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