New Milton
New Milton is a market town in south west
Hampshire,
England. The town centre has improved in recent years with a varied, vibrant shopping centre, where a market is held every Wednesday. It is on the edge of the
New Forest, with beautiful countryside lying to the north of the town, ideal for walks, cycling and horseriding. The town is on the
A337 road about 8 miles (13 km) west of
Lymington town centre and 12 miles (19 km) east of
Bournemouth town centre. The town is part of the
South East Dorset conurbation.
New Milton dates back to before the
Domesday Book and encompasses Old Milton, Barton-on-Sea, Ashley, and Bashley. It has a population of approximately 23,000.
It prospered in Victorian times from the opening of the railway station in March 1888 and much of the local farmland was developed in the
1960s for commuter housing and the
1970s for small industrial/trade units. There is a mix of housing from village and forest properties to more urban housing in the larger towns in the area. There are many schools in the area, both state and private, with excellent reputations. Travel connections are good with easy access to motorways, and airports at Bournemouth, Southampton and
Heathrow.
There are a few notable architectural points of interest in the local area. Britain's first
reinforced concrete bridge was built in 1900 just outside New Milton at Chewton. There was an earlier experiment in building with this material in its unreinforced form at Sway (Sway Tower).
Also built in 1900 was the tudor style
water tower, which can be found in Osborne road. It has a staircase and is constructed with a turret, slit windows and battlements. It is a striking orangey red colour, probably built from locally manufactured bricks
link.
Tourist attractions include the
Sammy Miller Motorcycle museum situated on the corner of Stem Lane, regarded as the leading collection of motorcycles and accompanying memorabilia in the country.
The coastal village of Barton-on-Sea is nowadays included within the Borough of New Milton. In the First World War Barton was the site of a convalescent home for Indian service men and this is commemorated by an obelisk in the village.
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Cliffs at Barton-on-Sea. |
The coast at
Barton-on-Sea is particularly well-known for its
geological content, being home to many
fossils. The cliff tops are home to a scenic
golf course. A cliff-top path runs between Barton and the village of
Milford on Sea. From there, the
Solent Way stretches all the way to
Emsworth, on the
West Sussex border. It is also well known for the fact that it was the first place in England to try out rock groynes.
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Constance Applebee, who introduced the game of field hockey to the USA died in New Milton
*
Sammy Miller, owner of Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum
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Jamie Redknapp, footballer born in Barton on Sea
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Neil Moss, the
AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper born in the town.
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New Milton's Website, Magazine & Portal*
New Milton Water Tower*
Pebble Beach - Restaurant/Cafe/Bar/Accommodation in Barton-on-Sea*
Bartononsea.org.uk*
Barton on Sea Fossils*
Barton-on-Sea history*
Sammy Miller Motorcycle museum website*
New Milton Advertiser and Lymington Times - Local Independent Weekly Newspaper
