Wonderful Years

A Memory of Binstead.

Living on the island was like living in paradise - it seemed like a constant holiday! I remember walking from 'Danehurst' along Pitts Lane across Binstead Road and up Cemetary Road to school every day. I loved walking to the beach through the woods near Quarr Abbey and through to Fishbourne. I loved going to Sunday School at the Church of the Holy Cross and being in the choir when Mr Wrigley was Rector. My cousins always came to us from north London during every school holiday and we all agree that they were the best times we ever had! As 10 & 11 year olds we played 'Robin Hood' in the woods, we explored imagining we were part of Enid Blyton's Famous Five. I remember that at 'Danehurst' my friend David & I found a large wooden door behind a stone wall covered in brambles & ivy, which we eventually prised open and found the stone steps led down underneath 'Danehurst' along cavernous passageways that led into tiny rooms with small openings for windows. We thought this was a wonderful discovery and often took some biscuits & a drink to our 'secret meeting place'. My cousins were equally excited at the prospect of being underground. It turned out that the rooms were basement rooms and most probably used by servants in the years gone by, since the house was and old rectory. There were rumours that smugglers used the passageways for transportation of the 'baccy' too. Ah, such excitement.

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