Sinah, Hayling Island

Monks had settled in the Sinah Warren by the 15th century. Fishermen's huts were present in the shelter of the Kench by the 19th century. The Norkfolk Inn, precursor to the Ferry Boat Inn, was created to serve the needs of the fishermen. Around 1900 Sandeman set out to extend a road out to the ferrypoint for the Hayling Island Steamboat enterprise. While that enterprise failed the road did assist subsequent development of the Hayland Island Ferry, golf course, health farm and the war effort for the Second World War. In recent years land use of Sinah has stabilised with various areas being designated nature reserves.[1][2][3]

The Ferry Point is at the westernmost tip of Hayling Island in Hampshire, England, overlooking the fast tides of Langstone Harbour entrance. It was previously known as Sinah Point.[4]

The current at the Ferry Point is extremely treacherous and has claimed many lives over the years.[5]

There is a small cluster of houses and a pub, the "Ferry Boat Inn" (originally the Duke of Norfolk). Continuing directly past the put leads to a slipway directly into the water. A fork to the left leads past the base of the Langstone Harbour Master to the jetty for the passenger ferry to Eastney in Portsmouth.[6]

The Hayling Island golf course backs on to the point and the Kench (a small bay) lies just eastward. A single lane leads east toward the rest of the island. There are good views north to Portsdown Hill and Butser Hill.

Sinah Beach extends from the Ferry Boat Inn at the western end of Hayling Island.

Sinah Warren is the area to north of Ferry Road where the Holiday Camp is located. Monks initially had a settlement here by the 15th century, and it is jokingly put this was the first health farm on the site. The 16th century saw the monks displaced and the rights sold to the Duke of Norfolk. It may have been sold to William Padwick, Esq. in 1825. Sold to August Arbuthnot in the 1930s he built the Sinah Warren Residence and planted various species of plants and trees from his worldwide travels and established one of the first Factory Farms, initially with Angora Rabbits then with Poultry to help alleviate the food shortage in the Second World War. The Royal Navy then took over Sinah Warren until the 1950s when it was sold and developed into the current holiday camp. [1]

Sinah Common is the area to the south of Ferry Road incorporating the Golf course. The area is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The area of water in front of the clubhouse is seemingly nowadays referred to as Sinah Lake although an area within Langstone Harbour that forms a lake at low tide is also known as Sinah Lake. Elements of World War 2 gun batteries and pill boxes are well preserved in this area.[7][8]

The Kench is a small natural inlet to the north of Ferry Road. Proposals to change this into a commercial port or marina foundered or were thwarted, and the area is now a designated nature reserve with a handful of houseboats permitted.[2][9]

The Hayling Ferry links to Portsmouth from the Ferry Point, and has been running for more than 200 years.[12] In March 2015, the service shut down when the Hayling Island Ferry company went into administration after safety problems and repeated fines for carrying too many passengers at once.[13] Service resumed in August 2016 after a fundraising effort which included a £5,000 donation from Richard Branson.[14]

Bus services to the ferry ceased in 2004. Efforts to re-instate the service have taken place at various times and the next proposal is to be 15 April 2017.[15]