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Photo: Ian Stannard from Southsea, England, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Hurst Castle is an artillery fort established by Henry VIII on the Hurst Spit in Hampshire, England, between 1541 and 1544. It formed part of the king's Device Forts coastal protection programme against invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, and defended the western entrance to the Solent waterway. The early castle had a central keep and three bastions, and in 1547 was equipped with 26 guns. It was expensive to operate due to its size, but it formed one of the most powerful forts along the coast. During the English Civil War of the 1640s, Hurst was held by Parliament and was used briefly to detain King Charles I before his execution in 1649. It continued in use during the 18th century but fell into disrepair, the spit being frequented by smugglers.
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Situated on the cliffs at Highcliffe is Highcliffe Castle, a Grade I listed mansion. The building was designed by William Donthorne for Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay, and built between 1831 and 1835. It stands on the site of "High Cliff", a demolished Georgian mansion which belonged to Charles Stuart's grandfather John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute. An important remaining example of the Gothic Revival architecture, Donothorne's design incorporated French mediaeval stonework, stained glass and 18th century French panelling. The house was sold in 1950 and was briefly used as a children's home and a Catholic seminary. After a devastating fire and years of neglect the castle was sold to Christchurch Borough Council in 1977 and underwent restoration. Highcliffe Castle is open to the general public throughout the year and is used for weddings, private functions, exhibitions and other public events.
A large beach with several shops and a restaurant The Noisy Lobster.
Very pretty harbour, which is great for a stroll around. There is lots of green spaces and heaths around, and a golf course too. The varied habitats include saltmarsh, wet meadows, grassland, heath, sand dune, woodland and scrub, which makes it classified by the government as an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). The water is popular for sailing, and for racing toy-boats and pedalos too. If you're brave/mental enough you could venture for a swim (it's clean but freezing). The Mudeford ferry operates between Mudeford Quay and Mudeford Sandbank on Hengistbury Head, near the mouth of the harbour with a nice pub with enjoyable views. There is toy train for the kids too.
Built within the original Norman castle bailey in 1160, it is a Grade I listed heritage building. Much of the stonework survives, including a rare example of a Norman chimney (one of only five in the country). The ground floor, which has four slit windows, was used as a storeroom. The upper floor, accessed by steps outside and an internal staircase, contained the main hall. As well as the chimney, another notable feature is the garderobe tower which extends over the mill stream; it was added in the early 13th century to provide sanitary arrangements.
A Grade II* listed Anglo-Saxon watermill located a short distance to the south of the Priory. It is listed in the Doomsday book.
Dating back more than 1000 years, it is very large (Cathedral-sized) and was very important in ecclesiastical terms back in the day.