New London is a Canadian rural community located in Queens County,

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

. Situated in the township of Lot 21, halfway between Kensington and

Cavendish Cavendish may refer to: People * The House of Cavendish, a British aristocratic family * Margaret Cavendish (1623–1673), British poet, philosopher, and scientist * Cavendish (author) (1831–1899), pen name of Henry Jones, English au ...

, New London was formerly known as Clifton and previous to that, Graham's Corner. New London is primarily a farming and fishing community with its neatly manicured fields and gently rolling hills providing pastoral scenery surrounding a busy harbour. In recent decades tourism has played an increasingly important role in the community's economy.

Lucy Maud Montgomery Lucy Maud Montgomery (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942), published as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a collection of novels, essays, short stories, and poetry beginning in 1908 with ''Anne of Green Gables''. She ...

, one of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

's most famous authors, was born in New London on November 30, 1874. She wrote 23 books, including a short-story collection and a poetry anthology, but is best known for '' Anne of Green Gables'', published in 1908.

History

Before the present New London village, there was a community called New London located at the mouth of Malpeque Bay, where the New London lighthouse is located at the end of Cape Road (close to French River). This community was settled by

Robert Clark Robert, Bob, or Bobby Clark may refer to: Television and film *Robert Clark (actor) (born 1987), American-born Canadian television actor *Bob Clark (1939–2007), Canadian filmmaker * Bob Clark (television reporter), retired American television re ...

, an English Quaker merchant who owned Lot 21. He arrived in 1773 with grand plans to build a settlement to rival his native

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. One of Clark's early settlers was Benjamin Chappell, one of the founders of the

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

faith on the island, who came to New London aboard the sailing ship ''The Snow Elizabeth'' in 1774. Chappell wrote a diary of his experiences, and described his first, harsh New London winter as being "... very short of provisions. No rum, no bread, no meat, no beer, no sugar and half an ox", and (on March 1), wrote that "the people in general through the want of bread seem to decline in their work." The present New London (previously called New London South, then Clifton and before that, Graham's Corner) was settled by Scottish immigrants before 1859. Today it is a lovely, vibrant community that is a focal point for visitors interested in visiting the home where Lucy Maud Montgomery was born, as well as craft, antique, and gift shops, and its proximity to beautiful beaches, other communities and local dining establishments. {{cite web , url=https://www.tourismpei.com/Green-Gables-Shore/New-London , title = Discover & Explore Green Gables Shore PEI {{! Tourism PEI

References

Communities in Queens County, Prince Edward Island