Christchurch Rotary Inducts New Member and Learns about Highcliffe Castle

Members of Christchurch Rotary were delighted to welcome a new member to the club at the start of their meeting on 11th August at the Christchurch Harbour Hotel.

President Ian McDonald introduced Malvern Jones, who is engaged in electronic instrument manufacturing, and had for some time expressed interest in pursuing the Rotary ideal of humanity in motion in the service of others. He commended him to the Club, and formally inducted him as a member to general applause. Thanking members, Malvern expressed the hope that he could do all that was necessary to live up to the President’s words!

Speaker Secretary Mike Kearley then introduced Rtn. Tony Parkinson, from the Rotary Club of Highcliffe, who gave a fascinating address on the history of Highcliffe Castle and its owners and occupants over the years.

Tony said that his interest in the Castle started many years ago when, as a practising solicitor, he was involved in the conveyancing process when the Castle changed hands.

He outlined how Lord Bute, when he left office as Prime Minister after the Seven Years War, happily turned to horticulture, helping to found Kew Gardens. In the course of a long trip round the UK to look for specimen plants, he came to the top of the cliffs near Highcliffe village - then called Slop Pond - and pronounced the outlook there as “the fairest view in England”. He built a substantial house there, but a subsequent owner demolished it in favour of a new house some 200 yards further from the cliff top (wisely, as the original house would by now have crumbled into the water following cliff erosion).

Lord Bute’s descendants bought back the property from the then owner, and greatly extended the house using fine carved stonework brought from France to create the basis of the present castle. Subsequently the castle was sold for use as a children’s home and then a seminary before being sold to property developers. Because the Castle was by then a listed building, the developers were unable to gain approval for their planned housing development, and the Castle lay empty for a time until it was ravaged by a disastrous fire. Finally the Council purchased it and began the long process of renovation with the aid of a substantial Lottery grant.

It is now an excellent visitor attraction and a very popular wedding venue, and should continue to go from strength to strength as further improvements are made.

Rtn. Phil Cave moved a vote of thanks for this fascinating talk, which was carried by acclamation.

 

 PHOTOGRAPH shows:

Christchurch Club President Ian McDonald (centre) with Tony Parkinson (left) and Malvern Jones (right) on the terrace of the Christchurch Harbour Hotel