Remarks by Arthur Arnold concerning Binstead Foreshore and other historical matters, 1928
From The Muniment Room, a resource for social history, family history, and local history.
Remarks by Arthur Arnold on Counsels Opinion by Mr H J H Mackay, concerning Binstead Foreshore and other historical matters.
Transcription[1]
Re Binstead Foreshore, Isle of Wight.
Remarks by Arthur Arnold on Mr H J H Mackay dated 7th Feb 1928.
Page 2. It is quite certain that Binstead Stone was used in the construction of Winchester Cathedral, Romsey Abbey, and many other ancient buildings on the Mainland.
Page 4. Wreck. The question of wreck has crept up once during my lifetime, although my memory is not very clear about it. A porpoise was washed up in Wootton Creek and the question of ownership arose. William Salmon, the bailiff on the Estate, claimed it as belonging to the Fleming Estate as Lords of the Manor. What eventually happened to the porpoise I'm not sure.
Page 6. Fortifications. There is no evidence of fortifications as far as I know, with the exception of this - that at one time there was line of piles or posts driven in right across the mouth of Wootton Creek, reaching from the Eastern shore at Fishbourne to the Western shore at Wootton hard. I have seen these piles at very low water and I believe they are still there, but they are not visible at ordinary tides. These might very possibly have been put in to prevent boats sailing up the Creek to the Mill.
Fishery at Quarr. This fishery was very possibly to be found in two ponds, the one immediately South of the old Quarr Abbey and the second South of that and in Puckhouse (Puckhirst) Wood.
Page 9. Villani. A wood on the Estate is called Villangers and was probably attached or part of the Manor of Combley which was on the Estate and I have always understood went with the Manor of Binstead. Parts of this wood were cultivated in comparatively recent times, I think about 1800.
Page 10. Quarr Abbey. When the portion of the Estate known as "Quarr Abbey" was left by the grandfather of the present owner of the Estate to Mr Tom Fleming the foreshore surrounding this portion of the Estate was retained by the main Estate and right of ownership have been exercised over it in my time.
Page 11. Binstead Hard has been continuously repaired in my time by my orders and the boom at the end which is still standing and which is referred to in William Salmon's Declaration was put up by my orders in place of a former one. I particularly remember the erection of this boom, and after the boom was ready we had to wait a great many spring tides before we could put it up.
Slipways. One slipway was put down at Hayles Yard within my time and was certainly done under the licence of the Estate, the shipyard being a leasehold of the Estate.
The enlargement of the dock or luck at Ashlake Brickyard was done in my time by one Butcher who had the brickyard, and the ponds which retain the high tide and so sluice out this luck have been repaired by my orders and a fresh hatchway put in under my superintendence.
The putting down of the landing stage by Mr Chadfield Clarke was done by my permission, objected to by the Board of Trade or some authority and the objection withdrawn. The landing stage still stands.
Page 12. Seaweed. If seaweed has been gathered off the foreshore by other than tenants of the Estate, it has always been by permission of the Fleming Estate. On several occasions residents and especially tenants have been granted permission to get seaweed which I never refused, but as far as I know none have ever been gathered except with permission.
Landing. Landing has frequently been stopped both at Binstead Hard and at Wootton Quay at the top pf Wootton Creek, and at the latter place fees have been charged for landing and there is in existence today a tariff board stating the fees for landing at Wootton Quay. Leonard Souter, the son of William Souter, who were both tenants of Wootton Mill on the Estate, could give evidence on this point.
Page 18. Perambulation of the Estate in 1910 was made under my superintendence and took two days. A record of it is in existence.
Tithe Map. The Tithe Map has not been recently examined with regard to this case.
27th February 1928
