Niton hosted a royal visitor on 1st July 1675 when Charles II – on his way to the mainland from France – was forced by the weather to anchor off the Island.
Everyone knows that Charles II’s father Charles I was imprisoned at Carisbrooke Castle here on the Island but his son’s visit is less well known.
Church records show the King Charles II came ashore at Puckaster Cove and walked along the Cripple Path to dine with the Rev Thomas Collinson in Niton Rectory, where he stayed for 2 nights until better weather allowed him to resume his journey.
The entry in Niton Church Register reads:
“July the 1st, Anno Domini 1675. Charles II, king of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, etc., came safely ashore at Puckaster, after he had endured a great and dangerous storm at sea.”
Charles’ brief visit to the Island was described in a local song as recorded in The Isle of Wight Ballads:
And then, turning to old Collinson,
He said, how he full and well knew
That his deeds of faith and loyalty
Had been neither small or few,
Of devoted service to his King
Would he add one further proof?
Would he receive him as his guest
Under the rectory roof.
5 years before his landing at Puckaster Cove, King Charles II had signed the treasonous Treaty of Dover with his cousin Louis XIV of France in a bid to ease his financial woes.
Under this treaty, Louis XIV would pay Charles II £160,000 each year. In exchange, Charles agreed to supply Louis with troops and to announce his conversion to Catholicism “as soon as the welfare of his kingdom will permit”.
Louis was to provide him with 6,000 troops to suppress those who opposed the conversion. Charles endeavoured to ensure that the Treaty – especially the conversion clause – remained secret from his subjects.
He was to convert to Catholicism on his deathbed.
Charles II left no legitimate heir. Our present King Charles III is therefore not 1 of his descendents.
However, ‘the Merrie Monarch’ is believed to have had at least a dozen illegitimate children from a reputed 7 (or more) mistresses.
Both Queen Camilla and King Charles III’s former wife Lady Diana Spencer are descendents of King Charles II’s illegitimate issue.
When William Prince of Wales (or any of his children) ascend to throne, they will be the 1st monarch to have been directly descended from Charles II after a break of well over 300 years.
Carry on with these great story’s i’m learning more about the Islands history from you than i did at school in the fortes and fifties
You would learn even less if at school today about UK let alone local history. But you would know all about African and India’s history.
Thats Reef Bay not Puckaster
There is no ‘Reef Bay’ on the Island. Did you mean ‘Reeth Bay’ perhaps?
Spell check error !!!
So charles is not a rightful heir up the revolution stop wazting money on the royals
Charles is a W.E.F member, not my cup of tea.