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Coordinates: 50°34′30″N 1°17′44″W / 50.57500°N 1.29556°W / 50.57500; -1.29556
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'''St. Catherine's Point''' is the southernmost point on the [[Isle of Wight]]. It is located close to the village of [[Niton]].
{{Short description|Southernmost point on the Isle of Wight, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[Image:St catherines lighthouse 2010.jpg|thumb|[[St Catherine's Lighthouse]] at St Catherine's Point]]
[[File:St Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight, UK.jpg|thumb|The beach directly below the lighthouse. Erosion threatens the southern wall of the lighthouse compound (2017).]]
'''St Catherine's Point''' is the southernmost point on the [[Isle of Wight]]. It is close to the village of [[Niton, Isle of Wight|Niton]] and the point where the [[Back of the Wight]] changes to the [[Undercliff (Isle of Wight)|Undercliff]] of Ventnor.


On nearby [[St. Catherine's Down|St. Catherine's Hill]] is [[St. Catherine's Oratory]], locally known as the "Pepperpot", a stone lighthouse built in the 1300s by Walter De Godeton. It is the second oldest lighthouse in the British Islands. Only the Roman-built lighthouse at [[Dover]] is older.
On nearby [[St Catherine's Down]] is [[St Catherine's Oratory]], locally known as the "Pepperpot", a stone lighthouse built in the 1323 by Walter De Godeton. It is Britain's oldest medieval lighthouse.<ref>[http://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A471511 BBC h2g2 - The Pepper Pot]</ref>


Reportedly, de Godeton felt guilty for having scavenged wine from the wreck of the St. Marie of Bayonne in Chale Bay. He decided to make amends by building this lighthouse. Fires were lit in the lighthouse tower to warn ships at sea of the presence of the coast.
Reportedly, de Godeton felt guilty for having scavenged wine, destined for a monastery<ref>J.C Medland "Shipwrecks of the Wight".Coach House Publications ltd, 2004</ref> from the wreck of the ''St Marie'' of [[Bayonne]] in [[Chale]] Bay. He was ordered, on pain of excommunication, to make amends by building this lighthouse. Fires were lit in the lighthouse tower to warn ships at sea of the presence of the coast.


There was an attached chapel at one time, but it has been long demolished. There is a Bronze Age barrow nearby which was excavated in the 1920s.
There was an attached chapel at one time, but it has been long demolished. There is a [[Bronze Age]] barrow nearby which was excavated in the 1920s.


A replacement lighthouse was begun in 1785. However it was never completed. Locally this half finished building is known as the "salt pot".
A replacement lighthouse was begun in 1785. However it was never completed. Locally this half-finished building is known as the "salt pot".


St. Catherine's point is often foggy, so it is not the best location for a lighthouse. There is a lighthouse built after the wreck of the Clarendon in 1837 to the west of [[Niton]] at the foot of the [[Undercliff]].
St Catherine's point is often foggy, so it is not the best location for a lighthouse, but as a weather station the location is fairly suitable. The weather station is one of the [[List of coastal weather stations in the British Isles|22 locations]] whose reports are included in the [[Shipping Forecast|BBC Shipping Forecast]].

[[LB&SCR H1 class]] [[4-4-2 (locomotive)|4-4-2]] no. 40 (later no. B40 and 2040) was named ''St. Catherine's Point'' after this landmark.

==Climate==
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = St Catherines Pt. (1991–2020)
| Jan high C = 8.5
| Feb high C = 8.2
| Mar high C = 9.7
| Apr high C = 12.1
| May high C = 14.9
| Jun high C = 17.3
| Jul high C = 19.3
| Aug high C = 19.8
| Sep high C = 18.4
| Oct high C = 15.4
| Nov high C = 12.0
| Dec high C = 9.5
| year high C = 13.8
| Jan low C = 4.8
| Feb low C = 4.3
| Mar low C = 5.3
| Apr low C = 6.9
| May low C = 9.7
| Jun low C = 12.3
| Jul low C = 14.5
| Aug low C = 15.1
| Sep low C = 13.5
| Oct low C = 11.1
| Nov low C = 7.9
| Dec low C = 5.5
| year low C = 9.3
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 76.4
| Feb rain mm = 56.2
| Mar rain mm = 47.0
| Apr rain mm = 46.7
| May rain mm = 44.8
| Jun rain mm = 42.4
| Jul rain mm = 40.5
| Aug rain mm = 50.8
| Sep rain mm = 56.9
| Oct rain mm = 87.5
| Nov rain mm = 87.8
| Dec rain mm = 88.1
| year rain mm = 725.5
| unit rain days = 1 mm
| Jan rain days = 12.5
| Feb rain days = 10.2
| Mar rain days = 9.0
| Apr rain days = 8.5
| May rain days = 7.5
| Jun rain days = 7.0
| Jul rain days = 6.5
| Aug rain days = 7.8
| Sep rain days = 7.9
| Oct rain days = 11.7
| Nov rain days = 13.5
| Dec rain days = 13.1
| year rain days = 115.5
| source 1 = [[Met Office]]<ref name="MetOffice">{{cite web
|url = https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gbzpdrr83
|title = St Catherines Pt. (Isle of Wight) UK climate averages - Met Office
|publisher = Met Office
|access-date = July 4, 2024}}</ref>
}}

==See also==
*[[Egypt Point]]

==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/se/st_catherines_point_forecast_weather.html Weather station information at Met Office]
*[http://wightundercliff.mine.nu Website with old pictures of the St. Catherines Point on the Isle of Wight]


{{coor title dms|50|34|29.4|N|1|17|44.5|W|type:landmark}}
{{coord|50|34|30|N|1|17|44|W|type:landmark_region:GB_dim:3000|display=title}}
__NOTOC__


{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Catherines Point}}
[[Category:Headlands of the Isle of Wight]]
[[Category:Headlands of the Isle of Wight]]
[[Category:Nature Conservation Review sites]]
[[Category:Nature Conservation Review sites]]

{{IsleofWight-geo-stub}}

Latest revision as of 23:58, 27 September 2024

St Catherine's Lighthouse at St Catherine's Point
The beach directly below the lighthouse. Erosion threatens the southern wall of the lighthouse compound (2017).

St Catherine's Point is the southernmost point on the Isle of Wight. It is close to the village of Niton and the point where the Back of the Wight changes to the Undercliff of Ventnor.

On nearby St Catherine's Down is St Catherine's Oratory, locally known as the "Pepperpot", a stone lighthouse built in the 1323 by Walter De Godeton. It is Britain's oldest medieval lighthouse.[1]

Reportedly, de Godeton felt guilty for having scavenged wine, destined for a monastery[2] from the wreck of the St Marie of Bayonne in Chale Bay. He was ordered, on pain of excommunication, to make amends by building this lighthouse. Fires were lit in the lighthouse tower to warn ships at sea of the presence of the coast.

There was an attached chapel at one time, but it has been long demolished. There is a Bronze Age barrow nearby which was excavated in the 1920s.

A replacement lighthouse was begun in 1785. However it was never completed. Locally this half-finished building is known as the "salt pot".

St Catherine's point is often foggy, so it is not the best location for a lighthouse, but as a weather station the location is fairly suitable. The weather station is one of the 22 locations whose reports are included in the BBC Shipping Forecast.

LB&SCR H1 class 4-4-2 no. 40 (later no. B40 and 2040) was named St. Catherine's Point after this landmark.

Climate

[edit]
Climate data for St Catherines Pt. (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.5
(47.3) 		8.2
(46.8) 		9.7
(49.5) 		12.1
(53.8) 		14.9
(58.8) 		17.3
(63.1) 		19.3
(66.7) 		19.8
(67.6) 		18.4
(65.1) 		15.4
(59.7) 		12.0
(53.6) 		9.5
(49.1) 		13.8
(56.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 4.8
(40.6) 		4.3
(39.7) 		5.3
(41.5) 		6.9
(44.4) 		9.7
(49.5) 		12.3
(54.1) 		14.5
(58.1) 		15.1
(59.2) 		13.5
(56.3) 		11.1
(52.0) 		7.9
(46.2) 		5.5
(41.9) 		9.3
(48.7)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 76.4
(3.01) 		56.2
(2.21) 		47.0
(1.85) 		46.7
(1.84) 		44.8
(1.76) 		42.4
(1.67) 		40.5
(1.59) 		50.8
(2.00) 		56.9
(2.24) 		87.5
(3.44) 		87.8
(3.46) 		88.1
(3.47) 		725.5
(28.56)
Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm) 12.5 10.2 9.0 8.5 7.5 7.0 6.5 7.8 7.9 11.7 13.5 13.1 115.5
Source: Met Office[3]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ BBC h2g2 - The Pepper Pot
  2. ^ J.C Medland "Shipwrecks of the Wight".Coach House Publications ltd, 2004
  3. ^ "St Catherines Pt. (Isle of Wight) UK climate averages - Met Office". Met Office. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
[edit]

50°34′30″N 1°17′44″W / 50.57500°N 1.29556°W / 50.57500; -1.29556

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