Poole
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- This article is about a town in the United Kingdom, for the surname see Poole (disambiguation)
Poole (pronunciation ) is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset on the south coast of England. The town is 20 miles (32 km) east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council. The town had a population of 138,288 according to the 2001 census, making it the second largest settlement in Dorset.
Human settlement in the area dates back to before the Iron Age. The earliest recorded use of the town’s name was in the 13th century when the town became an important port, prospering with the introduction of the wool trade. In later centuries the town had important trade links with North America and at its peak in the 18th century it was one of the busiest ports in Britain. During the Second World War the town was one of the departing points for the D-Day landings of the Normandy Invasion.
Today, the town is a popular tourist resort, attracting visitors with its large natural harbour well known for sailing and yachting, museums, the Poole Arts Centre and award-winning beaches. The headquarters of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), luxury yacht manufacturer Sunseeker, and Merlin Entertainments are located in Poole, and the Royal Marines have a base in the town's harbour. Poole is also home to Bournemouth University, The Arts Institute at Bournemouth and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Contents
[edit] History
The town's name derives from a corruption of the Celtic word bol and the Old English word pool which mean a place near a pool or creek.[2] Variants include Pool, Pole, Poles, Poll, Polle, Polman, and Poolman. Poole is first mentioned in written records in a writ of 1224, addressed to the, 'Bailiffs and good men of La Pole'.[3]
The area around Poole Harbour has been inhabited for the past 2,500 years. The earliest significant archaeological find in the harbour is the Poole Logboat dating to 295.[4] During the Iron Age, Celtic people known as the Durotriges settled in the area now known as Dorset and in the 3rd century BC they moved from hilltop settlements such as Maiden Castle and Badbury Rings to heathland around the River Frome and Poole Harbour.[5] Poole was one of a number of harbouring sites along the south coast of Britain where the Romans landed during their invasion in the 1st century. The Romans founded Hamworthy, an area just west of the modern town centre, and continued to use the harbour during the occupation.[6]
Following the Saxon invasion of southern Britain in the 7th century, Poole was included in the newly established West Saxon Kingdom (Wessex).[7] Poole was used as a base for fishing and the harbour a place for ships to anchor on their way to the important Saxon stronghold at Wareham. The harbour was often used by invading Danish Viking armies as a base for raids into Wessex. Canute the Great led his fleet to Poole Harbour in 1015 and used it as a base to pillage the surrounding settlements of Wessex before returning back along the coast to attack London.[8][7][9]
Poole remained a small fishing town until the Norman Conquest when the maritime and fishing trade of Poole grew as the importance of Wareham declined.[10][11] A charter of liberties was sold to the Burgesses of Poole in 1248 by the Lord of the Manor, Sir William Longspee, to raise funds for his participation the Seventh Crusade.[7] The charter gave Poole the right to appoint a mayor, hold a court within town, and exemption from certain tolls and customs duties were granted on goods from the port.[12]
A combined French and Spanish naval fleet attacked Poole in 1405 in retaliation for the activities of Poole naval commander Henry Paye.[13][14] Despite this setback, the town continued to grow, overtaking Weymouth as the biggest port in Dorset. In 1433 Poole was awarded Port of the Staple status by King Henry VI, which enabled the port to begin exporting wool and granted the town a license for the construction of fortifications.[11] In 1568, Poole was granted a greater amount of independence from Dorset when it was made a county corporate by the Great Charter of Elizabeth I.[12]
During the English Civil War Poole was staunchly puritan and a Parliamentary stronghold within a mostly Royalist Dorset.[15] The walled town of Poole remained under constant threat of siege but remained one of Cromwell's strongholds until the end of the war. In 1646 with the Royalists on the verge of defeat, the Parliamentary army from Poole laid siege to and captured the nearby Royalist stronghold at Corfe Castle.[16]
Poole established successful commerce with the North American colonies in the 16th century, including the important fisheries of Newfoundland.[12] The trade with Newfoundland grew steadily to meet the demand for fish from the Catholic countries of Europe. Poole's share of this trade varied but the most prosperous period started in the early 18th century and lasted until the early 19th century. The trade was a three-cornered route; ships went out to Newfoundland loaded with salt and provisions. Caught, dried, and salted, the fish was brought back to ports in Europe before returning to Poole with wine, olive oil and salt.[17]
In the early 18th century Poole had more ships trading with North America than any other English port which brought vast wealth to Poole's merchants.[18] This prosperity supported much of the development which now characterises the Old Town near the quay. Many of the town’s medieval buildings were replaced with extravagant Georgian houses.[19][17] The end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1814 and the conclusion of the War of 1812 ended Britain's monopoly over the Newfoundland fisheries and allowed other nations take over many of the services provided by Poole merchants at a lower cost. Poole's Newfoundland trade rapidly declined and within a decade many of the merchants ceased trading.[20][21]
The town grew rapidly during the industrial revolution as urbanisation took place and the town became both an area of mercantile prosperity and of overcrowded poverty. At the turn of the 19th century, nine out of ten workers in Poole were engaged in harbour activities, but as the century progressed ships became too large for the shallow harbour and the port began losing business to the deep water ports at Liverpool, Southampton and Plymouth.[18] Poole's first railway station opened in Hamworthy in 1847 and later extended to the centre of Poole in 1872, effectively ending the port's busy coastal shipping trade.[21]
The beaches and landscape of southern Dorset and south-west Hampshire began to attract tourists during the 19th century and the villages to the east of Poole began to grow and merge until the seaside resort of Bournemouth emerged. Although Poole did not become a resort like many surrounding towns, it continued to grow as the rapid expansion of Bournemouth created a large demand for goods manufactured in Poole.[11]
During World War II, Poole was the third largest embarkation point for D-Day landings of Operation Overlord, and afterwards served as a base for supplies to the allied forces in Europe.[12] Eighty-one landing craft containing U.S. troops from the 29th Infantry Division and the U.S. Army Rangers departed Poole Harbour for Omaha Beach.[22] Poole was also an important centre for the development of Combined Operations and it was the base for the U.S. Coast Gaurd's ‘Rescue Flotilla One’ of 60 cutters.[23]
Much of the town suffered from German bombing during the Second World War and years of neglect in the post-war economic decline|economic decline. Major redevelopment projects began in the 1960s when large areas of slum properties were demolished and replaced with modern public housing and facilities. Many of Poole's historic buildings were demolished during this period, especially in the Old Town area of Poole. Consequently, a 15-acre Conservation Area was created in the town centre in 1975 to preserve some of Poole's most notable buildings.[24][25]
[edit] Governance
[edit] Council
On April 1, 1997 the town was made a unitary authority, once again administratively independent from Dorset after a review of the Local Government Commission for England.[12] The borough reverted to its previous title of the Borough and County of the Town of Poole, which recalled its status as a county corporate prior to the implementation of the Local Government Act 1888. For local elections, 42 councillors are elected across 16 wards in the Borough with elections taking place every four years.[26] The last election took place in May 2007 resulting in the Conservatives retaining overall control.[27] The Council is made up of 25 Conservative and 17 Liberal Democrat councillors and Poole's Council Leader is Councillor Brian Leverett (Conservative).[26] Poole's Sheriff, just one of fifteen Sheriffs in the country allowed by a special charter, is Charles Meachin, a Poole Liberal Democrat Councillor since 1996. The Mayor is Conservative Councillor Joyce Lavender.[28] In 2008, the Audit Commission rated the Borough of Poole one of the top performing councils in the UK.[29] The council was described as 'improving well' and was given a four star overall performance rating.[30] Poole has been twinned with the town of Cherbourg in France since 1977.[31]
[edit] Parliamentary representation
Poole is represented by two parliamentary constituencies in the House of Commons; Poole and Mid Dorset and North Poole.[32] The county constituency of Mid Dorset and North Poole was created in 1997 and covers the north east of Poole, it also includes Wimborne Minster and Wareham and extends into rural Dorset. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament; currently Annette Brooke, the Liberal Democrat spokeswomen for Children, Schools and Families.[32] At the 2005 general election, the Liberal Democrats won a majority of 5,482 and 48.7% of the vote in Mid Dorset and North Poole. The Conservatives won 36.6% of the vote, Labour 11.6% and the Independence Party 3.1%.[33]Poole has been a borough constituency since 1950. Previously it had been a parliamentary borough, electing two Members of Parliament from 1455 until 1865 when representation was reduced to one member, and in 1885 the constituency was abolished altogether. Robert Syms (Conservative) has been the elected Member of Parliament for Poole since 1997.[34] At the 2005 general election, the Conservatives won a majority of 5,988 and 43.4% of the vote in Poole. The Liberal Democrats won 28.6% of the vote, Labour 23.1%, the Independence Party 3.5% and the British National Party 1.4%.[35] Poole and the rest of South West England, and Gibraltar are in the South West England constituency of the European Parliament.[32]
[edit] Coat of arms
The design of the coat of arms originated in a seal of the late 1300s and were recorded by Clarenceux King of Arms during the heraldic visitation of Dorset in 1563.[36] The wavy bars of black and gold represent the sea and the dolphin is sign of Poole's maritime interests.[37] The scallop shells are the emblem of St James and are associated with his shrine at Santiago de Compostela, which was a popular destination for Christian pilgrims departing from Poole Harbour in the Middle Ages.[37]
The arms were confirmed by the College of Arms on June 19, 1948 and at the same time the crest, a mermaid supporting an anchor and holding a cannon ball was granted. Following local government reorganisation in 1974, the 1948 arms were transferred to the present Poole Borough Council.[38] In 1976 the council received the grant of supporters for the coat of arms.[37] The supporters refer to Poole's main charters; to the left is a gold lion holding a long sword representing William Longespee who in 1248 who granted the town's first charter. The supporter on the right is a dragon which is derived from the Royal Arms of Elizabeth I who granted Poole county corporate status in 1568.[37]
The Latin motto - Ad Morem Villae De Poole means, According to the Custom of the Town of Poole, and comes from the town's Great Charter of 1568.
[edit] Geography
Poole is located on the shores of the English Channel, 111 miles (179 km) west-southwest of London, at and it is famed for its large natural harbour. The town largely lies on the northern and eastern sides of the harbour. The oldest part of the town (including the historic quarter of Poole, the Dolphin Shopping Centre and Poole Park) lies to the south of Holes Bay and to the north of Poole Harbour. To the west of Poole is Upton and just across the northern border lies Wimborne. At the eastern edge of Poole, the town abuts Bournemouth and the settlements of Talbot Village, Wallisdown, Kinson, Winton and Westbourne. Within the northern boundaries of Poole are the settlements of Broadstone, Merley and Canford Heath. Canford Heath is a new settlement built on an internationally important heathland during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The remaining heathland is now protected and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.[39] The administrative boundary of Poole also includes the mainly residential areas of Parkstone, Newtown, Branksome, Hamworthy, Oakdale, Broadstone, Canford Cliffs and Creekmoor. The Poole areas of Wallisdown and Talbot Village have a large student population who attend Bournemouth University. Sandbanks, a peninsula forming part of the harbour mouth along the coast of Poole Bay, has the fourth highest land value per square foot in the world.[40] The Sandbanks ferry crosses the narrow harbour entrance and connects Poole to Studland and the Isle of Purbeck.[41]
Poole is a gateway to the Jurassic Coast and is located directly to the east of this 95-mile (153 km) section of largely unspoilt coastline designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[42] The Jurassic Coast provides a complete geological record of the Jurassic period and a rich fossil record.[43] To the south of Poole along the coast lies Poole Bay. Along the bay, Poole has 3 miles (4.8 km) of sandy beaches that run from Sandbanks in the west to Bournemouth in the east. The South West Coast Path stretches for 630 miles (1,014 km), running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall and on to Poole where it ends. The path is the United Kingdom's longest national trail, at 1,014 kilometres (630 mi).[44]
Poole lies on very unresistant Tertiary beds of Eocene clays (mainly London Clay and Gault Clay), sands and gravels.[45] These thin soils support the heathland habitat surrounding the local area which supports all six native British reptile species. The River Frome estuary runs through this weak rock, and its many tributaries have carved out a very wide estuary. At the mouth of the estuary sand spits have been deposited enclosing the estuary to create Poole Harbour.[46]
Britain's largest onshore oil field operated by BP operates from Wytch Farm on the south shore of Poole Harbour.[47] The oil reservoirs extend under Poole Harbour and eastwards from Sandbanks and Studland for 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) under the sea to the south of Bournemouth.[48]
[edit] Harbour
Poole Harbour is the largest natural harbour in Europe and the claimant of the title of second largest natural harbour in the world after Sydney.[49] It is an area of international importance for nature conservation and is noted for its ecology: supporting salt marsh, mudflats and an internationally important habitat for several species of migrating bird. It has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a Ramsar site as well as falling within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.[50] The harbour covers an area of 38 square kilometres (15 sq mi) and is extremely shallow. Although the main shipping channels are 7.5 metres (25 ft) deep the average depth of the harbour is just 48 centimetres (1.6 ft).[51][52] The harbour has several small islands, the largest is Brownsea Island, a nature reserve owned by the National Trust and the birthplace of the Scouting movement and first Scout Camp.[53]
[edit] Climate
Poole has a temperate climate due to its location on the south coast of England with a small variation in daily and annual temperatures. The average annual mean temperature from 1971 to 2000 was 10.2 to 12 °C (50.4 to 53.6 °F).[54] The warmest months in Poole are July and August, which have an average temperature range of 12 to 22 °C (54 to 72 °F), and the coolest months are January and February, which have a range of 2 to 8.3 °C (36 to 46 °F).[55] Mean sea surface temperatures range from 6.9 °C (44.4 °F) in February to 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) in August.[56]
[edit] Demography
Poole merges with several other towns to form the South East Dorset conurbation which has a combined population of 445,000 forming one of the South Coast's major urban areas.[59] The population of Poole according to the 2001 UK Census was 138,288[1] The population has grown steadily since the 1960s, inward migration has accounted for most of the town’s growth and a significant part of this has been for retirement.[60] Over the last 40 years there has been an increase of over 100% in housing stock from some 30,000 in 1961 to approximately 62,700 in 2004.[60] Compared to the rest of England and Wales there is an above average number of residents aged 65+ (20.3%), however this is less than the Dorset average of 22.2%, and the largest proportion of the population (24.8%) is between the ages of 45 to 64, slightly above the national average of 23.8%.[59] Population projections for Poole have predicted a continual growth, with an estimated population of 151,481 by 2016.[59]
The district is overwhelmingly populated by people of a white ethnic background, 95.98% of residents are of White British ethnicity, well above the rest of England at 86.99%.[58] Minority ethnic groups (including those in white ethnic groups who did not classify themselves as British) represent 4.0% of Poole’s population. The largest religion in Poole is Christianity, at almost 74.34%, which is slightly above the United Kingdom average of 71.6%.[61] The next-largest sector is those with no religion, at almost 16.23%, also above the UK average of 15.5%.[61]
The average house price in Poole is high compared to the rest of the UK and the surrounding south west region.[62] The average price of a property in Poole in 2008 was £274,011; detatched houses are on average £374,150, semi-detached and terraced houses were cheaper, at £226,465 and £217,128 respectively. An apartment or flat costs on average £216,097, more than any other part of Dorset.[62] The average house prices in Poole are boosted by those in Sandbanks, which has the fourth most expensive house prices in the world,[63] with property there selling for an average of £488,761.[64] A study in 2006 by the National Housing Federation, reported that Poole is the most unaffordable town in the UK.[65]
A Vision of Britain through Time
[edit] Economy
Poole’s economy is more balanced than that of the rest of Dorset.[59] In the 1960s prosperity was fuelled by growth in the manufacturing sector, whereas the 1980s and 1990s saw expansion in the service sector as a number of major office based employers relocated to the area.[59] The importance of manufacturing has declined since the 1960s but still employs approximately 17% of the workforce in 2002, it remains more prominent than in the economy of Great Britain as a whole.[59]Sunseeker, the world's largest privately-owned builder of motor yachts and the UK's largest manufacturer, is based in Poole and employs over 1,800 people in its Poole shipyards.[66] In 2004, it was estimated that Sunseeker generates £160 million for the local economy.[67] Other major employers in the local manufacturing industry include Sealed Air, Hamworthy Heating, Hamworthy Combustion, Lush, Penske Cars Ltd (who build racing cars for Penske Racing), Kerry Foods, Precision Disc Casting, Siemens, Southernprint, Ryvita, and Zellweger Analytics Limited. Poole has the largest number of industrial estates in South East Dorset, including the Nuffield Industrial estate, Mannings Heath and the Arena Business Park.[68] Industrial Estate sites are in high demand and a number of developments are under construction such as the Poole Trade Park near Tower Park and the Branksome Business centre.[68]
The service sector is the principal economy of Poole with a large number of employees working either for the service economy of local residents or for the tourist economy. During the 1970s, Poole’s location within the South West Region, with its less restrictive regional planning policies, attracted businesses wishing to relocate from London.[59] These included employers within the banking and financial sector, such as Barclays Bank (who operate a regional HQ in Poole), the Frizzell Insurance Group (now Liverpool Victoria), and American Express Bank. Other important service sector employers include Link House Publications, the Bank of New York Mellon who have their corporate trust division in the town, the national headquarters and Lifeboat College of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the UK headquarters of Fitness First, Bournemouth University and Poole NHS Primary Care Trust. Poole is also the headquarters for Merlin Entertainments, the world's second-largest theme park operator after Disney.[69]
Tourism is important to the Poole’s economy and was worth an estimated £158 million in 2002.[59] Poole's Harbour, the Quay, Poole Pottery and the beaches are some of the main attractions for visitors.[42] The visitor accommodation consists of hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfast rooms located around the town, especially in Sandbanks and the town centre. Rockly Park, a large caravan site in Hamworthy, is owned and operated by Haven and British Holidays.[70]
Poole has one of Britain’s busiest ports.[59] Investment in new port facilities on the southern side of Hamworthy, and the deepening of shipping channels has allowed growth in cross-channel freight and passenger traffic.[59] Commercial ferry operators run regular passenger and freight services from Poole to Cherbourg, St Malo and the Channel Islands.[50] In November 2005, the main shipping channels into the harbour and the Port of Poole were dredged and deepened in order to provide sand replenishment to the beaches of Poole and Bournemouth and secure the long term viability of the port.[51] The channel deepening works ensured that the port could accommodate larger vessels at all levels of the tide and attract other ferry and cruise line operators. Poole is also a major destination for bulk cargo imports; the port receives imports of steel, timber, bricks, fertiliser, grain, aggregates and palletised traffic. Export cargoes include clay, sand, fragmented steel and grain.[50] The Royal Marines operate out of the harbour at Royal Marines Poole, established on the shore of the harbour at Hamworthy in 1954.[71] The base is home to 1 Assault Group Royal Marines who are responsible for landing craft and small boat training, a detachment of the Royal Marines Reserve and special forces unit the Special Boat Service.[72][73]
One-hundred-five fishing boats are registered and licensed to the Port of Poole and hold a permit issued by the Southern Sea Fisheries District Committee (SSFDC) to fish commercially.[74] It is the largest port in terms of licences in the SSFDC district which covers the coastline of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and one of the largest registered fishing fleets in the UK.[75] Many other boats use Poole as their home port which do not hold permits and operate either as charter boats running angling trips or for personal use.[75] The fishing fleet catch mullet, squid, crab, and bass. Shellfish are fished in the harbour and during the summer plaice and sole are caught.[75] However, the fishing fleet is gradually declining as a result of rising fuel costs and restrictive fishing quotas introduced by the European Union.[74][76]
The Dolphin Shopping Centre is Poole's main retail area, and the largest indoor shopping centre in Dorset. It opened in 1969 as the Arndale Centre, and underwent three major refurbishments in 1980, 1989 and 2004. The centre provides 506,000 square feet (47,000 m2) of retail space with 110 stores and two multi-storey car parks with 1,400 parking spaces.[77] A pedestrianised high street containing shops, bars, public houses and restaurants connects the Dolphin Centre with the historic Old Town area of Poole and the Quay.[77]
[edit] Landmarks
[edit] Poole Quay
Poole Quay was once the busy centre of Poole's maritime industry but today operates as a popular visitor attraction. It is lined with a mixture of traditional public houses, redeveloped warehouses, modern apartment blocks and historic buildings. The Grade II* listed Custom House was built in 1814 in the same style as one which had stood there since in 1747 until destroyed by fire, and now functions as a restaurant and bar.[78] Nearby are the Grade I listed Town Cellars, a medieval warehouse built in the 15th century on the foundations of an older stone building dating from the 14th century, now home to the Local History Centre.[79] Scalpen's Court, another Grade I listed building on the quay, also dates from the medieval era.[80] Attractions on the quay include numerous restaurants, cafés, bars, public houses, views across the harbour, Poole Pottery and regular events and festivals held throughout the year. The Poole Pottery production factory once stood on the quay and attracted over 1 million visitors a year.[81] The factory was vacated in 2001 and the site redeveloped into a new luxury apartment bloack and marina. A Poole Pottery outlet store remains but since the factory moved from the Quay, the business has struggled financially.[82]
Boats regularly depart from the quay during the summer providing short cruises around the harbour and to Brownsea Island, the River Frome and along the Dorset coast to Swanage.[83] Public artworks along the Quay include ‘Sea Music’, a large metal sculpture designed by Sir Anthony Caro, and life-size bronze sculpture of Robert Baden-Powell to celebrate the founding of the Scout Movement in Poole in 1908.[84] At the western end of the quay near the mouth of Holes Bay is Poole Bridge. Built in 1927, it is the third bridge to be located on the site since 1834 and connects the industrial Hamworthy area and Port to the central part of the town.[85]
