Newhaven, East Sussex

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Newhaven
Newhaven shown within East Sussex
Area[1]	2.7 sq mi (7.12 km²)
Population	12026 (Parish-2007)[1]
- Density	4,326/sq mi (1,670/km²)
OS grid reference	TQ449016
- London	49 miles (79 km) N
District	Lewes
Shire county	East Sussex
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NEWHAVEN
Postcode district	BN9
Dialling code	01273
Police	Sussex
Fire	East Sussex
Ambulance	South East Coast
European Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Lewes
Website: http://www.newhaventowncouncil.gov.uk/
List of places: UK • England • East Sussex

Coordinates: 50°48′N 0°04′E / 50.8, 0.06

It has been suggested that Newhaven Incinerator be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

It has been suggested that Newhaven Local & Maritime Museum be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

It has been suggested that Newhaven Marconi Radio Station be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

It has been suggested that Newhaven Seaplane Base be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Newhaven is a town in the Lewes District of East Sussex in England^[2]. It lies at the mouth of the River Ouse, on the English Channel coast. It is because of that position that the area has been of historical importance: today it is a ferry port for services to the Continent.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Archaeological Sites 2 Governance 3 Geography 4 Demography 5 Economy 5.1 Newhaven Harbour 6 Landmarks 7 Transport 8 Education 9 Religious buildings 10 Culture 11 Sport 12 Notable people 13 References

[edit] History

The area in which Newhaven now stands, because of its situation at the mouth of a river, has always had some strategic importance. Iron Age people built a fort on what is now Castle Hill; at that time the river flowed out to sea in a more easterly direction, when its mouth was at Seaford, later one of the Cinque Ports. In about 480AD the Saxon people established a village near where Newhaven now stands, which they named ‘’Meeching’’ (variously known as ‘’Myching‘’ or Mitching‘’). Over the next several centuries longshore drift affected the river’s course; in the 16th century there was danger of it being silted up altogether. In 1579, the shingle bank was breached; and in 1791 a new outlet (The Cut) was built on the river’s present course, below Castle Hill. At that time the settlement began to be known as the ‘’new haven’’, thus giving it is current name. The present breakwater was built in 1890^[3].

Newhaven Fort ^[4], one of the so-called Palmerston Forts, was built on Castle Hill on the recommendation of the 1859 Royal Commission to defend the growing harbour It was the largest defence work ever built in Sussex and is now open as a museum.

The harbour was well-used during the both World Wars. It was designated as the principal port for the movement of men and materiel during WWI; during WWII large numbers of Canadian troops were stationed here, and the ill-fated Dieppe Raid in 1942 was largely launched from Newhaven

[edit] Archaeological Sites

To the eastern side of Newhaven there were at one time several differing establishments. It is the site of a now-abandoned village ^[5] known as Tide Mills, . Here are the remains of workers' cottages, the tide mill itself, and a large saline lagoon which was the storage pond for high water to power the mills on the outgoing tide.

Close by were established two more modern institutions: one, the set of foundations for the Heritage Marine Hospital[1][2] which was founded in the early 20th century to cater for disabled boys who had undergone surgery. It became a “casualty of wartime defence works” during WWII

Tide Mills is also the derelict site of an experimental seaplane base at the head of the beach. The first formation of No. 242 Squadron RAF was on 15 August 1918 from numbers 408, 409 and 514 Flights at the seaplane station at Newhaven, Sussex. Operating from there and the nearby airfield at Telscombe Cliffs, it was equipped with Short Type 184 seaplanes and carried out anti-submarine patrols over the English Channel until the end of the First World War. Surveys carried out in 2006 have exposed part of the slipway, concrete aprons to both hangars with door tracks and several other slabs presumed to be workshops. Sussex Archaeological Society started a dig in April 2006 to catalogue the entire East Beach site.

The Newhaven Marconi Radio Station was established at Newhaven in 1904, started running in 1905 according to sources at Newhaven Local & Maritime Museum. The station was owned and operated by the Marconi Radio Company and achieved regular ship to shore radio communications in approximately 1912

[edit] Governance

Newhaven Town Council was formed in 1974. There are 18 councillors representing three wards: Denton ward (five councillors); Meeching (seven); and Valley (six).

[edit] Geography

The River Ouse, on which the town stands, cuts through the South Downs at this point, one of four rivers to do so ^[6]. As already noted, its course in medieval times was to take it to the sea at Seaford. Part of the older course of the river is evident in a lagoon between the town and Bishopstone. The main part of the town is located on the west side of the river; there is also a residential area at Denton on the slopes of the Downs to the east. A recent housing development has taken place at West Quay.

The Sussex Downs AONB lies above the town on the north-east side.

[edit] Demography

Newhaven population (11,144 persons) are 59% of working age; 22% are 15 and under; and 19% retirement age. There are over 360 businesses in the town. Unemployment (higher than the South-east average) was at 2.4%. ^[7] Two of the town wards (Meeching and Valley) have some of the most deprived areas in the county^[8]

[edit] Economy

The Denton Island Business Park lies to the north of the town on the east bank of the river.

[edit] Newhaven Harbour

From the port of Newhaven^[9] international ferries run to the French ports of Dieppe (Transmanche Ferries); and toLe Havre, (LD Lines) ^[10] Although there are some derelict signs of the one-time train ferry operations, the harbour still sees a great deal of freight and passengers movement.^[11]

The Newhaven Lifeboat, the first of which was commissioned in 1803, is among the oldest in Britain.^[12] Newhaven also has one of the Watch stations of the National Coastwatch Institution^[13]

[edit] Landmarks

The main landmark in the town is the Newhaven Fort.

[edit] Transport

Newhaven lies at the southern end of the cross-country A26 trunk road originating in Maidstone; and its junction with the A259 coast road between Brighton and Eastbourne. It is also located on the Seaford Branch Line from Lewes; there are two operating stations: Newhaven Town and Newhaven Harbour. A third, for all intents and purposes unused since its train ferry services ceased using it, was ’’Newhaven Marine’’.^[14]

Walkers on the long-distance footpath, the Vanguard Way end their journey here from East Croydon in south London.

[edit] Education

There is one secondary school in the town: Tideway Community School, a specialist technology college,^[15], and four primary schools.^[16]

[edit] Religious buildings

The parish church is dedicated to St Michael and is shared by the Church of England and Methodist communities.^[17]. The [[Roman Catholic church is dedicated to the Sacred Heart.

[edit] Culture

In addition to the Town Museum there is also the Planet Earth Museum and Sussex History Trail, dedicated to the history of the earth.^[18]

[edit] Sport

As might be expected with its proximity to the sea, Newhaven is home to a thriving marina: the ‘’Newhaven and Seaford Sailing Club^[19] is based there; SCUBA diving, water sski-ing and surfboarding are also practised. Newhaven Football Club plays in the Sussex County League; there is a thriving archery club^[20]

[edit] Notable people

When Lord Lucan vanished in 1974, his car was found in Newhaven, in Norman Road, with two types of blood in it. Other residents have included the Charles Wells the “man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo” casino,^[21]; and the Charles Webb, the author of The Graduate.

[edit] References

• Newhaven, East Sussex at the Open Directory Project