Shanklin’s Lady of the Manor, Anne Springman MBE, has been recognised as a Heritage Hero for her decades of dedication to preserving Shanklin Chine.
Anne, who celebrated her 95th birthday in August, has spent more than 60 years helping to protect and manage the Island’s oldest tourist attraction, serving as its owner, manager and trustee.
Her contribution has now been formally recognised by Building the Bay, a place plan steering group representing local councils and the community across the Bay area.
Paul Coueslant, the group’s Bay Heritage Champion, said:
“We’re thrilled that Anne has accepted our invitation to be a Heritage Hero. Born in Shanklin between the Wars, she has always had the town in her heart and worked tirelessly to ensure that the Chine, such a dramatic and historic natural feature of the Bay’s coastline, is maintained for us to visit and enjoy.”
Shanklin Chine has welcomed visitors for more than 200 years, having first opened to the public in 1817.
Previously discovered by artists and writers, the natural gorge became more accessible when Shanklin’s then Lady of the Manor allowed local longshoreman and smuggler William Colenutt to carve out a network of pathways and steps.
These routes took visitors from the shore, past a series of waterfalls, to the top of the gorge and into Shanklin Old Village.
Today, the Chine is designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation and opens to visitors from spring through to autumn.
It provides a haven for wildlife, supporting around 200 species of wild plants, including rare mosses and liverworts.
For Anne, however, the Chine is much more than a tourist attraction.
Speaking of her lifelong connection to the site, she said:
“It’s part of my life. The Chine has got something very special about it, it’s just with you. It’s got this atmosphere and I can sit there for a long time, it’s a magical place.”
Alongside her work preserving the Chine’s natural beauty, Anne has also been instrumental in highlighting its important role during World War II.
The gorge’s steep slopes were used as a training ground by 40 Royal Marine Commando in preparation for the D-Day landings, with a memorial now standing near the seaward entrance.
The Chine also played a part in the top-secret PLUTO project – Pipeline Under the Ocean – which was developed to supply fuel to Allied forces across the English Channel.
The pipeline passed through the gorge on its way to pumping stations along Shanklin seafront.
Anne was also instrumental in establishing the charitable trust that now manages the Chine, helping to secure its future for generations to come.
She becomes Building the Bay’s second Bay Heritage Hero, following celebrated Sandown photographer James Dore, who received the accolade last year.
Accepting the recognition, Anne said:
“I’m very proud to accept. I’d love to be a heritage hero, I’d like to join the gang.”
