The Former Boundary Wall Of Highcliffe Castle Fronting Lymington Road; Sections Opposite Nea Road, Westwards To Public Footpath

The former boundary wall of Highcliffe Castle, located along Lymington Road, dates from around 1830 and was repaired in the 20th century. It is constructed from Hitch's patent bricks arranged in a rat-trap bond, featuring a triangular brick coping and buttresses. The wall stands approximately 1.5 meters tall and is currently divided into two sections. It was likely built during the remodelling of Highcliffe Castle by Donthorne between 1830 and 1834. In 1828, Caleb Hitch, a brickmaker from Ware in Hertfordshire, received a patent for large interlocking bricks with cavities, which were laid on edge and claimed to be more economical than standard bricks. However, due to the complexity of the design needed for corners, many different patterns were required, leading to limited adoption and making Hitch bricks quite rare outside of Ware. The later extensions made with standard bricks are not of special interest.