Hurst Castle
Hurst Castle, Milford-on-Seacounty:
coords:
Hampshire
SZ3189
otherwise: castle or fortress of Hurst, 1543
HURST CASTLE, fort in Milford-on-Sea
This Tudor fort stands on a spit of land which is likely to be referred to 1434 '[wreck off] Hurst' 1539 '[an herd sand called] the Hurst' this expression containing the dialect word 'hurst'='sandbank' which may be a partial assimilation of Old Norse 'hestR' in the same sense. Or it may be the common Old English 'hyrst'='wooded eminence', originally applying to an adjacent coastal feature.
At the landward end of the spit is 'Sturt Pond' which appears to contain an old name for a coastal feature here, Old English 'steort'='tail, point of land'.
Period - 19th century, early
a fortress in Hampshire, 4m S Lymington. It stands on the extreme point of a neck of land, which shoots 2m into the sea toward the isle of Wight, from which it is a mile distant. In this castle Charles I was confined previously to his being brought to trial. Lon. 1 33 W, lat. 50 42 N.
Shown on an old map by Harrison 1788
- castle - Christ Church Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1780s
no symbol for castle
Shown on an old map by Badeslade 1742
- castle - Hampshire
Period - 1740s
The place is described in text Cox 1738
- castle - Hampshire
[New Forest] ... much exposed to the Invasion of foreign Enemies, which King Henry VIII. considering, resolved to build some Castles for its Defence, lest the Nation should lose more by the keeping than it had done by making it; and thereupon he built first, Hurst-Castle, in that Neck of Land, which running farthest into the Sea, makes the shortest Passage into the Isle of Wight This Castle commands the Sea on every Side, and Heath tells us in his Chronicle, that it stands a Mile and a half into the Sea, upon a Beach full of Mud, and stinking Oare at low Tides, having no fresh Water within two or three Miles of it, so cold, foggy and noisome, that the Guards cannot endure it without often shifting their Quarters.
To this Place Colonel Corbett brought King Charles I. when he took him from Colonel Hammond, Governor of the Isle of Wight; and he was kept here till Major General Harrison came to fetch him up to London, where the barbarous Tragedy of his Murther was soon finished, the Articles of Impeachment being drawn up, and the High Court of Justice (as they called it) appointed before his Removal.
... These two Castles upon the Shore, and more inwardly the other two Castles of ... are a perfect Security at the Entrance of the Bay of Southampton.
Shown on an old map by Morden 1695
- castle - Christchurch Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1690s-1720s
Period - 17th century
Not far from this Town [Lemington] is Hurst-castle, which is seated in the extreme point of a neck of Land which shooteth it self forth into the Sea, reguarding the Isle of Wight.
Shown on an old map by Blaeu 1645
- castle - Christchurch Hundred - Hantshire
Shown on an old map by Simmons 1643
- Hamshire
Period - 1630s-40s
Shown on an old map by Speed 1611
- castle - Christchurch Hundred - Hantshire
The place is described in text Camden 1610
- Hantshire
Period - 1600s
But least the sea coast ... should lie without defence all open and exposed to the enimie, King Henrie the Eighth began to strengthen it with forts, for, in that foreland or promontorie shooting far into the sea: From whence we have the shortest cut into the Isle of Wight, hee built Hurst Castle, which commandeth sea ward every way.
Shown on an old map by Norden 1607
- castle - Christchurche Hundred - Hamshire
Period - 1590s-1600s
Shown on an old map by Keer 1620
- Southampton
The place is described in text Keer 1620
- Hantshire
... the Coast strengthened with many strong Castles, such as Hurst, ...
Shown on an old map by Waghenaer 1583
Shown on an old map by Saxton 1575
- castle - Southamtoniae
The castelle at Hurste [on the shore] is countid to be a xiiij. [miles from Caldsh]ore.
This castelle is set almost right agayne the farther ende of the land of the Isle of Wighte.
And the trajectus heere from land to land is about 2. miles, the which narow place is defendid by Hurst castelle.
Minns says:- Hurst Castle, built during the latter part of the reign of Henry VIII mainly from the materials of Beaulieu Abbey. The central tower still remains on which is the date 1535. Charles I. was detained here for 18 days when he was conveyed to London. The Solent Strait at this point is now but 1400 yards across.
