View source for Puckaster

{{Short description|Hamlet on the Isle of Wight, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Lead too short|date=January 2021}}
'''Puckaster''' is a hamlet on the [[Isle of Wight]], [[England]]. Puckaster is on the southern coast of the Isle of Wight, south of [[Niton, Isle of Wight|Niton]], between [[St Catherine's Point]] and [[Binnel]].

==History==
Puckaster has  historical significance. Some have tried to identify Puckaster Cove with the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] "''Portus Castrensis''"<ref>[https://www.jstor.org/stable/2841479 ''On the "Longstone" and Other Prehistoric Remains in the Isle of Wight''], A. L. Lewis, The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 14, 1885 (1885), pp. 45-47, {{doi|10.2307/2841479}}</ref> although others dispute this.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060603140753/http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/springhill/castle_haven.doc "I Remember, I Remember." Memoirs of two previous 'Undercliff ' inhabitants], Alan Champion, [[Ventnor]]: 1989.</ref> Also, on 1 July 1675 [[Charles II of England|King Charles II]] was forced ashore in Puckaster
Cove in bad weather and heavy seas,<ref>[http://freespace.virgin.net/roger.hewitt/iwias/history.htm The Isle of Wight Timeline of History], [http://freespace.virgin.net/roger.hewitt/iwias/home.htm Isle of Wight History Centre] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070804130550/http://freespace.virgin.net/roger.hewitt/iwias/home.htm |date=2007-08-04 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/HAM/IOW/Niton/index.html Niton], Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson (c)2003, Accessed October 24, 2007 from UK and Ireland Genealogy website.</ref> as recorded in the [[Niton, Isle of Wight|Niton]] Church Register:

{{quotation|"July the 1st, Anno Domini 1675. Charles II, king of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, etc., came safely ashore at Puckaster, after he had endured a great and dangerous storm at sea."<ref>[http://www.invectis.co.uk/iow/wl_ventnor.html WARD LOCK & Co's Illustrated Guide Book to the Isle of Wight], 1848</ref>}}
Vice-Admiral Sir [[Thomas Hopsonn]] as an orphan lived in [[Niton, Isle of Wight|Niton]]. Seeing the fleet passing offshore he literally ran away to sea, down Puckaster Lane and into a rowing boat, later distinguishing himself, especially at the [[Battle of Vigo Bay]] in 1702 and returning to become a local Member of Parliament. He is mentioned by [[Samuel Smiles]] in [[Self Help]].
The coastline around Puckaster is quite treacherous, leading to the creation of [[St. Catherine's Oratory]] on [[St. Catherine's Down]] and eventually other [[lighthouse]]s in the area. Among the other shipwrecks near Puckaster was that of the West Indianman "Three Sisters". The Three Sisters went aground at Puckaster in January 1799. Three of the crew were drowned in this accident.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A894224 Isle Of Wight Shipwrecks: 'HMS Pomone' and 'Carn Brae Castle'], [[BBC]] [[h2g2]], December 7, 2002.</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Binnel Bay looking towards Puckaster (geograph 5689765).jpg|thumb|left|Binnel Bay looking towards Puckaster]]
Puckaster is part of the [[Undercliff (Isle of Wight)|Undercliff]], a large coastal [[landslide]] complex along the southern coastline of the Isle of Wight, and as such is subject to [[coastal erosion]] concerns.<ref>[http://www.coastalwight.gov.uk/coastalcentre.htm Isle of Wight Coastal Visitors Centre]</ref><ref>[http://www.isleofwightattractions.co.uk/Landslip.htm Landslips on The Isle of Wight]</ref><ref>
[http://stream.port.ac.uk/environment/scopac5/sow1/sow1.htm West & South Isle of Wight] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209075648/http://stream.port.ac.uk/environment/scopac5/sow1/sow1.htm |date=2012-02-09 }}, Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline.</ref><ref>[http://copranet.projects.eucc-d.de/files/000166_EUROSION_IsleofWight.pdf LUCCOMBE - BLACKGANG ISLE OF WIGHT (UNITED KINGDOM)], Robin G. McGiness, [http://www.coastalwight.gov.uk/ Isle of Wight Centre for Coastal Environment]</ref><ref>[http://www.english-nature.org.uk/About/teams/team_photo/Undercliff%20Matters%20Issue%202.pdf Life on the Edge], Undercliff Matters, [[English Nature]], Issue 2, September 2003.</ref> It is also the home of some rare bees and other unique insects. Its unique climate allows the growth of some plants that are found nowhere else in the British Islands; this was even the subject of a publication by philosopher and economist [[John Stuart Mill]].<ref>[http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/238/53566 John Stuart Mill, The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, Volume XXXI - Miscellaneous Writings], ed. John M. Robson (Toronto: [[University of Toronto Press]], London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1989), Accessed on 2007-10-24, originally published as ''Rarer Plants of the Isle of Wight'', Phytologist, I (Nov. 1841), 91-2. No. 59 in Art. XXXIII, "Varieties." Signed "J.S. Mill."</ref> To this end, Puckaster Farm was purchased in an effort to preserve this area.<ref>[http://www.english-nature.gov.uk/about/teams/team_photo/Undercliff%20Matters%20Issue%203%20(rev).pdf A Walk on the Wild Side]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Undercliff Matters brochure, [[English Nature]], Issue 3, April 2004.</ref>

Puckaster Cove sits on the coastline beneath the hamlet, immediately east of [[Reeth Bay]] and west of [[Binnel Bay]]. It is a small remote cove that is now largely inaccessible and dangerous due to landslides. It has a narrow and rocky shoreline with a small shingle beach. The remains of several wooden structures and cleared sand channels can be seen offshore, these originate from the small fishing community that once existed at the cove, which was subsequently destroyed by landslides during the 20th century. As at Reeth Bay the cove is backed by in-situ cliffs of [[Lower Greensand Group|Lower Greensand]], with superficial mudflows and landslide debris from the Gault Clay (known locally as 'Blue Slipper') and [[Upper Greensand Formation|Upper Greensand]].

Puckaster has inspired several renowned paintings and drawings. For example, British painter [[Edward William Cooke]] (1811–1880) made a watercolor of Puckaster Cove in 1831.<ref>[http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/prints/viewRepro.cfm?reproID=PV5457 PAE5457 Puckaster Cove, Isle of Wight] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608205929/http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/prints/viewRepro.cfm?reproID=PV5457 |date=2011-06-08 }}, Edward William Cookee, water colour drawing no. 33 in Notebook of Pictures (11 July 1831)</ref> The [[Brigham Young University]] Museum of Art owns an anonymous drawn plan of a Puckaster dwelling<ref>[http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Moa&CISOPTR=8143&CISOBOX=1&REC=7 Plan for Puckaster, Isle of Wight], [[Brigham Young University]] Museum of Art.</ref> and a watercolor of a Puckaster cottage.<ref>[http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Moa&CISOPTR=8142&CISOBOX=1&REC=3 Puckaster, Isle of Wight], [[Brigham Young University]] Museum of Art.</ref> Mrs. W. Bartlett and W. Willis made a well known etching of Puckaster Cove that was published in "Barber's Picturesque Illustrations of the Isle of Wight" in 1845.<ref>[http://www.bluegreenpictures.com/perl/Cyan.pl?mode=view;inum=102371;lightbox=66 ''Puckaster Cove 1845, Isle of Wight''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050901150131/http://bluegreenpictures.com/perl/Cyan.pl?mode=view |date=2005-09-01 }}, [http://www.bluegreenpictures.com/perl/Cyan.pl?mode=home Bluegreen Pictures website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070820074455/http://www.bluegreenpictures.com/perl/Cyan.pl?mode=home |date=2007-08-20 }}.</ref> The [[Tate|Tate Collection]] includes a drawing by artist [[David Wilkie (artist)|Sir David Wilkie]] (1785–1841) titled, "''Sir Willoughby Gordon and his Daughter Julia, Cooking on a Griddle at Puckaster, near Niton, Isle of Wight  1822''".<ref>[http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=999999961&workid=16185&searchid=11425&tabview=subject ''Sir Willoughby Gordon and his Daughter Julia, Cooking on a Griddle at Puckaster, near Niton, Isle of Wight  1822''], [[David Wilkie (artist)|David Wilkie]], 1922.</ref> Painters L. J. Wood and [[Richard Henry Nibbs]] (1816–1893) have also produced notable paintings of Puckaster.

==Famous residents==
Yacht designer and builder [[Uffa Fox]] lived in Puckaster. [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] stayed in Puckaster as a young man when he was learning to sail.<ref>[http://www.islandcottageholidays.com/Cottage%20Web%20Pages/Puckaster%20House,%20The%20Wing.htm The Wing, Puckaster House] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711045923/http://www.islandcottageholidays.com/Cottage%20Web%20Pages/Puckaster%20House,%20The%20Wing.htm |date=2007-07-11 }}, Island Holidays website.</ref>

==Mythology==
Author Cassandra Eason identifies Puckaster as a place which is frequented by fairies in her book, "A Complete Guide to Fairies & Magical Beings".<ref>[http://archive.thisishampshire.net/2001/10/6/70788.html Fairy magic]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Vicki Green, Hampshire, October 6, 2001.</ref>

==Flag==

Puckaster has its own flag which references the Buddle Inn and the tin trade with Cornwall, the history of smuggling on its coast, St Catherine's Lighthouse, the local landmark and three anchors which reference the Isle of Wight and safe anchorage at the Isle of Wight.

==References==
{{Lacking ISBN|date=April 2010}}
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://availablelight.cc/catalog.php?item=464&catid=St.%20Catherine%92s%20Point Puckaster Cove]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} photo, Steve Gascoigne, Available Light Photography
{{Isle of Wight box}}
{{Settlements on the Isle of Wight}}

{{Coord|50|34|48|N|1|17|03|W|type:city(1000)_region:GB|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Hamlets on the Isle of Wight]]