98-568: The Royal Bath Hotel is a building in Bournemouth , Dorset . It is owned by Britannia Hotels and is regarded to be the town's most famous hotel. Since 1974, the hotel has been a Grade II listed building . The hotel was formerly owned by the Mayor of Bournemouth , Merton Russell-Cotes . George Tapps-Gervis built the hotel in 1838. The hotel opened on Queen Victoria's coronation day in June 1838, becoming
196-406: A unitary authority in 1997 and was replaced by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council in 2019; the current unitary authority also covers Poole , Christchurch and adjoining land. The town centre has notable Victorian architecture . St Peter's Church has a 202-foot (62 m) spire and is one of three Grade I listed churches in the borough. The town also has both an events venue and
294-476: A 36-hectare (89-acre; 0.14 sq mi; 0.36 km ) site, much of which is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest . This heathland habitat is home to all six species of native reptile, the Dartford warbler and some important flora such as sundew and bog asphodel . Small populations of Exmoor pony and Shetland cattle help to maintain the area. Bournemouth is directly north of Old Harry Rocks ,
392-499: A central tower, the massive piers and arches at the corners of the transepts seem to indicate provision was made for one. A central tower would have been consistent with a Norman conventual church. Work continued in the 14th century. The nave roof reached its present height no later than 1350 and towards the end of the 14th century work on the Lady Chapel was started. It was completed in the early 15th century and its pendant vaulting
490-628: A concert hall, the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and Pavilion Theatre respectively. The first mention of Bournemouth comes in the Christchurch cartulary of 1406, where a monk describes how a large fish ("uni magno piscis"), 18 feet (5.5 metres) long, was washed up at "La Bournemothe" in October of that year and taken to the Manor of Wick ; six days later, a portion of the fish
588-545: A large selection of bars, clubs, and cafés. North of the centre there is an out-of-town shopping complex called Castlepoint. The 41-acre (17 ha) site has 40 units and was the largest shopping centre in the UK when it opened it 2003. Other major shopping areas are situated in the districts of Westbourne and Boscombe. Bournemouth is a tourist and regional centre for leisure, entertainment, culture and recreation. Local author and former mayor, Keith Rawlings, suggests that Bournemouth has
686-454: A massive growth in seaside and summer visitors to the town, especially from the Midlands and London. In 1880 the town had a population of 17,000, but by 1900, when railway connections to Bournemouth were at their most developed, the town's population had risen to 60,000 and it had become a favourite location for visiting artists and writers. The town was improved greatly during this period through
784-446: A mixture of mythological and folklore scenes, some of which appear to have been derived from Aesops fables . There are also some showing religious iconography, such as the emblems of St Mark and St Matthew. On 28 November 1539, John Draper, the last prior of Christchurch, surrendered the priory, and it was dissolved . Prior Draper was granted a pension of £133-6s–8d and the use of Somerford Grange for life. The conventual buildings of
882-523: A narrow peninsula that forms the southern shore of Christchurch Harbour . It is a local nature reserve and the site of a Bronze Age settlement. Like all of the UK, Bournemouth has a temperate oceanic climate with moderate variation in annual and daily temperatures, mild summers, and cool winters. From 1991 to 2020 the annual mean temperature was 10 to 11 °C (50 to 52 °F). The warmest months are July and August, which have an average temperature range of 12 to 22 °C (54 to 72 °F), while
980-404: A place for recuperation. At a time when the most convenient way to arrive in the town was by sea, a pier was considered to be a necessity. The Holdenhurst parish vestry was reluctant to find the money, and an attempt to raise funds privately in 1847 had only succeeded in financing a small 100-foot (30 m) jetty. The Bournemouth Improvement Act of 1856 granted greater financial autonomy to
1078-445: A result which accounts for 15% of all employment in the town. Bournemouth seafront is one of the UK's biggest attractions with 4.5 million visitors in 2011. RNLI lifeguards provide seasonal coverage of Bournemouth's beaches. With a third of all town centre businesses in the leisure industry, Bournemouth has a booming nightlife economy and is a popular destination for stag and hen parties. These party-goers contribute £125 million
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#17328371255841176-411: A substantial increase in people moving into the area, has led to a sharp rise in the resident population since 2001. Of the total population, 3.3% are 85 or over, compared to 2.2% nationally; however the largest group of people moving into the area are students in the 16-24-year age group, and 9% of the current population are between 20 and 24. In England this age group accounts for only 7%. According to
1274-527: A thriving youth culture due to its large university population and many language school students. In recent years, Bournemouth has become a popular nightlife destination with UK visitors and many clubs, bars and restaurants are located within the town centre. In a 2007 survey by First Direct , Bournemouth was found to be the happiest place in the UK, with 82% of people questioned saying they were happy with their lives. Major venues for concerts include BIC , Pavilion Theatre and O2 Academy . Built in 1984,
1372-570: A venue for the municipal orchestra. It continues to provide traditional entertainment today, presenting West End stage shows, ballet and operas. The Palace Court Theatre opened in 1931, was later used as a Christian centre, and has recently been bought and reopened as a theatre by Arts University Bournemouth. Bournemouth has more than 200 listed buildings, mainly from the Victorian and Edwardian eras, including three grade I churches; St Peter's , St Clement's and St Stephen's. The Russell-Cotes Museum
1470-435: A year later the vaulting of the south transept was found to be unsafe and had to be dismantled. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries extensive repairs were carried out, which included the insertion of tie-rods in the tower and the underpinning of the nave and south choir aisle walls in 1906. In 1912 a new floor was laid in the nave consisting of 6" of concrete, an inch of fine cement and wooden blocks on top. A monument to
1568-513: A year to the economy and support 4,000 jobs. In 2010 the town was awarded a Purple Flag for providing a wide variety of night-time activities while maintaining the safety of both residents and visitors. An independent report published in 2012 indicates there has been a rise in antisocial behaviour which it attributes to the increase in nightlife. Those of working age make up approximately 65% of Bournemouth's population and of these, 74.6% are economically active although not necessarily employed within
1666-497: Is a Grade II* listed , villa completed in 1901. It houses artefacts and paintings collected by the Victorian philanthropist Merton Russell-Cotes and his wife during their extensive travels around the world. The four art galleries display paintings by William Powell Frith , Edwin Landseer , Edwin Long , William Orchardson , Arthur Hughes , Albert Moore and Dante Gabriel Rossetti . It
1764-479: Is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area, in the ceremonial county of Dorset , England. The 2021 census built-up area had a population of 196,455, making it the largest town in Dorset. Previously an uninhabited and rarely-visited heathland , other than by occasional fishermen and smugglers, a health resort was founded in the area by Lewis Tregonwell in 1810. After
1862-593: Is based at the Civic Centre (formerly known as Bournemouth Town Hall) on Bourne Avenue in Bournemouth. The area that is now Bournemouth was historically mostly within the ancient parish of Christchurch in Hampshire. A chapel of ease was established at Holdenhurst to serve the west of the parish, and the chapelry of Holdenhurst subsequently came to be treated as a separate civil parish from medieval times. When
1960-399: Is both a retail and commercial centre. Areas within Bournemouth include: Boscombe , Kinson , Southbourne , Springbourne , Throop , Westbourne , Winton and Pokesdown . The area's geology has little variety, comprising almost entirely of Eocene clays which, prior to urbanisation, supported a heathland environment. Patches of the original heath still remain, notably Turbary Common,
2058-470: Is held by 13.9% of residents. An apprenticeship has been completed by 6.3% of the population while 16.9% have some other work-related or vocational qualification and 8.3% hold a foreign qualification. Historically Bournemouth has suffered from negative rates of natural increase and has relied on immigration to maintain population growth. In 2007 however, births exceeded deaths for the first time, and this trend has continued through to 2011. This, coupled with
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#17328371255842156-472: Is one of the few buildings designed by Ferrey still standing and operating. Bournemouth grew at a faster rate as Tapps-Gervis began developing the area similarly to the south coast resorts of Weymouth and Brighton . Despite enormous investment, the town's share of the market remained modest. In 1841 Tapps-Gervis invited the physician and writer Augustus Granville to stay. Granville was the author of The Spas of England , which described health resorts around
2254-408: Is predominantly based in neighbouring Poole, but still employed 2% of the workforce in 2010 and 2.6% in 2011. Notable employers in this sector include Escor Toys and Parvalux . Tourism is also important to the local economy. In 2011, domestic and overseas visitors made more than 5.6 million trips to the town and spent over £460 million between them. The equivalent of 8,531 full-time jobs exist as
2352-502: Is thought to be the first of its kind in England. Also in the 15th century, the original quire was replaced and extended so that it joined onto the new Lady Chapel. This may have been as a result of the Norman tower collapsing, but this is not certain. What is certain is that the tower was rebuilt between 1470 and 1480. The Draper and Salisbury chantry chapels were completed by 1529. By this time,
2450-461: The Christchurch Dragon indicates that by 1113 the new church was nearing completion under Dean Peter de Oglander. By about 1150 there was a basic Norman church consisting of a nave , a central tower and a quire extending eastwards from the crossing . It was during this period that another legend originated, that of the miraculous beam, which is thought to have brought about the change in
2548-577: The Earl of Southampton noted that the area was "Devoid of all habitation", and as late as 1795 the Duke of Rutland recorded that "... on this barren and uncultivated heath there was not a human to direct us". There were some prehistoric settlements in the area, notably along the River Stour, including Longham where a skull thought to be 5,500 years old was found in 1932. Bronze Age burials near Moordown , and
2646-601: The Hampshire Advertiser . In the late 19th century "Bournemouth" became predominant, although its two-word form appears to have remained in use up until at least the early 20th century, turning up on a 1909 ordnance map. The Coat of arms of Bournemouth was first granted on 24 March 1891. In the 12th century the region around the mouth of the River Bourne was part of the Hundred of Holdenhurst . The hundred later became
2744-515: The Liberty of Westover when it was extended to include the settlements of North Ashley, Muscliff , Muccleshell, Throop , Iford , Pokesdown , Tuckton and Wick , and incorporated into the Manor of Christchurch . Although the Dorset and Hampshire region surrounding it had been the site of human settlement for thousands of years, Westover was largely a remote and barren heathland before 1800. In 1574
2842-470: The Napoleonic Wars , spent much of his time searching the heath and coastline for French invaders and smugglers. Anticipating that people would come to the area to indulge in the newly fashionable pastime of sea-bathing , an activity with perceived health benefits, Tregonwell built a series of villas on his land between 1816 and 1822, which he hoped to let out. The common belief that pine-scented air
2940-614: The Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours in 2022 but was unsuccessful. On 13 March 2022, 21-year-old Thomas Roberts was stabbed to death in Bournemouth Town Centre by Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai in a high-profile murder case. On 31 May 2023, two people died and eight others were injured in an incident at Bournemouth beach . There is one tier of local government covering Bournemouth, at unitary authority level: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council , which
3038-626: The Ringwood, Christchurch and Bournemouth Railway opened in 1870, it grew into an important resort town which attracts over five million visitors annually with the town's beaches and popular nightlife. It now has a financial sector that is worth more than £1 billion in gross value added . Part of Hampshire since before the Domesday Book , it was assigned to Dorset under the Local Government Act 1972 in 1974. Bournemouth Borough Council became
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3136-471: The South East Dorset conurbation should be in the same county. Bournemouth's borough status was transferred to the new district, allowing the council to take the name Bournemouth Borough Council and giving the chair of the council the title of mayor, continuing Bournemouth's series of mayors dating back to 1890. On 1 April 1997, Bournemouth Borough Council became a unitary authority , taking over
3234-422: The 16th century "Bourne Mouth" seems to be preferred, being recorded as such in surveys and reports of the period, but this appears to have been shortened to "Bourne" after the area had started to develop. A travel guide published in 1831 calls the place "Bourne Cliffe" or "Tregonwell's Bourne" after its founder. The Spas of England , published ten years later, calls it simply "Bourne" as does an 1838 edition of
3332-477: The 1904 trebles of ten being removed from the ring and placed, with their fittings, on a stand in the bell chamber and two new bells being cast to replace them. The old 6th of ten was scrapped in 1976, and in the same year the metal from the 1904 trebles of ten was used towards the casting of a flat 6th, with the inscriptions from the two bells being copied onto this. The new bell was cast and hung by Taylor's. More recently, in 1991, Whitechapel Bell Foundry overhauled
3430-583: The 21st century The Times described it as 'the least appreciated of the Great Churches of England'. In March 2021, a carving of a mask-wearing NHS worker was placed on the priory as a permanent tribute to the National Health Service 's efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic . Carved by Rory Young, the stone feature is part of an ongoing project to replace damaged gargoyles and grotesques. The concept
3528-535: The BCP councillors representing wards in the former borough of Bournemouth. The trustees preserve the town's civic charters and traditions, including appointing one of their number each year to serve as mayor. Bournemouth is represented by two parliamentary constituencies in the House of Commons; Bournemouth East and Bournemouth West . In the 2024 general election , the former was gained for Labour by Tom Hayes with 40.8% of
3626-576: The BIC is also a popular place for party political conferences and has been used by all three major political parties. Its four auditoria make it the largest venue on the south coast. The O2 and Pavilion are older and are both Grade II listed buildings . The O2, which opened in 1895 as the Grand Pavilion Theatre, was initially used as a circus and later for music hall theatre. The Pavilion opened in 1929 as concert hall and tea room while also providing
3724-898: The Bournemouth area. Industry in Bournemouth employed more than 76,400 people in 2011 but not all of these were Bournemouth residents. Of those employed in Bournemouth based industries, 29.32% were employed in the public administration, education and health sector. This compares favourably with Dorset, the South-West region, and the country as a whole, as do the other large sectors; distribution, hotels & restaurants (29.06%), and banking, finance and insurance (24.48%). 37.2% of Bournemouth's resident population are employed full-time while 13.3% are employed part-time. An additional 7.1% full-time workers are self-employed, 3.1% are self-employed part-time. Full-time students with jobs account for 5.3% and 3.8% are unemployed. The shopping streets are mostly pedestrianised with modern shopping malls, Victorian arcades and
3822-546: The Centre for Cities in 2016, Bournemouth's population had the third highest average age among 63 large towns and cities in the UK, at 42.8 years. Similarly to the rest of Dorset, Bournemouth's economy is primarily in the service sector , which employed 95% of the workforce in 2010. This was 10% higher than the average employment in the service sector for Great Britain and 11% higher than the South West . Of particular importance are
3920-640: The Christchurch Priory Cartulary was thought lost until it was discovered in an old cupboard in a garret of the Museum in 1837. It is today held in the British Library , where it is still catalogued by Sir Robert Cotton's filing system: Cotton MS Tiberius D.vi. Efforts to translate the whole Cartulary began in the late 20th century, but not until 2007 was this task completed by Katharine Hanna and published by Hampshire County Council . The legend of
4018-506: The Church of England Cathedrals. The story of Christchurch Priory goes back to at least the middle of the 11th century, as the Domesday Book of 1086 says there was a priory of 24 secular canons here in the reign of Edward the Confessor . The Priory is on the site of an earlier church dating from 800AD. In 1094 a chief minister of William II , Ranulf Flambard , then Dean of Twynham, began
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4116-463: The Dissolution a corporation known as 'The Sixteen' was formed which became responsible for the temporal and ecclesiastical affairs of the parish, with the vicar and churchwardens being the principal officers. In 1788 Gustavus Brander gave the priory a pipe organ , which was installed on the quire screen. It was removed in 1848. In 1819 lath and plaster vaulting was installed in the nave, but
4214-411: The River Stour, Stour Valley Way , Millhams Mead and Stour Valley nature reserves and arboretum, Hengistbury Head , and the small communities of Throop and Holdenhurst. Turbary Park is a heathland which is a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest . The 2011 census records the population of Bournemouth as 183,491, comprising 91,386 males and 92,105 females, which equates to 49.8% and 50.2% of
4312-530: The Tenor (largest) weighs 30cwt (1½ Tons). The two oldest bells in the ring were cast in 1376 by John Rufford . Seven bells were recorded at the time of the dissolution of the Monasteries , and two of these were removed when the priory church became parochial in 1540. In 1633 this heavy five was converted into a lighter six by removing the tenor, recasting the 4th and adding two trebles. In 1755 Abel Rudhall augmented
4410-514: The area has otherwise been provided from Poole Lifeboat Station . The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), a large conference and exhibition centre, was constructed near the seafront in 1984, and in the following year Bournemouth became the first town in the United Kingdom to introduce and use CCTV cameras for public street-based surveillance. In 1993, the IRA orchestrated a terrorist attack in
4508-426: The back eight of the present ring of twelve there. Despite a ten bell frame being installed at Christchurch in 1885, it was not until 1904 that the ring was augmented, the trebles being cast by Llewellins & James of Bristol. In 1931 the 6th was replaced, with the old bell (cast in 1663 by William Purdue III of Salisbury bell foundry ) being retained in the bellchamber. In 1932 the ring was augmented to twelve, with
4606-560: The beach, later to become known as the Invalids' Walk. After the death of Tapps in 1835, his son Sir George William Tapps-Gervis inherited his father's estate. He hired the young local architect Benjamin Ferrey to develop Bournemouth Gardens along the coastal area on the east side of the stream. Bournemouth's first hotel, later to become part of the Royal Bath Hotel , opened in 1838 and
4704-459: The borough council bought the former Mont Dore Hotel on Bourne Avenue, which had been completed in 1885, and converted into the Town Hall. The county borough of Bournemouth was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan district in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 . The district kept the same boundaries, but was transferred from Hampshire to Dorset, it being considered desirable that the whole of
4802-405: The building of a church. Local legend has it that Flambard originally intended the church to be built on top of nearby St. Catherine's Hill but during the night all the building materials were mysteriously transported to the site of the present priory. Although in 1099 Flambard was appointed Bishop of Durham , work continued under his successors. A mid-12th century account recording the legend of
4900-554: The church looked much as it does today. Much of what is known about Christchurch between the Norman Conquest and the mid-14th century comes from the Christchurch Priory Cartulary , which contains copies over 1,300 of the monastery's most important documents. Most of it was written by just two clerks, one completing more than half before a second concluded the task in 1372. Further amendments and updates were added in
4998-471: The construction of Bournemouth Gardens alongside the Bourne stream , an idea first mooted by Granville. The fields south of the road crossing (later Bournemouth Square ) were drained and laid out with shrubberies and walks. Many of these paths, including the Invalids' Walk, remain in the town today. A second suggestion of Granville's, a sanatorium, was completed in 1855 and greatly raised Bournemouth's profile as
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#17328371255845096-698: The coolest months are January and February, which have an average temperature range of 2 to 9 °C (36 to 48 °F). Average rainfall in Bournemouth is around 34.4 inches (875 mm) annually, well below the national average of 45.8 inches (1,163 mm). It records both higher and lower temperatures than would be expected for its coastal location. Since 1960, temperature extremes as measured at Bournemouth Hurn Airport have ranged from 34.1 °C (93.4 °F) in August 1990, down to −13.4 °C (7.9 °F) in January 1963. The lowest temperature recorded in recent years
5194-419: The country, and as a result of his visit, he included a chapter on Bournemouth in the second edition of his book. The publication of the book, and the increase in visitors seeking the medicinal use of seawater and the pine-scented air, helped the town to grow and establish itself as an early tourist destination. In the 1840s Benjamin Ferrey was replaced by Decimus Burton , whose plans for Bournemouth included
5292-458: The de Redvers line) sold her eastern estates to Edward I for about £4000. By this action, Christchurch became a Royal Manor which meant that in 1303 it was required to provide and man a ship to aid the King's campaign against Scotland. In 1330 Baron William de Montacute was granted the manor by Edward III and thus became the 1st Earl of Salisbury (Second Creation). In the 13th century there
5390-401: The development of Bournemouth began in 1810, the site straddled the parishes of Holdenhurst and Christchurch. An ecclesiastical parish of Bournemouth was created in 1845, but for civil purposes the town continued to straddle the parishes of Holdenhurst and Christchurch. A body of improvement commissioners was established in 1856 to provide local government services in the town. Bournemouth
5488-474: The discovery of Iron Age pottery on the East Cliff in 1969, suggest there may have been settlements there during that period. Hengistbury Head , added to the borough in 1932, was the site of a much older Palaeolithic encampment. During the latter half of the 16th century James Blount, 6th Baron Mountjoy , began mining for alum in the area, and at one time part of the heath was used for hunting, although by
5586-470: The easternmost end of the Jurassic Coast , 96 miles (155 km) of coastline designated a World Heritage Site in 2001. Bournemouth's own coastline stretches from Sandbanks to Christchurch Harbour and comprises mainly sandy beaches backed by gravel and sandy clay cliffs. These cliffs are cut by a number of chines which provide natural access to the shore. At the easternmost point lies Hengistbury Head,
5684-413: The efforts of Sir Merton Russell-Cotes , the town's mayor and a local philanthropist, who helped to establish the town's first library and museum. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum was housed in his mansion, and after his death, it was given to the town. Bournemouth became a municipal borough in 1890 and a county borough in 1900. As Bournemouth's growth increased in the early 20th century,
5782-454: The financial and public service sectors which through 2011 continued to show sustained growth. Compared to the rest of the country, Bournemouth performed well in these two areas but under performed in transport and communications. The smallest geographical region for which gross value added information is available is the NUTS3 area, Bournemouth and Poole. The latest figures, as of 2012 , are for
5880-438: The first hotel in Bournemouth. The 1878 extension was designed by Christopher Crabb Creeke . In January 1979 the east wing of the hotel was destroyed by fire. In 2011 an elderly grandmother was accidentally scalded to death in a bathtub. In 2014 there was a robbery at the hotel. In 2019, armed police were called after a man was stabbed in one of the hotel rooms. The hotel hosted a Coastal Comic Con in 2019. In March 2024, it
5978-436: The fittings and replaced the gudgeons and bearings. The front four bells, the flat 6th and the 8th were cast with flat tops. The 5th and 6th have cable patterned canons, the 7th angular canons, and the remaining bells have had their canons removed. The frame is of timber, and is basically that installed by Taylor's in 1885. A new foundation of RSJs was inserted beneath the frame in 1932, and two timber pits, which now contain
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#17328371255846076-562: The following decades. The existence of the cartulary in the Priory library was recorded by John Leland shortly before the Dissolution , but its whereabouts in the decades after 1539 are uncertain. Almost a century later it was in the library of Sir Robert Cotton , a notable collector of medieval manuscripts. In 1753 the Cotton library collection was acquired by the newly founded British Museum , but
6174-496: The front were removed and melted down for munitions, as was much of the superstructure from both Bournemouth and Boscombe piers before they were breached to prevent their use by enemy ships. The large amounts of barbed wire and anti-tank obstacles along the beach, and the mines at the foot of the chines , took two years to remove when peace was finally achieved. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution stationed an inshore lifeboat at Bournemouth between 1965 and 1972. Coverage for
6272-707: The gudgeons and bearings were replaced by Whitechapel in 1991. There is also an Ellacombe chiming apparatus , which was installed by Llewellins & James in 1904. The choir at the priory consists of a boys choir, a girls choir, and a men's choir. The children of the choir can earn medals as they gain experience and skill, the rank of chorister is: probationer – full choir member (given surplice) – light blue medal – dark blue medal – red medal – purple medal (Yellow for girls) – deputy (green medal) – head (green medal). The choir sing three services during term time on Sundays: Eucharist: 9:30 – 10:30 Matins: 11:30 – 12:15 Evensong: 6:30 – 7:30 The men sing all three services while
6370-455: The hands of five private owners, including James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury , and Sir George Ivison Tapps . In 1809 the Tapps Arms public house was built on the heath. A few years later, in 1812, the first official residents, retired army officer Lewis Tregonwell and his wife, moved into their new home built on land purchased from Tapps. The area was well known to Tregonwell who, during
6468-518: The identity of outlying communities, and preserve nearby countryside. This is achieved by restricting inappropriate development within the designated areas, and imposing stricter conditions on permitted building. Bournemouth has small areas of green belt within its district to the north and east, mostly along the fringes of the shared border with the Christchurch and East Dorset districts. These cover landscape features and greenfield facilities including
6566-691: The late 18th century little evidence of either event remained. No-one lived at the mouth of the Bourne river and the only regular visitors to the area before the 19th century were a few fishermen, turf cutters and gangs of smugglers . Prior to the Christchurch Inclosures Act 1802 , more than 70% of the Westover area was common land . The act, together with the Inclosure Commissioners' Award of 1805, transferred 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) into
6664-601: The lives of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Anne . In 1999 a window celebrating the 900th anniversary of the priory was installed, which shows a starry night in which the Cross of Christ dominates, surrounded by a pattern of circles, the symbols of Eternity and Perfection, and the Chi-Rho monogram of Christ. Christchurch Priory, as its website puts it, is 'a living church' with daily services of matins and evensong , as well as being open every day except Christmas for visitors. In
6762-405: The miraculous beam dates to the early 12th century. The story is that a beam was found to have been cut too short when it was hoisted into place. This would have been embarrassing for the carpenters since the wood was expensive and would be difficult to replace. There was however a mysterious carpenter who had worked and eaten alone. The following day the carpenters returned and found the beam
6860-473: The name of the town from Twynham to the present day Christchurch, but in fact the two names both featured in a grant dated AD 954 ('juxta opidum Twinam, id est, Cristescirce'). In 1150 Baldwin de Redvers , Lord of the Manor of Christchurch and Earl of Devon replaced the secular minster with an Augustinian priory. The de Redvers continued in their patronage of the priory for 150 years, until in 1293, Isabella de Fortibus, Countess of Devon (the last of
6958-410: The poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his wife Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley , created by the sculptor Henry Weekes , was erected in the Priory church by the poet's son, Sir Percy Shelley, 3rd Baronet , in 1854, thirty-two years after his father's death. This monument was first offered to St Peter's Church , six miles away in Bournemouth , where Mary Shelley and other family members are buried. However, it
7056-607: The population respectively. The mean average age of all persons is 40 years. With 4,000 residents per square kilometre, Bournemouth has the highest population density of any authority in the South-West region, and is the eighth most populated. Much of the population, 83.8%, describe their ethnicity as ' White British ' while other white groups account for a further 8.1%. Asian groups; Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese and other Asian, make up 3.9%. Black British , Black African, Black Caribbean and other Black groups form 1.0% of
7154-423: The population while 15.2% have a level 2 NVQ, a City and Guilds craft certificate, BTEC or general diploma. Just over 20% of residents had two or more A-levels, four or more AS-Levels or an advanced diploma while 15.8% possessed a degree, such as a BA or BSc or a higher degree such as an MA or PhD. An NVQ level 4 or 5, HNC , HND , higher BTEC or higher diploma , is held by 4.2% and a professional qualification
7252-720: The population, Those who are Mixed race make up 2.3% of the population, and 0.9% are from other ethnic groups. Christians made up 57.1% of the population but 30% of residents said they had no religion and 7.8% declined to say whether they were religious or not. Muslims were 1.8%, Buddhists, Hindus and Jews each had a 0.7% share, Sikhs were 0.1%. and other religions made up 0.7%. Of all Bournemouth residents aged 16 or over, 19.1% had no qualifications at all, although 35% said they had between one and four O-levels , CSEs , GCSEs or equivalent, and 36.5% have more than five O-level equivalents (grade C and above), an A-level or two to three AS-levels. Those with an NVQ level 1 comprise 8.0% of
7350-447: The priory were pulled down soon after the dissolution. The King had intended to demolish the church as well as the conventual buildings, but in response to a plea from the townspeople, supported by Prior Draper, he granted it, together with the churchyard, to the churchwardens and inhabitants of Christchurch to be used as the parish church in perpetuity on 23 October 1540, a grant that was confirmed on 12 February 1612 by James I . After
7448-491: The provision of county council functions from Dorset County Council . As from April 2019, the nine councils of Dorset were merged into two and Bournemouth became part of a unitary authority with Christchurch and Poole (known as BCP). For the purposes of the Lieutenancy it remains part of the ceremonial county of Dorset. Since the abolition of Bournemouth Borough Council in 2019, Bournemouth has had charter trustees , being
7546-399: The ring to eight, and John Taylor & Co rehung the bells in a ten bell frame in 1885, replacing the 3rd at the same time. The bell they cast for Christchurch came out flat, and so a bell originally intended to be the 4th of a new ring of eight for The Saviour, Bolton, was supplied instead. The 1885 Taylor bells from The Saviour have now been transferred to St Peter's, Bolton, where they are
7644-470: The town and a pier was approved that year. A number of wooden structures were built before an 838 feet (255 m) cast iron design by Eugenius Birch was completed in 1880. Under the Act, a board of 13 Commissioners was established to build and organise the expanding infrastructure of the town, such as paving, sewers, drainage, street lighting and street cleaning. The arrival of the railways in 1870 precipitated
7742-578: The town centre . The only injuries sustained were minor ones but over £1 million in damage was caused. From 2000 to 2001 the Tesco bomb campaign hit the town with a plot to extort money from Supermarket giant Tesco . Visitors to the town plummeted during the campaign, especially after a bomb exploded at an elderly woman's home after she opened a letter sent by the bomber. During the eight months, over seven bombs were found by Dorset Police , ranging from small letter bombs, to pipe bombs and parcel bombs. The culprit
7840-530: The town centre spawned theatres, cafés, two art deco cinemas, and more hotels. Bournemouth Corporation Tramways was established in 1902, becoming the town's first public transport system. In 1908, a deadly tram crash in the town gardens killed 7 people. Other new buildings constructed included the war memorial in 1921 and the Bournemouth Pavilion , the town's concert hall and grand theatre, finished in 1925. The Bournemouth Blitz saw heavy damage to
7938-515: The town during the Second World War despite initially escaping heavy bombing. A raid by German fighter bombers on 23 May 1943 killed 131 people and damaged 3,359 buildings, with two large hotels being completely destroyed. It is believed that the large number of RAF airmen billeted in the town may have been the reason for the attack. The seafront incurred damage when it was fortified against invasion . The cast iron lampposts and benches along
8036-702: The treble and 3rd, were added to the East side. A single cast iron lowsided pit for the flat 6th was added on the south side in 1976. The additions of 1932 and 1976 were both carried out by Taylor's. The fittings are rather a mixture. The four trebles and the flat 6th have Taylor fittings contemporary with them and consisting of cast iron headstocks, ball bearings, traditional wheels, stays and sliders.. The back eight have timber stocks, presumably dating from either 1885 or 1904, traditional wheels by Llewellins & James and dating from 1904, and traditional stays and sliders. The bells were rehung on ball bearings by Taylor's in 1932, and
8134-418: The two children's choirs alternate weekly between morning services and evening service (one week a choir will do eucharist and matins, the next week it will do evensong). On occasion, such as Christmas and Easter services Both children's choirs will sing alongside the men. On 17 July 1999 a new pipe organ was dedicated and installed in the south transept. It is an extensive rebuild by Nicholson of Worcester of
8232-447: The vote, while the latter was also gained for Labour by Jessica Toale with 36.4%. However, the seats had previously both been considered Conservative safe seats. In 2022, both of the towns Conservative MPs , Conor Burns and Tobias Ellwood had the whip withdrawn forcing them to sit as Independents . Bournemouth is about 94 miles (151 km) southwest of London. The town borders the neighbouring towns of Poole and Christchurch to
8330-547: The west and east respectively. Poole Bay lies to the south. The River Stour forms a natural boundary to the north and east, terminating at Christchurch Harbour ; while the River Bourne rises in Poole and flows through the middle of Bournemouth town centre, into the English Channel. The towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch form the South East Dorset conurbation with a combined population of over 400,000. Bournemouth
8428-752: The year 2009 which showed that the Bournemouth and Poole area enjoyed the strongest annualised growth in the South-West region. In 2009 the South West Regional Accounts showed that the Financial Services sector in Bournemouth was worth £1,031.8 million in Gross Value Added . Important employers in this sector include JPMorgan , Nationwide Building Society , and the Liverpool Victoria , Tata Consultancy Services (formerly Unisys), and RIAS insurance companies. The manufacturing sector
8526-516: Was Russell-Cotes who successfully campaigned to have a promenade built; it runs continuously along the Bournemouth and Poole shoreline. Christchurch Priory Christchurch Priory is an ecclesiastical parish and former priory church in Christchurch in the English county of Dorset (formerly in Hampshire ). It is one of the longest parish churches in the country and is as large as many of
8624-629: Was a frenzy of building: the nave aisles were vaulted, the clerestory was built, the Montacute Chapels replaced the Norman apse in the north transept and work began on the North Porch, notable for its unusually large size. One of the chapels became the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle , although the current building mostly dates from the 18th century. Although there is no documentary evidence relating to
8722-480: Was announced that the hotel would undertake a £1 million renovation. The large-scale refurbishment project which involves renovating all 208 bedrooms and bathrooms, addressing structural issues, and upgrading the dining and bar areas is expected to be completed by 2026. 50°43′03″N 1°52′21″W / 50.7176°N 1.8725°W / 50.7176; -1.8725 Bournemouth Bournemouth ( / ˈ b ɔːr n m ə θ / BORN -məth )
8820-415: Was collected by a canon from Christchurch Priory and taken away as tithe . "La Bournemowthe", however, was purely a geographic reference to the uninhabited area around the mouth of the small river which, in turn, drained the heathland between the towns of Poole and Christchurch. The word bourne , meaning a small stream, is a derivative of burna , old English for a brook. From the latter half of
8918-457: Was declined because of its size and possibly due to the unspoken disapproval of Shelley's reputation by the incumbent and churchwardens. The War Memorial Chapel was dedicated in 1922. Electric lighting was installed in June 1934. In 1976 Highcliffe Castle donated the glazing of the window in the south nave aisle, which had come originally from Jumièges Abbey in Normandy . The window depicts
9016-452: Was found to be Robert Edward Dyer, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The Waterfront complex , which was intended to hold an IMAX cinema, was constructed on the seafront in 1998. The 19-metre-high (62-foot) concrete and smoked glass building featured a wavy roof design, but was despised by residents and visitors alike because it blocked views of the bay and the Isle of Purbeck . In 2005 it
9114-417: Was good for lung conditions, and in particular tuberculosis , prompted Tregonwell and Tapps to plant hundreds of pine trees . These early attempts to promote the town as a health resort meant that by the time Tregonwell died in 1832, Bournemouth had grown into a small community with a scattering of houses, villas and cottages. The town would ultimately grow up around the scattered pines and tree-lined walk to
9212-519: Was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1890. In 1900 it was elevated to the status of a county borough , making it independent from Hampshire County Council , whilst remaining part of the geographical county of Hampshire. The borough boundaries were enlarged on several occasions, notably in 1901 when it absorbed Pokesdown , Southbourne and Winton , and in 1931 when it absorbed Holdenhurst and Kinson (the latter being transferred from Dorset to Hampshire on its absorption into Bournemouth). In 1921
9310-506: Was inspired by a photograph of a doctor in an intensive care unit, wearing her PPE at the beginning of the pandemic, an image to represent all NHS workers for centuries to come. In 2024, the building was added to the Heritage at Risk Register . The Priory has a ring of 12 bells plus a 6th flat. The Bells are rung twice on Sundays and Monday nights and for extra services. They are in the Key of D and
9408-481: Was now fitted in place. The unknown carpenter was never seen again, and the story came to be that it was Jesus Christ who had intervened. The church became Christ's Church of Twynham in commemoration of the event. In time the town became Twynham-Christchurch and eventually shortened to Christchurch. The miraculous beam can be seen today and is located in the Priory's ambulatory . The Priory has 39 misericords , dating from three periods: 1250, 1350 and 1515. They show
9506-650: Was voted the most hated building in England in a 10,000-person poll conducted by the Channel 4 programme Demolition , and was pulled down in spring 2013. The site is now used as an outdoor event arena. The council has recently completed a larger redevelopment of the site and adjoining council land. In 2010, Bournemouth celebrated its bicentenary. In 2012 Bournemouth was unsuccessful in its bid for city status , losing out to Chelmsford , Essex in competition with 26 other towns to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II 's Diamond Jubilee . Bournemouth sought city status once again for
9604-514: Was −10.4 °C (13.3 °F) in December 2010. The February and winter month record high was broken in 2019, with a temperature of 17.8 °C (64.0 °F). Bournemouth lies at the centre of a green belt region that extends into the wider surrounding counties. It is in place to reduce urban sprawl , prevent the towns in the South East Dorset conurbation from further convergence, protect
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