering the miserable weather of the last week). I met a friend in the main car park at Newtown and we ambled along the road past the old Town Hall, and shortly after turned onto a footpath leading along the creek. This crossed a couple of fields, then led through a wooded path and back onto the road.opposite the church. A little way beyond this was a path leading past an old house and down to the Mercia Seabrook bird hide, which we popped into briefly; it had a few people searching for birds on the wetlands and woods beyond, and we decided not to stay. Instead we walked across the field next to the hide and across the wooden footbridge to the remains of Newtown Quay, then out along a strip of land that jutted into the harbour. We stopped here for a bit, admiring the view and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere; there were few people around and we were surrounded by sea and countryside. Absolutely lovely.

We retraced our steps to the quayside then walked round the salt pans and across the field back to the road, and then onto another footpath behind the church, back to the road and along to the ancient house known as 'Noah's Ark'. This is, I think, the oldest building in Newtown and was at one time a pub, and has been many other things too. On the front is a plaque bearing the name 'Francheville', which was the medieval name for the, then, town and translates to Free Town. The plaque displays a picture of a boat and a lion, and is where the current name of the house comes from.

We went back down the road a little and picked up a footpath that led through fields and across the road to Walter's Copse. This is a lovely little copse, full of wild flowers and peace; we didn't walk all the way round it as intended, as we missed a side path. When we came out of the copse, we followed Town Lane back to the car park, and then went to the Town Hall and looked round inside (£4 a head). Upstairs were various pieces of antique furniture, clocks, Hogarth prints, a replica of the town seal and a magnificent fireplace. Downstairs, via a twisting, cast iron staircase, was a cool room with a history of the 'Ferguson Gang', a formidable group of ladies early last century, who bought various properties around the country, including Newtown Town Hall, and presented them to the National Trust. I suspect that I would have liked them immensely! There was also an ancient ring-dial telephone where you could dial up various oral histories of the area, and copies of ancient documents about the town.

Once finished, we followed the lane down to the 'main' road and headed for Shalfleet where we had tasty sandwiches at the New Inn before heading back to the car and then home.  It is amazing that this unassuming village with its wonderful wildlife and countryside was once the most important town on the Isle of Wight. 

Old Town Hall, Newtown

Route: (roughly) https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4596372.html

Route we meant to take: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/newtown-national-nature-reserve/trails/enjoy-the-estuary-newtown-walk 

Distance: 5.5 miles