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Barton on Sea can boast a mile long
frontage which connects it to Milford-on-Sea and Highcliffe. During the
18th and 19th centuries smuggling was an everyday occurrence in the area
with the cliffs giving commanding views over the Bay to the Isle of
Wight thus given excellent facilities for checking the coast from the
excise officers. Smuggling used to be the main 'hobby' here in the
18th and 19th centuries, with the cliffs allowing commanding views
across to the Isle of Wight and giving good facilities to check out the
coastline and the sea for excise officers who might try to catch the
smugglers unawares.
A lot of the contraband was transported on ponies, that came from the nearby New Forest and it was hidden 'under the hearth' and 'under the horses belly', as they used to say in this area, meaning that the contraband was hidden under the flagstones of a fireplace, or in the stables. There was even a tunnel constructed that ran from Naish Farm on the cliff top at the western end of the village and led to Chewton Glen which today is a luxury hotel.
Barton Court Hotel situated on the cliff top was a convalescent home during the Second World War but was then found to be in danger of falling into the sea due to erosion. It was then decided to construct huts along Barton Drive and hundreds of Indian troops were accommodated there, and an obelisk (see photos above) was erected in Barton Court Avenue in their honour. The water here 'slumps' through the sand and gravel cliffs until it reaches impermeable clay and together with wave whipped up by winds over the bay they carry away the debris thus causing soil erosion, and there are many landslips in the area that are a constant problem. The Novelist Elizabeth Goudge lived in Barton Lane with her parents and in her autobiography she describes Barton as 'a flat green plateau that is now a vast bungalow town'. Facing Christchurch Bay is a largish brick house called Barton House and this was used by the British Council for Aid to Refugees during 1956 as a shelter to people from mainly Eastern European countries. Then in 1961 an Orthodox chapel was built in its ground and this was consecrated by Bishop Nikodem and it is recorded that a 92 year old woman came here from Russia with her son of 70 hears and was the oldest of the refugees. The beach is mainly shingle and the normal ebb tide level is only about 1.5 metres below high tide level. The seawater quality is of a good standard and as with most coastal areas, is regularly monitored. The cliff walks here are
very popular and another popular pastime is fossil hunting as this is on
the edge of what is now called the Jurassic Coastline.
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