Christchurch, Dorset
From MedBib.com - Medicine & Nature
| Borough of Christchurch | |
|---|---|
 Within Dorset (above) and the United Kingdom (right).   |
|
| Geography | |
| Status: | Non-metropolitan district, Borough |
| Region: | South West England |
| Ceremonial county: | Dorset |
| Historic county: | Hampshire |
| Area: - Total |
Ranked 271st 50.38 km² |
| Admin. HQ: | Christchurch |
| ONS code: | 19UC |
| Post Office and Telephone | |
| Post Code: | BH |
| Post Town: | CHRISTCHURCH |
| Dialling Code: | 01202/01425 |
| Demographics | |
| Population: - Total (2008 est.) - Density |
Ranked 322nd 45,800 909 / km² |
| Ethnicity: | 98.9% White |
| Politics | |
Christchurch Borough Council http://www.dorsetforyou.com/ |
|
| Leadership: | Alternative - Sec.31 |
| Control: | Conservative |
| MP: | Christopher Chope |
Christchurch is a borough and town in Dorset on the English Channel coast, adjoining Bournemouth in the west, with the New Forest to the east. Historically in Hampshire, it is the most easterly borough in Dorset. The town has a number of tourist attractions, including the Priory church, and a harbour with important nature reserves of SSSI status.
Contents |
Location and geography
Christchurch is the most easterly coastal town of Dorset. It is effectively a part of the Bournemouth and Poole conurbation, although rather different in character. Although within the historic county boundaries of Hampshire, at the time of the 1974 local government re-organisation it was considered desirable that the whole of what is now called the South East Dorset conurbation, which includes Bournemouth and Poole, should be part of the same county.
The town lies between the rivers Avon (which flows from north of Salisbury) and Stour (which flows from north Dorset via Blandford Forum). These do not flow directly into the sea, but into Christchurch Harbour. The modern borough extends both north-west towards Bournemouth Airport, and eastwards along the coast.
Transport links
Roads
The town is served by the A35 to Southampton via the New Forest, and by the Wessex Way westwards to Bournemouth and northwards to Ringwood.
Railways
The town has a station on the main line from London Waterloo to Weymouth.
Air
Bournemouth Airport, at Hurn, is about 3.75 miles (6 km) from Christchurch town centre. Bournemouth Airport serves domestic, Europe, North African and Caribbean destinations.
Christchurch Harbour
Christchurch Harbour is a large protected salt marsh protected by a sandbar known as the Christchurch sandbank with fine beach on both sides of a walkway lined with beach huts. The harbour is protected by an ancient mound (Hengistbury Head) at the start of the sandbanks, and is a special site for sand martins which nest annually in the sandy cliffs. The harbour is only accessible to shallow draught boats due to the sand bars at the entrance. The entrance, known as the Run, has Mudeford Quay on one side and the sand bar on the other. Considerable tides flow here, up to 6 knots during spring tides. The harbour is a protected wildlife refuge and is home to large populations of swans, waders and other bird life. On the south side, the harbour is enclosed by Hengistbury Head which was the site of the earliest settlement here dating back to the Neolithic. The landward end of the headland still has the bank and ditch built about 2000BC to protect the ancient settlement.
Stanpit Marshes, a Local Nature Reserve, is situated just below the confluence of the Rivers Avon and Stour. During the 18th century it was notorious for smugglers landing tobacco and rum in the narrow channels of Christchurch Harbour. It comprises areas of saltmarsh, freshwater marsh with reed beds, with grazing horses and rare birds such as bitterns. It was designated as a Local Nature Reserve in 1964 and in 1986 as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is approximately 65 ha in area and is managed by Christchurch Borough Council.
Places of interest
Christchurch town centre and Christhchurch Harbour are overlooked by the 11th century Christchurch Priory, which is situated on the shores of the harbour, close to a mill of Saxon origin, and a medieval bridge leading to Christchurch Marina. The High Street with its squares and parades contains an old Saxon market square and food markets weekly.
Christchurch Castle of Norman origin is now part of ancient ruins which form the priory gardens leading from Convent Walk at Town Bridge, the first of the town's twin bridges, which leads through the Priory Grounds past Millstream Bridge to Christchurch Quay.
To the north of Christchurch is St.Catherine's Hill. This hill is the most southerly of a chain of three hills, some three miles long with 35 hectare area of heathland and forest. The New Forest, Christchurch Priory, Hengistbury Head, Avon Valley, Christchurch Bay, The Solent and The Needles of the Isle of Wight can all be seen from viewpoints on the east side of the Hill. Stour Valley way, Poole Bay and the Isle of Purbeck can be viewed from the south west side of the Hill. St.Catherine's Hill and is home to a large number of protected and rare wildlife species including the Dartford Warbler, Nightjar, and the Sand Lizard.
Christchurch is close to the Dorset World Heritage Coast and the New Forest National Park. Nearby is Highcliffe Castle, a Grade I listed building. The castle was designed by William Donthorne for Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay, and built between 1831 and 1835. It stands on the site of High Cliff, a Georgian mansion that had belonged to Charles Stuart's grandfather John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute.
Administration
The current local government district, which has borough status, was formed by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Christchurch with part of Ringwood and Fordingbridge Rural District. Since then it has been part of the non-metropolitan county of Dorset. It includes large unurbanised areas, including Bournemouth International Airport, and the parishes of Burton and Hurn. By population, Christchurch is the smallest borough in England. There are currently 12 Wards and 24 Councillors.[1]
The Member of Parliament for the Christchurch constituency is Christopher Chope, who won a considerable vote majority of 15,559 and a percentage vote of 54.7% at the 2005 general election, making Christchurch one of the safest Conservative constituencies in the country.
History
The town was originally a Saxon settlement called Twyneham (which gives the town's central school its name), from "betweon eam", which meant (the settlement) between two rivers.
During Saxon times the harbour was one of the most important in England as it was easily reached from the continent and boats could enter the harbour and travel up the river Avon all the way to Salisbury. The sheltered harbour and easy access to neighbouring towns also made the area popular with smugglers, culminating in "The Battle of Mudeford" in 1784 between Customs & Excise and the smugglers. There was a Saxon mint (coin) in "Twynam" until just before the Norman Conquest.
Demographics
The borough has a population of 44,865 (according to 2004 census), of whom a significant proportion are wealthy senior citizens (33.1% of the population are of retirement age). Indeed, the area of Highcliffe on the borough's eastern boundary possesses the highest percentage of elderly residents in the entire United Kingdom (70%).
Present day
The Avon and the Stour both enter the sea in Christchurch Harbour. This medium-sized priory and market town is generally regarded[by whom?] as a conservative, slow-paced and popular tourist and retirement destination "where time is pleasant" (according to the town's official description). The older part of the town, dominated by the Priory Church (the longest parish church in England), dates from Saxon times and still retains its Saxon street layout. It is an interesting mixture of picturesque walks, quaint houses, restaurants, public houses and coffee shops, some of which date back to smuggling times.
Part of the quay by the priory is known as The Quomps. The bandstand is used for free open-air concerts on Saturdays during the summer. This is advertised as "Stomping on the Quomps".
Near the Bandstand is Place Mill a watermill (the building behind a blue cover to the far right of the photograph). It is unique, in that it is the only known mill which takes water from one river (the Avon) and spills it into a second river (the Stour).[citation needed] A mill-stream is supplied from the Avon near to the Electricity Museum behind Bargates, and flows for nearly half a mile to the mill between the Avon and the Priory grounds.[2]
A Museum of Electricity has been created in the old power station (built in 1903) between Bargates and the River Avon. The building houses a wide range of exhibits, including a tram. There is a wide range of educational exhibits as well as old machinery.
In Christchurch there are several reserved buildings including the thatched 14th century Old Court House and the Georgian Red House.
It was in Christchurch that the Bailey bridge was invented. It was developed at The Barracks (first built by Lord Tregonwell in the mid-1800s to house his private army).[citation needed] Another bridge in the area, at the (now County Boundary between Dorset and Hampshire) boundary between Christchurch and New Milton, at Hobourne Farm (formerly Naish Farm) is the first road bridge to be constructed of reinforced concrete.[3]
Twin towns
Christchurch is twinned with:
Images
 Christchurch Castle |
 Christchurch Priory from Christchurch Castle |
 Christchurch Priory from Wick, across the River Stour |
 The Quomps and Christchurch Priory from Wick Marsh, across the River Stour |
 Christchurch Priory from Wick Marsh, across the River Stour |
 Fish-shaped weather vane on Christchurch Priory |
 Christchurch from Hengistbury Head, across the harbour |
 Sand bar and outlet of Christchurch Harbour |
 Detail of outlet of Christchurch Harbour |
left|thumb|Christchurch from Hengistbury Head, looking across the harbour |
References
- ^ Christchurch section of Dorset For You website.
- ^ Distance of mill stream flow taken from Ordnance Survey map of Christchurch, which also shows the outflow into the Stour.
- ^ http://www.cbdg.org.uk/bridge_history.html
External links
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Coordinates: 50°44′N 1°47′W / 50.733°N 1.783°W
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