NEWHAVEN
Newhaven is a village on the south-east coast of England, it lies at the mouth of the River Ouse, in a valley that the river has cut through the South Downs, an area of rolling hills in southern England. In 1847 the railway was connected to the port, and this encouraged the growth of the port. Today it has regular services to Dieppe in France, but the population is still only around 12,000.
A brief history of Newhaven
There was a Bronze Age fort on what is now Castle Hill in Newhaven and in 480 AD the Saxons established a settlement at the site where the town stands today. Newhaven was previously called Meeching. Throughout the Middle Ages, the main outlet for the River Ouse and the port was at Seaford, further along the coast, but due to coastal currents; and a shingle spit began to develop that hindered the outflow of the river. Consequently, this caused flooding upstream and blocked access to the port, so they decided to cut a channel through the shingle spit in the mid-16th century, which created an entrance to a better-sheltered harbour and was the birth of modern Newhaven. The area then became known as the 'new haven', officially recognized as 'The Port of Newhaven' in 1882. Imports at that time included French farm and manufactured products, timber, granite and slates.
During World War I, Newhaven harbour was the principal port for the movement of men and equipment to the European continent and was taken over by the military authorities. Large numbers of Canadian troops stationed at Newhaven during World War II, they launched the disastrous Dieppe Raid in 1942 from the harbour.
What to do in Newhaven
Newhaven Museum is a compact, but fascinating museum that houses a brilliant collection of artefacts and photographs relating to the local heritage and maritime history of Newhaven. For a nice walk, why not take the children to Big Parks, a large park area with slides, sandpits, climbing apparatus, and a café for refreshments. Another lovely spot to visit is Splash Point, a beautiful beach with tall white cliffs, it is located just 5 KM east along the coast and is the perfect location to gaze at the sea, the cliffs, seabirds and passing ships. It is very dramatic in the winter and bright in the summer; there is also good parking and several cafe options nearby. Finally, there is Newhaven Fort, a Palmerston fort completed in 1871 to defend the harbour, today it is open to the public as a museum, there is parking, and a tearoom attached serving refreshments.
Beaches around Newhaven
Newhaven Harbour Arm is a shingle beach and concrete pier that juts into the sea. The beach is popular with dog walkers and fishermen. Newhaven West Beach is also nearby and has pebbles and clean water for bathing, there is also a car park that costs £2. Cuckmere Haven is a peaceful and beautiful beach with high cliffs and some grassland. There are some scenic views of the surrounding cliffs, and the beach is a mixture of sand and shingle. Friars' Bay also has stunning scenery, white cliffs and a pebble and shingle beach.