▁is ▁situated ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁historic ▁town ▁of ▁Christ ch urch ▁and ▁the ▁resort ▁town ▁of ▁B ourn em outh , ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁of ▁Bart on ▁on ▁Sea ▁and ▁New ▁Mil ton . ▁The ▁New ▁Forest ▁National ▁Park ▁is ▁to ▁the ▁north . ▁ ▁Its ▁position ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁coast ▁gives ▁it ▁a ▁climate ▁with ▁mil der ▁winter s ▁than ▁in land ▁areas , ▁and ▁less ▁ra inf all ▁than ▁locations ▁further ▁west . ▁This ▁helped ▁establish ▁the ▁town ▁as ▁a ▁popular ▁health ▁and ▁le is ure ▁resort ▁during ▁the ▁late ▁Victor ian ▁and ▁early ▁Edward ian ▁er as . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁What ▁is ▁now ▁regarded ▁as ▁High cl iffe ▁has ▁developed ▁over ▁the ▁last ▁several ▁hundred ▁years ▁from ▁the ▁ham let ▁of ▁S lop ▁P ond , ▁the ▁Che w ton ▁Est ate , ▁and ▁Che w ton ▁Common . ▁The ▁latter ▁two ▁also ▁contained ▁large ▁farm st ead s . ▁ ▁S lop ▁P ond ▁was ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁that ched ▁c ott ages , ▁named ▁from ▁the ▁large ▁p ond ▁on ▁its ▁common . ▁The ▁c ott ages ▁were ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁occupied ▁by ▁farm ▁workers ▁and ▁fish erm en , ▁who ▁engaged ▁in ▁the ▁sm ugg ling ▁and ▁po aching ▁trade ▁now ▁not orious ▁in ▁local ▁history . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁area ▁became ▁a ▁more ▁popular ▁tour ist ▁destination ▁in ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁era , ▁S lop ▁P ond ▁was ▁renamed ▁New town . ▁This ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁High cl iff ▁after ▁the ▁first