Newton on the Ilse of Wight possibly dates from 1001, when it may have been attacked by the Danes. Certainly it was known as Niwetune from 1189. In medieval times it was a thriving village. A busy port, said to be the safest on the island, oyster beds, saltworks, and at the start of the 14th century some 60 families were living there. Then the great plague struck and later in 1377 the French raided the town and destroyed most of it, the harbour silted up and effectively the town died. By the 1830’s just 23 “voters” lived here. The old town hall above was restored and is now in the care of the National Trust, and the harbour area is a nature reserve.
On the day of my visit the town hall was closed, but I could still photograph the wonky door! A short walk away is a boardwalk out to what was once the harbour and the saltpans – it’s possible to get a feel of what it may have been.
I was using Ilford Delta 100, bulk loaded and have developed this roll in FX21. It’s a developer I’m liking. It’s not too contrasty and holds the sky pretty well. D23 does that but this is sharper – the downside is there is a little more grain, but not too bad. I decided to develop the remainder of the film from this trip with it too, which worked out well with the exception of one roll, which we will get to in due course!
S.H.O.U.T. 