FORMER TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: ST LAWRENCE’S ISLE OF WIGHT RARE BREEDS AND WATERFOWL PARK

In the 4th edition of former Isle of Wight tourist attractions, Island Echo examines The Isle of Wight Rare Breeds and Waterfowl Park in St Lawrence, which was once home to 1 of the most comprehensive collections of rare breeds of domesticated animals in the United Kingdom. It was based partly in the gardens of Lisle Combe in St Lawrence, which was built in 1815 for George Anderson-Pelham MP – a member of the aristocratic Yarborough family – which owned large stretches of the Undercliff. It was often visited by Queen Victoria when in residence at Osborne House. In the 1920s, Lisle Combe – and the neighbouring Bank End Farm – was purchased by the famous poet Alfred Noyes. While the poet lived there, he was visited by the literary greats of his age, including JB Priestly, Hilaire Belloc and HG Wells. The Rare Breeds and Waterfowl Park was designed in 1989. It was run by Alfred Noyes son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren (the house is owned by the Noyes family to this day). Sadly, it was only in operation for little over a decade. 1 reason the Noyes started the park was prohibitive milk quotas for their cattle herd, which meant that they had to throw away 3,000 pints of milk for at least 2 months of every year. To keep within their quota required reducing the dairy herd by half.

The Noyes were left with surplus land but intended to do nothing that might spoil the stretch of coastline around their house and farm. They had become aware that many native breeds of farm animal had disappeared since the start of the century and that 40 were on the brink of extinction. A pool of valuable genetic material was in danger of being lost forever. This was the impulse for starting the Isle of Wight Rare Breeds and Waterfowl Park. The park helped conserve rare breeds of the following animals: cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, horses, and deer. The cattle kept in the park included the Gloucester cow from which the famed Double Gloucester cheese originally derived. There was also the White Park – the most ancient recorded breed in the British Isles – and Highland cattle, which are fierce in appearance but docile in nature.

The sheep included many breeds from remote Scottish islands, such as the Soay, Shetland and North Ronaldsay. There were also Portland sheep which were popularly supposed to have swam ashore in Portland from a wrecked Spanish Amada galleon. Rare pigs included the Tamworth – the only red British breed – and the Gloucester Old Spot, which had become unpopular with butchers because its black spots would show through on the meat.

The Rare Breeds Park had an interesting collection of goats, including the Bagot and the Golden Guernsey. The Bagot was brought back to England by King Richard II in the 14th century during the crusades and given to Sir John Bagot, who kept them in Bagot Park in Staffordshire. At one time, only 40 breeding ewes remained in the world. The Golden Guernsey had narrowly escaped being slaughtered for food during the German occupation of the Channel Island.

Equine breeds included the Exmoor pony – the number of pure Exmoors being very rare at the time. The Exmoor had changed little since being introduced to Britain from Central Europe by the Celts. There was also the diminutive Falabella horse from the Argentine, that stood at only 40in high.

As well as rare domestic breeds, the park also had the South American Guanaco (a Lamoid-type of llama), otters, and meerkats. There was a children’s petting zoo with an abundance of lambs, calves, kids, piglets, fawns and foals. It was possible for visitors to do more than simply look at or pet the animals, with demonstrations in the gift shop on how to tease wool from the fleeces of sheep and turn this into a thread on a spinning wheel. Sadly, the attraction was forced to close in 2001. This was due to 2 factors: the foot and mouth crisis – which made areas with livestock prohibited for the public – and a landslip at Undercliff Drive, which affected road access. As well as the Rare Breeds Park, there was also the Tropical Birds Park in St Lawrence, which closed in 1999. There was said to be a kookaburra population in the Undercliff, descended from escapees from the aviary. Did you go to the Rare Breeds Park (or the Tropical Bird Park)? What are your memories? Let us know in the comments…