Newhaven, Ferries and Ferry Crossings

Welcome to the Newhaven (UK) section of FerryCrossings.org, the site for information about major UK and continental ports and the ferries between them. Our site includes an introduction to a number of ports and feature pages about the various crossing ways, lanes and routes and companies operating between them to help you plan your journey and discover interesting travel destinations along the way. You can even compare prices and save money on your ferry tickets with ads from selected major ferry lines.

Port of Newhaven

Newhaven. The small town of Newhaven is to be found at the mouth of the River Ouse, at the foot of the South Downs, in the county of East Sussex. From here you can take the cross channel ferry to Dieppe in France.

Newhaven's origins go back to iron age times and there is thought to have been an iron age fort at appropriately named Castle Hill. In the late 5th century there was an Anglo-Saxon village near to where Newhaven is now situated. The town was not then one of the major ports of the Middle Ages, that status was held by nearby Seaford which was a port associated with the later and wider organisation of the Cinque Ports, (the original five being given a Royal Charter of rights in 1155 in exchange for the provision, maintenance and manning of ships for the crown whenever needed for merchant or military purposes). Newhaven as a port properly came into being in the mid 16th and 17th centuries. Silt and shingle were problems for Seaford as they accumulated in a spit, obstructing access to the the harbour and pushing the river mouth still further to the east. In the late 18th century a breakwater was constructed to halt this shift and a new channel, for shipping, was dug along the course of the exisiting river to the village that came to be known as the 'new haven'.

During the two World Wars Newhaven was an important port of embarkation for both men and equipment and, in World War Two, a stong contingent of Canadian soldiers were stationed nearby.

Newhaven can claim to have one of the oldest lifeboat stations in the country (the first boat was commissioned over 200 years ago) and has one of the Watch Stations of the National Coastwatch Institution. Newhaven Fort, one of many built around the coast in mid Victorian times, in response to fears concerning possible French naval hostility, is now in use as a museum.

Today, Newhaven is not the important port that it once was but it is still thriving and active and, for the tourist one of its big attractions is the beautiful sandy beach. There are gorgeous views of the rolling Downs or along the beach, or the high cliffs with their lighthouse. Watch the fishing boats and other craft entering and leaving the harbour. In the harbour is a large marina where the visitor will find many opportunities for all water sports, sailing and angling. For those visitors with an interest in the local environment then a visit to Castle Hill Nature Reserve should be included. Located on the cliffs above the town, and near to the Victorian Fort, is the 16 acre Nature Reserve with its breathtaking views over sea, sands, estuary and the Downs. The Reserve provides a habitat that supports both woodland birds and some rarer species such as the Dartford Warbler. It is also home to numerous beautiful and rare species of plants such as bee orchids, and to various butterflies and insects. Also making their home in the Reserve are small mammals, lizards and grass snakes. The nearby cliffs at Newhaven are home to a colony of Kittywakes, and to Fulmars, Peregrine Falcons and Gulls.