The Domesday Discovery

Bonchurch is so old it made the Domesday Book back in 1086 — listed as “Bonecerce,” long before Dickens ever dipped his pen here.

Norman Stones, Ancient Souls

The tiny Old St Boniface Church has been standing since the 11th century — its thick Norman walls have seen nearly a thousand years of seaside weather and whispered prayers.

The Curious Case of the Chink

Victorian visitors once loved to explore the narrow path called The Chink — a cliffside crack that’s as intriguing as its name (though now closed for safety).

Dickens Did His Homework Here

Charles Dickens stayed in Bonchurch in 1849 and wrote part of David Copperfield — so if the air feels unusually inspired, that’s why.

The Pond with a Past

Before it was postcard-pretty, the village pond was a soggy withy bed where locals cut willow to make baskets and lobster pots — now it’s all ducks and daydreams.

The Manor with an Identity Crisis

The name “Bonchurch Manor” has belonged to several houses over the years — even a Victorian villa once moonlighted as a manor hotel!

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