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THE ORIGINAL FOUNDER OF HILL HEAD SAILING CLUB
By John Lewthwaite, the Club's Historiographer (2012)
According to the parish records of St. Peter’s church in Titchfield, on the 23 June 1611, "Titchfield Haven was shut out by one Richard Talbott's industrie under God's permission at the costs of the Rt. Hon Earl of Southampton". A barrier was built across the river Meon's outflow between the sea bank which had almost closed the estuary, and Hill Head, although there was no village there at that time. A sluice within tunnel under this barrier permitted the river to continue to flow out at low tide and its scouring action created the harbour at Hill Head.
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| Henry Wriothesley, the 3rd Earl of Southampton owned the Meon estuary estate and had his country residence at Place House (the old Abbey) at Titchfield. The Earl was therefore responsible for the creation of the harbour and hence without him our Club would not have been founded.
A number of changes to the harbour have taken place since 1611, including the building of a new larger sluice in about 1740. This is where we now see a bridge over this sluice which is locally referred to as the "lock gates". |
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The harbour at Hill Head (or Hell Head on some early maps) was used for many years by small fishing craft. It is believed that Charles I used the harbour in 1647 whilst escaping to the Isle of Wight and Thomas Jefferson landed here in 1787, diverted whilst on passage to France to become US Ambassador and later of course, President of the United States. There is evidence that soon after this time the French had considered landing at Hill Head as part of their war plans to invade Portsmouth.
Another curious event was the planned construction of a railway line from Fareham to Hill Head which was to terminate in a pier on the sea wall, with a steamer service to the Isle of Wight. The line was to be built over the bridge and around the harbour and would have totally changed its use. Fortunately the scheme failed due to lack of finance!
The Hill Head Sailing Club was founded in 1930 by a retired army officer, Col J. S. Alston who had bought the Meon estate (including the harbour) two years earlier. The first meeting was held on Saturday August 16th 1930, at which Col. Alston presided, to consider the question of starting a sailing club at Hill Head, to encourage boating in all forms, more especially to help the young ones and also to promote racing on handicap lines.
Col. J. S. Alston was appointed Commodore and Major G. J. Jackson Vice Commodore. A committee was formed consisting of Messrs J. Hannen, A. Reed, A. G. Leach and A. A. Atkins, with powers to add to their numbers to deal with the formulation of rules, handicapping and management of the Club. Mr. A. Reed was appointed Hon. Treasurer and Mr. A. A. Atkins Hon. Secretary.
We have collected many old maps and photographs of the harbour over the years. Members have worked on the renewing and maintaining the harbour walls, laying moorings and helping to build the dinghy parks.
This old post card shows a photograph which was taken in about 1935. There have been many alterations since that time.
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A major change occurred in 1970 when after Col. Alston and his wife had died, the estate came up for auction. Hampshire County Council bought the marsh, the harbour and the house. They agreed to a long-term lease of the harbour to the Sailing Club.
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| A few years later the adjacent "Hove To" site became vacant. This was bought by Fareham Borough Council who arranged for the site to be cleared and a substantial sea wall and a new slipway to be constructed.
This site was leased to the Club who raised the funds to build the Clubhouse.
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Hence, we see the area as it is today with about 50 boats on moorings, another 150 in the dinghy parks and almost 1000 members !
More history at The Boathouse
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