There are few notable architectural points of interest in the local area. However, a distinctive row of Coast Guard Cottages is to be found in Barton Lane, Barton on Sea; these were built at the end of the nineteenth century by the Government of the day to house armed guards to try to stop the smuggling that was rife at the time. The Barton on Sea-to-Mudeford coastline was renowned for smuggling with many of the offshore seaways and routes to shore being named after well known local smuggling families. It was in this context that Frederick Marryat, author of "The Children of the New Forest", was sent on patrol here as a young naval lieutenant in 1821, to watch over traffic from the sheltered Christchurch Bay area. Britain's first reinforced concrete bridge was built in 1901 just outside New Milton at Chewton. There was an earlier experiment in building with this material in its unreinforced form at Sway (Sway Tower). Also built in 1900 was the Tudor style water tower, in Osborne Road. It has a staircase, a turret, slit windows and battlements. It is an orange-red colour, from locally cut and finished bricks.