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Page 42
On the northern extremity of St. Catharine's down is an elegant and most
conspicuous object (72 feet high,) called the ALEXANDRIAN PILLAR: the
purpose of its erection is perhaps best told by the inscription itself:
"_In commemoration of the visit of his Imperial Majesty Alexander
I, Emperor of all the Russias, to Great Britain in the year
1814--and in remembrance of the many happy years' residence in his
dominions--this Pillar was erected by Michael Hoy._"
On the slope is a seat called the MEDINA HERMITAGE (formerly the
summer-residence of the gentleman named on the pillar): the house is
characterized by simplicity and neatness: and its greatest ornament is a
large verandah, having a broad _trellis_ roof, beautifully intertwined
with the sweetest varieties of climbing plants. From its very elevated
situation, it commands a rich display of the country from Niton to
Newport.
* * * * *
CHALE CHURCH
Must be passed in the regular tour, going to or returning from Blackgang;
stands close to the road; and though simple in its architecture, has a
venerable and rather picturesque appearance--especially its square tower,
which proves a great relief to the flatness of the view looking westward
to the Freshwater cliffs: dates its erection in the 12th century; and
exposed as it is to the rage of the elements, affords an instance of the
stability which characterizes the structures of antiquity.
The cemetery of Chale incloses many a shipwrecked mariner--no doubt some
hundreds who were deposited, in the course of ages, without any memento
whatever: but the public are now more interested, from the circumstance
of the unfortunate sufferers in the wreck of the ship Clarendon being
here interred,--to whose memory tombstones are erected, on which the
date and other particulars of their melancholy fate are recorded.
* * * * *
WRECKS ON THE SOUTHERN COAST.
We have already stated how dangerous this part of the coast is
during a south or south-west wind, to vessels unmanageable in a
storm: and previously to the erection of the new Light-house, few
winters passed without two or more wrecks occurring between Niton
and Freshwater Bay. In former times, the _waifs_, or possession of
such remains of ships or their cargoes as were washed ashore, seems
to have been a valued right of this, as well as some other manors
in the Isle of Wight; and many tales have been told of the
inhumanity of the wreckers who in those days are said to have
resided in the neighbourhood,--which, if true, are strongly
contrasted by the ready zeal and liberality which the present
inhabitants display in assisting those unfortunates whom the
furious elements so often cast on this fatal shore.
Of the numerous vessels which have been lost here in our own time,
the largest was perhaps the _Carn-brea Castle_ East Indiaman, in
July 1829: she left Spithead at nine o'clock in the morning, and
about six hours afterwards struck on the rocks near Mottistone: the
weather being fine, her crew and passengers easily reached the
shore. The size of the ship, and the remarkable circumstances under
which she was lost, attracted a considerable number of visitors to
the spot,--as she was not immediately broken up, though all hopes
of removing her were soon abandoned.
A far more disastrous wreck was that of the CLARENDON, a West India
trader of 350 tons, which took place on the 11th of October, 1836:
and will be remembered with increased interest, as the acknowledged
fact of her loss being mainly attributable to the want of some
warning beacon on the land, led almost directly to the erection of
the splendid light-house at Niton. She had 11 passengers, male and
female, and 17 seamen on board: her cargo consisted of sugar, rum,
molasses, and turtle; she was heavily laden, and had been about six
weeks on her voyage. The preceding evening was fine, and the breeze
favorable, and the passengers retired to rest in fancied security,
with the pleasing hope of safely reaching their destination on the
following day. After midnight the wind increased; but though the
ship drove rapidly before it, no danger was perceived till about
day-break,--when, already in the surf, there was no longer a
possibility of escape. The crew immediately proceeded to set all
sail the storm would permit, in hopes of weathering the point; but
their gallant efforts could not long delay the fate of the doomed
vessel, she continued to drift towards the beach, on which she
struck a little before six o'clock, and within five minutes was
totally demolished. It would be a useless attempt to describe the
horrors of that short but fearful period: all that could be
gathered from the statements of the survivors was, that she twice
touched the ground lightly, forward, at which time all her people
were assembled on the deck; and presently one mountain wave hurled
her broadside on the beach with such stupendous force, that the
huge hull at once parted into a thousand fragments! The frightful
brevity of the whole catastrophe prevented any measures being taken
for the relief of the passengers and crew, although the ship was
scarcely twice her own length from the cliff; and all perished
except the mate and two seamen, who were rescued by the courageous
exertions of some countrymen who had hastened to the spot as soon
as dawn disclosed the inevitable danger of the vessel.--For some
hours afterwards a hideous spectacle was here presented,--the naked
and mangled bodies of the unfortunate sufferers, with the remains
of the vessel and cargo, were tossed about in dire confusion by the
raging waves, or dashed again and again on the stony beach; but
before the close of the day, most of the former had been drawn
ashore, and the broken fragments of the wreck were strewed on the
beach for several miles. Six of the passengers (an officer named
Shore, his wife, and daughters,) were buried in Newport churchyard,
where a monument has since been erected to their memory; and it is
a strange fact that the premises which adjoin that cemetery on the
western side, had been but a short time previously engaged for
their reception by a near relative, who there anxiously awaited the
ship's arrival. Most of the others (as already mentioned,) were
interred at Chale.
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