Smuggling

From as early as 1560, Admiralty Courts were held on the shore at Lepe to determine the owner of goods that washed up from shipwrecks, order the removal of obstacles in the water, and prosecute smugglers. Smuggling was common around Lepe as the Dark Water provided a secluded route for smugglers to take contraband from the Isle of Wight straight into the New Forest. There was even accommodation for the customs officers at Lepe to fight the rise of smuggling.

Find our booklet Smuggler’s Run in the Shop in The Lookout to discover more about the history of smuggling at Lepe.