Blackgang chine

Blackgang chine has a legendary ring about it, summoning up visions of smugglers, shipwrecks, and wild storms lashing the shorelines. In the year 1800, Blackgang chine was a steep gaunt ravine situated 500ft above sea level, overlooking Chale Bay on the southwestern tip of the Isle of Wight. Stretching some three quarters of a mile down to the shoreline, it was a wild and desolate place, frequented by none other than local fishermen. During the mackerel season, there were also rumours of a smuggling trade called Blackgang in the 1840. In about 1823, Alexander Dabell, his sisters and parents all came to live on the Isle of Wight. Born in Nottingham to William and Martha, in 1808 he and his family were accompained by Mr Nunn and others to start a lace-making factory in Newport. Here, he worked as a labourer with his father, who was a Master of the Art. After his appprenticeship, he went to London as a shop and sales assistant, returning to open his first business in the High Street in the year 1830. He was a man who saw himself as a pioneer and early settler in this far flung barbarous clime, and above all a man out to seek his good fortune. Victorians were eargerly seeking out new health and holiday resorts at the time, and the railways were getting even closer to the south coast.

Alexander recognised the business potential of what was happening, particuarly as there was a newly opened Chalybeate spring at blackgang. Alexander's entrepreneurial spirit soon had him trying a number of different business ventures including hair-cutting and selling hair oils, by promoting the pruduct using a chained up bear and walking around Isle of Wight towns. He also established gift shop outlets in Newport, Sandown and Shanklin.

Since records began in 1750, over 180 ships have been lost in the sea on this treacherous coastline, sometimes helped along by gangs of wreckers. These were gangs who placed lights on the rocks during storms, leading sailors into believing that these lights were safe harbours. They were not safe harbours, and the ships foundered to the rocks with a great loss of life and their cargo looted. Close by is that of St Catherines Ligththouse which is said to have the most powerful light of any lighthouse in the world of this day. Even today, with the state of art navigation equipment, there are still some shipwrecks. With these hauntings of fishermen and smugglers, Blackgang Chine is now a 40 acre cliff top park, with attractions for the family. Themed areas include frontierland and 300 feet water force boat ride, while the sawmill and St Catherines Quary depict life on the coast in those days gone by.

The Ghosts of Blackgang Chine
As a known landslip, Blackgang Chine is now a theme park, but was once a location for pirates, smugglers, and fisherman. They cunningly used to tell the local people ghastly tales of ghosts to steer them away from the beaches and caves, so that they could go about their business without being seen. Whether these tales were a myth remains a mystery, but strange noises have been reported around the beach and caves. Smugglers Cave has reported sightings of black shadows and unexplained noises. Catherine's Quay has had varying accounts of noises and an eerie presence on many occasions. The alarm system in the Blackgang sawmill has inexplicably gone off on many occasions, giving suggestions of paranormal activity. The sawmill building was once the Victorian dwelling called Crowhena. Could the spirits of its past residents be making themselves heard?