Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Newton Knapp

Good news - who says we're always negative - work has restarted on the Newton Knapp development.


Posted by Anonymous to swanageview at 7:52 PM
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23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where is this? And what is the development?

2/3/10 8:44 am
Anonymous said...

Sorry to be a grumpy old man, buuut

I posted the original comment as I heard it from someone who is working there.

To me it's good news, locals, and non, in employment a mess being tidied up.

A comment comes in as above.

Please show some manners, if you want information, and are too lazy to find it yourself, then ask politely; and maybe even say why you're interested.

If you want to see me really throwing my toys out of the pram then keep on starting sentences with 'and'!

2/3/10 6:10 pm
Anonymous said...

Durn!

.. in employment, a mess being ....

I'm now throwing my pram out of my pram!

2/3/10 6:12 pm
Anonymous said...

6:10 Why not just give the information to 8:44? You look at lot ruder than him/her. Trust this is grammatically correct enough for you.

5/3/10 4:00 pm
Anonymous said...

I thought the original post was very rude, if you were asked a question like this in the real world, I'm sure people will think you very rude.

The polite way could have been, can someone please tell me where this development is, andwhat is it about?
Thanks!

Or perhaps the poster does not know enough about Swanage?

5/3/10 5:58 pm
Anonymous said...

Thanks 5.58, and to 4.00, well, at least I opened my post apologising for being a grumpy old man!

The comment at the end of my first post and my second post, which is me criticising myself, but trying to make it light hearted. That's what the ! mark is used for.

Reading your post, yes there is a small error in it, but I wouldn't bother pointing it out because it doesn't effect what you're 'saying'.

Re-reading this post there is one minor error, but it doesn't effect what I'm 'saying', so I won't bother altering it.

Bye know, y'all!

5/3/10 6:18 pm
Anonymous said...

Whoops, 2 actually!

Bye now, y'all!

Cor, silly me!

5/3/10 6:22 pm
Anonymous said...

Let me please reword my original post. I did not mean to cause offense, and I humbly apologize for so doing! I have clearly upset you, for which I feel remorse.

I am afraid that, after 20 years residency in our beautiful town, I know neither where, nor indeed what, is Newton Knapp. I must not get out and about as much as I should, or used to, but at my rather advanced age this is rather difficult as I am confined to a wheelchair. I do apologize for my disabled state, and for my relative ignorance of Swanage!

I would be most grateful if you would accept my humble apology for my terse opening post, which was not intended to be that, but which I can now understand; and for using a conjunction incorrectly at the beginning of a sentence!

I would be very content, should you find it within your heart to grant this rather elderly but still interested old man, this information.

I thank you in advance. I shall endeavour to improve my online manners!

5/3/10 8:17 pm
Anonymous said...

Ah, the 'beauty' of the blog!

We all make assumptions about the post and the postees, and usually get it all wrong!

I assumed that you were some sort of 'troll' and went to work angry; naturally during the day I forgot all about it. But - whoops, that's naughty - when I got home I re-read it and got angry again!

So, I realised that I was just being a grumpy old man i.e. rather childish, but did want to make some sort of useless statement. I tried to do this using the good old !, and hoped that people would realise that I knew I was being rather silly and petty, but HEY, I was going to do it anyway!

I greatly appreciate your explanation, and of course, humbly - not a word usually associated with me! - accept your apology. I'd also like to express my empathy for your situation - stay positive.

Right - stop it! - Newton Knapp.

If you paste this into your browser

http://tinyurl.com/ydbdmfz

(Google map)

and then look at where Cow Lane joins the High Street then that's where the development is.

As for what it is I can't actually find the details, but what I've been told is that it was a mixed development, flats and houses, some at market value some for shared ownership, starting at about £170K. The original firm went bust, but "some lady has managed to get some money and carry on with it", is what I was told.

I'm now going to get really boring and probably inaccurate as well!

Newton Knapp. Newton Manor, let's say it's about the year 1500. Worth is the 'capital' of IoP, not PDC, Swanage is a tiny little fishing village and has Godlingston Manor. Herston is an entirely separate village and has Newton Manor. The land below Newton Knapp between the High Street and the Avenue is largely wet. I guess that it wasn't the sea, but …. Swanage had no sea wall and the 'rec' didn't exist. Circa 1800 the bit that is now the Rail Station/Health Centre was also damp!

Swange could be viewed as man-made, the sea wall went in, the 'rec' and Sandpits were created, presumably from waste left over from the stone trade. What is now the right hand side of Station Rd – from the top to the Mowlem - was a stream, all of this was raised and built on. This is why Kings Rd East to St Georges are so 'wet'. It was '90 or '91 when it last flooded – returning it to how it should be! Since then Wessex have put in the flood relief plan and we haven't flooded since – I think.

Back to Newton Knapp circa 1965. Newton Manor was a girls school, and what is now Newton Manor Close was a walled garden. Eventually the school closed and the land was developed.

Opposite the Manor was a single house with a large walled garden and the Rookery. That is now the new development. The house had quite a history, but I can't remember what it is.

If I've posted any inaccuracies please feel free to correct me!

6/3/10 9:02 am
Anonymous said...

Back to Newton Knapp circa 1965. Newton Manor was a girls school

Ahhh the good ole days I wish I could relive some of em :)

Thinking about those days is probably emough for me now.

6/3/10 9:16 am
Paul The Inquisitive said...

Pleased to read a short account of historic Swanage, thanks for that.

The books on old Swanage make very interesting reading, but any insight and comment from 'real' Swanage people is indeed a bonus to us newcomers.

Incidentally, this development looks pretty cramped and expensive asking prices would need consideration ... hardly in the 'affordable' homes category, are they selling very well?

Paul.

6/3/10 12:01 pm
Anonymous said...

Hardy, William Masters (1908)

"Old Swanage, or, Purbeck past and present.

A collection of articles, topographical, historical,
antiquarian, biographical and anecdotal."

A fascinating book, but I'm biased as he's my Great Great Grandfather!

It seems to be unobtainable these days. It was reprinted in 1980, so there may be a few copies around. I should have one somewhere.

Sorry, but I'm not lending out the originals!

6/3/10 12:45 pm
Anonymous said...

I wouldn't suppose your great grandfather was related to Thomas Hardy, by any chance? That would be a fascinating further link with Swanage! Thanks.

7/3/10 2:09 am
Anonymous said...

This is somewhat off topic, but I would be fascinated to learn if there is anything in print about the numerous private schools that flourished in the Purbecks over the past century and a quarter. I well remember when Forres was in town, and more recently The Old Malthouse was in existence (the latter is having a rebirth as a science fieldwork centre for school children). Durlston Court, is still going in New Milton. Is there information about Durnford in Langton, or Hillcrest up on Bell View Rd? Were there others, particularly other than prep schools? Thanks for telling us about Newton Manor School.

Perhaps Rodney Legg would know. Can any one shed any information about these schools?

7/3/10 2:19 am
Anonymous said...

Ooh, a can of worms!

Are the Swanage Hardys related to Thomas, and thus, Cap't Hardy, deeep breath - nope - officially!

Buuuuut, unofficially ....

It's all about the Official records. Birth, death, marriage etc. We trace back to, let's call him Fred Hardy, in Swanage but then the paper trail dies around 1800.

There's a record in the Weymouth area that has, lets call him Pete Hardy and his family, including Fred, who moved to Wareham in the early/mid 1700's. The paper trail proves that Pete was the brother of Thomas Hardys Grandfather, or Great Grandfather?

In 1762 Wareham burnt down and all - most? - records were destroyed.

So, we are NOT related to the Wareham Fred Hardy; buuuut, we have a handwritten description from the mid 1800's 'explaining' how the Hardys ended up in Swanage.

I haven't read this for 5 or more years, but it pretty clearly says that after the Great Fire of Wareham, Fred, son of Pete Hardy moved to Swanage. The official records then show that Fred Hardy was W M Hardys father, or possibly Grandfather - oh, my memory!

So, we are not related to Thomas Hardy, but naturally we like to believe that we are!

If you were to see some of the photos of Thomas and compare them to some of my family from that era ....

7/3/10 8:08 am
Anonymous said...

to 2:19 am ( that's late )

John Patrick, of Swanage Museum, gave a intersting talk on "100 years of private education in swanage" a coulpe of weeks ago to Wareham history group. You could try contacting him at Swanage Museum.

7/3/10 8:29 am
Anonymous said...

Fri Apr 30th 7pm at the Rectory classroom.

'A century of private education in Swanage'

With John Patrick

7/3/10 9:00 am
Anonymous said...

Don't forget Leeson House.

http://www.leesonhouse.com/page3.htm

7/3/10 9:22 am
Anonymous said...

Thanks everybody! I'll be sure to hear John Patrick on April 30th.

Is he Alison's husband, by any chance?

7/3/10 5:55 pm
Anonymous said...

Interested to read that the building has restarted on the development, if it's the one at
http://tinyurl.com/ydbdmfz as it's on the site of my grandparents house Newton Grange.

19/3/10 6:36 pm
Anonymous said...

"after the Great Fire of Wareham, Fred, son of Pete Hardy moved to Swanage."

So, they Hardys baisn't be proper Swanage folk? Newcomers! Zend they back.

20/3/10 10:51 am
Anonymous said...

hi 6.36
would you know any of Newton Granges history?

If you do, would you be kind enough to share it on here?

TIA.

20/3/10 2:32 pm
Anonymous said...

All very interesting but what is happening about the unfinished houses? There is a rumour that the rooflines are too high and that they will be demolished. Whatever happened to the affordable housing element?

26/6/10 10:16 pm

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