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 Christchurch

A brief look at Christchurch area

Many, many years ago the Isle of Wight was joined to the mainland by a large chalk ridge. The Solent was then a large river with tributaries into Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire. About ten thousand years ago, sea levels began to rise and the ice sheets of the last Ice Age flooded the river valley. Over a period of time the river eroded gaps in the hills, and melt water widened these gaps, until finally the hills collapsed. As the sea level rose, the valley of the Solent River was gradually flooded and the sea moved inwards, forming Christchurch and Poole bays, and separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland. This separation was thought to have occurred about 7,000 years ago. If you imagine Old Harry Rocks, near Swanage, and the Needles on the Isle of Wight being joined, you will have some idea of how far inland Christchurch was during this period. The photograph below was taken further Eastwards from Lepe but can give some idea of how the Solent may have looked when it was a river.

There has been evidence of life at Hengistbury Head during the Bronze (2000 BC - 600 BC) and Iron (600 BC - 400 AD) ages. There have been finds at the Head from the Bronze Ages, including animal bones, pottery and even burial mounds. Earthworks from the iron ages have also been discovered. The iron age was an important era as it is believed this was when the Head first became a trading port. A farming community and trading with France was established; axe-heads found at the site are of the same type as have been excavated in Brittany. The inhabitants of Hengistbury Head were becoming aware of the need of some form of defence if the headland was to remain in their hands, so a major fortification project was undertaken to guard against other tribes. This was designed to cut Hengistbury off  from hostile tribes and consisted of a double-dyke system, with both inner and outer banks and ditches. This defence system became very important as Hengistbury Head became a trading port and industrial centre. Evidence of this era can be seen in the finds and are now on display at the Educational Visitor Centre at Hengistbury.
 

Later the Romans settled here, followed by the Celts and Saxons and Hengistbury stayed an important trading port.

The last 200 years

During the early 1800's Hengistbury was used for mining. This caused a lot of damage and the Head has suffered much land erosion because of this. When the ironstone doggers were removed from the beach in front of Hengistbury Head, eroded beach material was transported around the end of the Head and this led to a growth in the Spit, so that by 1880 the Spit was almost a mile long. Due to many accidents, some fatal, the mining was stopped around 1870. The Quarry ponds (now a lake) and evidence of the mining scars can still be seen today.

Quarry Pond

Smuggling has always been rife along the South Coastal areas, and Hengistbury, due to its remote position, was an ideal place for the ships to land. Contraband spirits would be taken to the Double Dykes and loaded into wagons. This would then be taken on, either to Bournemouth (then Pool Heath) or along the river to Stanpit. From Mudeford and Steamer Point it was taken to Chewton Bunny and then into the New Forest. Usually pubs and Inns along the route would be involved in such activities. Smuggling continued here until the 1850's.

The Black House at Gervis Point was notorious for being involved with smuggling activities. Ship building was carried out here and some of the boats built here were built for the smuggling trade. The Black House is over two hundred years old and until recent years, been left derelict. It is now holiday flats.

The Black House

Behind the Black House are rows and rows of 'exclusive' beach huts, stretching for a mile or so. This was once sand dunes. The huts were built after the war years (although there were a few huts before then). These brightly coloured huts sell for around £80,000 or more and one of them lays a claim to fame by being featured on Changing Rooms!

Hengistbury was once part of the Meyrick estate, sold in 1920 to Gordon Selfridge who planned to build himself a mansion there and claimed it to be the largest castle in the world! It was planned to build from the double dykes right out to the Run, in a Roman design with gardens and fountains. There were to be over 250 suites of rooms and an observatory overlooking the sea. However, this never happened and Selfridge sold the land to Bournemouth Council in the thirties for £25,250! Despite once being a multi-millionaire, Selfridge died a penniless pauper and his headstone can be seen in the church yard Highcliffe!

More recently there has been a great loss of headland due to erosion and almost half of the the spit has been washed away. Defence groins are now being built along the beaches to stop further damage from storms. The full length of the sandbanks can now only been seen during an neap tide.

Today Hengisbury Head is still, in the main, unspoilt. It is a haven for wildlife and has become a nature reserve and an area of scientific interest. An educational Visitor Centre has been added near the cafe, and the rangers organise walks and talks, where you can learn about the history and the wildlife. There are two cafes, one near the main car park and the other by the jetty. No cars are allowed on Hengistbury but there is a ferry service from both Christchurch and Mudeford Quays. It is popular with Sunday afternoon walkers. There are also a pathways for cyclists.

From the top of Warren Hill the most fantastic views can be seen across Christchurch harbour and bay, towards the Isle of Wight across the Solent in the South, and on a clear day Durlston Point to the West can be seen! The real wonder of these views cannot be captured to any extent on camera. 

 Stanpit Salt Marshes

This area of Christchurch is very popular with bird watchers, often attracting coach outings of them!! There are around four hundred different plant species and three hundred species of birds to be found here!

The Marshes were formed by the transition of fresh water from the Avon and Stour rivers to where they meet with the salt water of the sea in Christchurch Bay. They are made up of natural drainage channels, ponds and reed beds.

In 1964 the marsh was declared a Local Nature Reserve and Christchurch Harbour a site of Special Scientific Interest.

There is a small footpath for walkers, and cattle, horses and many wild rabbits can be seen here. The views across the river to Hengistbury Head are fantastic on a clear day.

  Mudeford Quay

Mudeford was a paradise for smugglers, with Chewton Bunny at Highcliffe to the East, and Stanpit just along the river. The The Haven House, an inn on the head of the quay, played its role in this. The battle of Mudeford took place here, in what is now the car park. Two smuggling luggers had shipped across from the Channel Islands a cargo of contraband tea and brandy, and on July 15th in 1784, these arrived at Mudeford beach. The goods were being loaded into wagons, when a Naval sloop, HMS Orestes, rounded Hengistbury Head, with two revenue boats in tow. On realising this, the smugglers ran for reinforcements from the Haven House. The luggers had by this time landed on the beach, and the patrons of the Haven House helped to strip the luggers of their rigging, while cart loads of contraband were being unloaded at the shore. When the Captain of the Orestes saw what was happening, he lowered six rowing boats, with armed sailors into the sea. As they neared the shore, the master of the Orestes shouted to the smugglers remaining on the decks of the boats to surrender, but the smuggles opened fire. The naval and revenue men returned fire, and a battle ensued.

When the sailors landed, the smugglers retreated to the Haven House and carried on firing from there. The fighting continued for hours until eventually the revenue men captured the two luggers and a number of small boats belonging to the smugglers.

There were many casualties to the revenue men, one fatal.  The smugglers fared better; they not only secured their cargo, estimated at 120,000 gallons of spirits and 25 tons of tea, but they also managed to get away. Three of the smuggles were eventually caught and arrested for murder, but two were later released. George Coombes was hanged at Execution Dock, and his body hung in chains at Haven House point until it was eventually cut it down and he was given a proper burial.
The Battle of Mudeford brought public attention to the smuggling trade, this however did not stop them, and smuggling continued here and around for almost another hundred years.
 

Mudeford Quay is now famous for its fishing industry and lobster pots. It became popular as a holiday resort before Bournemouth and the other resorts along the coastline here. There is a cafe on the Quay, a pub, The Haven - although this is not the original Haven House, and a fresh wet fish shop selling the catches. Crabbing is popular with the children here, and the quayside is always a hive of activity. The Quay is home to one of the busiest life boat stations in the country, currently being revamped. The Quay boasts some panoramic views across Christchurch harbour. The spire of the Priory can be seen in the distance, and parts of Bournemouth can be seen on a clear day.

Mudeford Quay can be  very dangerous on a rough day, with strong undercurrents and often waves thrashing right over the car park.. The coast line here is forever changing. After a storm or a Spring tide this has been known to alter drastically over night!

The town of Christchurch

During the 10th century a fortified 'burh' was built and called Tweoxneam. Tweoxneam means between two rivers. This is now where the present day Christchurch stands. This fort, parts of which still can be seen today, were built as part of King Alfred's strategy to protect Wessex from invasion by the Vikings!

Following the Norman conquest of 1066, Tweoxneam gained a castle, a monastery, and a magnificent church and the town was renamed Christchurch.

During the Civil war in 1640 Oliver Cromwell's army succeeded in taking possession of Christchurch Castle, resisting two attempts by the Cavaliers to recapture it! A few years after the war, the castle was partly demolished to ensure that it never fell into Royalists hands again!

Towards the end of the 1800's Christchurch was a small market town with a population of around 1,500.

By 1901 new houses and shops had been built and the population had reached four thousand! Electricity followed, then a tram service to Poole. By 1950's the population of Christchurch had risen to 20,000 and the area had spread to the East, where an airfield was built. This later became a trading estate and tip!

However, there are still parts of Christchurch which have retained their quaintness and character and artists can be often be seen painting around the quay. One such local artist was 'Uncle Ronnie', a pillar of the community and one of the founders and the first curator of the Red House Museum. Ronald Moore and his wife Doris were Hoteliers and owned and ran The Warren Hotel, (now the Copper Skillet) in Church Street. Ronnie loved to paint and captured many beautiful Christchurch scenes with his paintbrush. He can also lay claim to be the very first beach hut owner at Hengistbury and many of his paintings were inspired by the views from there. As well as painting the scenery and buildings, he also loved to paint military pictures with such fantastic and minute detail. Since his death there has been an exhibition of his paintings at the Red House Museum. 

These pictures have been photographed from Ronnie's original paintings and cannot give full credit to his excellent work. 

There are some very pretty rows of old cottages still standing in Christchurch and some of the backstreets of the town are still cobbled. Christchurch even has a ducking stool, replica of the original, rebuilt in 1986 on the same site behind the Kings Arms pub!

Old and New!

The short stroll along Convent Walk beside the two streams leading to Place Mill and the Quay is very popular. The swans Christchurch are famous for can be seen building their nests to lay their eggs along this stream.

From Christchurch Quay there is a ferry over to Hengistbury Head. Further along the Quay the little ferry boat will take you across the river to the pretty village of Wick or onto Tuckton tearooms. This ferry was started around 1880 by Eli Miller, and cost a halfpenny to cross the river!

In 1927 a holiday camp was opened beside the river. This was demolished just a few years ago and is now an area of exclusive riverside flats and plans are currently being put out to build a new hotel here.

The 1980's saw great changes for Christchurch. A new shopping centre, Saxon Square was built. The council got new offices on Bridge Street, and the Regent Centre was opened as a cinema and theatre. Today Christchurch has managed to retain much of it's character despite being a modern day town.

From the Bridge!

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