Bournemouth - Seaside Beaches Holidays Sunshine

The Bournemouth area has been settled for thousands of years, but even as recent as 1800 it was mostly a remote and barren heathland.

The only regular visitors to the area around the mouth of the Bourne River were a few fishermen, turf cutters and occasional gangs of smugglers until the 16th century.

The area was used as a hunting estate from Tudor times until the late 18th century, but with the exception of the estate, most of the Bournemouth area remained common land until 1802.

In 1812, the first residents, retired army officer Lewis Tregonwell and his wife, moved into their new home, built on land he had purchased. Tregonwell began developing his land for holiday rentals by building a series of sea villas. He also planted hundreds of Pine trees, providing a sheltered walk to the beach (later known as the 'Invalids walk'). The town would ultimately grow up around its scattered pines. In 1832 when Tregonwell died, Bournemouth had become a small community with a scattering of houses, villas and cottages.

The Invalids Walk is still an integral part of Bournemouth Gardens today. For many years the walk has featured cages with exotic birds, as well as regular exhibitions by local artists at the weekends.

The following photograph has been used with permission from
REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

In the 1830's, Bournemouth started to grow at a faster rate as the seaside village became a resort similar to those that had already grown up along the south coast such as Weymouth and Brighton. In 1841, the town was visited by the physician and writer Augustus Granville. Granville was the author of The Spas of England, a book which described health resorts around the country. As a result of his visit, Dr Granville included a chapter on Bournemouth in the second edition. This publication, as well as the growth of visits to the seaside to seek the medicinal use of seawater and the fresh air of the pines, helped Bournemouth to develop as an early tourist destination.

In the 1840s, the fields south of the road crossing the river, the site that is now The Square, were drained and planted with shrubberies and walks. Many of these paths including the remain in the town today, forming part of the Bournemouth Pleasure Gardens which run for several miles along the Bourne stream. The Pleasure Gardens were originally a series of garden walks created in the fieldsin the 1860s.

During the late 1800's the town continued to develop. The Winter Gardens were finished in 1875 and the cast iron Bournemouth Pier was finished in 1880. With the arrival of the railways there was a massive growth of seaside and summer visits to the town, especially visitors from the Midlands and London. In 1880 for example, the town had a population of 17,000 people. By 1900, when railway connections were at their most developed the town's population had risen to 60,000.

During this period the town also became a favourite destination for visiting artists and writers, including Mary Shelley.

The town was improved greatly during this period through the efforts of Sir Merton Russell-Cotes, the Mayor and a local philanthropist. He helped establish the town's first library and museum. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum was created in his mansion and after his death it was given to the town.

As Bournemouth's growth increased in the early 20th century, theatres, cafés, art deco cinemas and more hotels were built in the town. Other new buildings included the War Memorial in 1921 and the Bournemouth Pavilion, the towns concert hall and grand theatre finished in 1925.

The town declined somewhat as a seaside resort in the 1940's, but by the late 1950's visitors began to flock to Bournemouth once again, as the post war popularity of holidaymaking at the beach became affordable to more of the population.

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REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

With the growing trend in the 1970's for companies to move their headquarters outside of London, the Bournemouth area was a prime location for relocation, being relatively close to London, yet with lower prices for land, and all the benefits that go along with being in this beautiful part of the country.

The Bournemouth Technical College grew into Bournemouth University, which is now one of the countries top universities.

Bournemouth tops the league of the UK's 50 largest towns and cities for the biggest growth in the number of new businesses in 2007 according to UHY Hacker Young, the national accounting group.

The town is home to some of the largest financial companies in the UK, including JP Morgan Chase, Nationwide Building Society, Liverpool Victoria and Standard Life.

ThE Bournemouth International Centre (known as the BIC) is a major conference centre and hosts regular national conferences. Across the other side of the Bournemouth Gardens, the Pavilion is a conference center in it's own right, hosting the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democratic parties national conferences (nut not all in the same year).

The cliffs on this part of the coast stretch for miles, and make for a very pretty background to the sea, beach and the promenade.

They are comprised of sandstone, and are home to a wide variety of plants and wildlife. There are many rare plants, birds and butterflies, and the cliff area is protected for conservation interest.

The cliffs rise gradually to the east averaging a height of 24m (80 feet) to 27m (90 feet).

From Canford Cliffs in the west to Alum Chine in the east, the cliffs are broken by these valleys, allowing access to the beach. Either side of Bournemouth Pier however, the cliffs are unbroken, and the only way up or down is by either taking the zip-zag paths, which snake their way down the cliffs, constantly changing direction, or the lifts, which run on rails straight up the side of the cliff.

From the age of 7 to 11, I attended a school that was close to the West Cliff. This was a boarding and day school, and daily the whole school had to go on a walk at lunchtime, often along the West Cliff and sometimes if we were lucky, down to the promenade below. It was fun walking down the zig-zag path, but walking back up was a different matter. I am sure that anyone who has had to do this while loaded up with beach gear having spent a day at the beach will know what I am talking about.

For more information on Bournemouth Cliffs and for some stunning photographs of the area, CLICK HERE. This is an article on The Eocene Cliffs With Leaf Beds of Bournemouth, Dorset by Professor Ian West of Southampton University. The geology of the area is very detailed, but it is the maps, diagrams and above all the photographs that make me highly recommnend this site.

The following photograph has been used with permission from
REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

WHAT IS A CHINE?

The word chine means a deep, narrow ravine cut through soft rocks by a water course descending steeply to the sea. The word is peculiar to Dorset and the Isle of Wight, chines being very much a feature of this part of the British coast.

There are various chines, the most notable being Alum Chine in the east and Branksome Chine in the west.

ALUM CHINE

Alum Chine has a number of family oriented hotels on the cliffs, and of interest are the Tropical Gardens that were first planted in the 1920's. These have a number of tropical plants, palms, yucca's etc, and make for a great evening walk.

To the west of Alum Chine is a suspension bridge that was built in 1903 and that crosses a ravine between two sections of the cliff top and makes an interesting diversion when taking a walk along the West Cliff. It was on a bridge across this chine (now gone) from which Winston Churchill fell when he was a child, breaking both legs and damaging his kidneys.

There is a plaque between the two bridges near the top of Alum Chine that commemorates Robert Louis Stevenson (author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped) who came to Bournemouth sufering from Tuberculosis in 1884 and lived there until 1887. His house was called Skerryvore after a lighthouse built by his family's company. The house was destroyed during the Second World War and the site in Alumhurst Road is now a commemoritive garden.

BRANKSOME CHINE

Branksome Chine is said to have been a regular route for smugglers in the 18th century as they headed inland to the Kinson area.

The Avenue is a straight road that runs south from County Gates in Westbourne down to Branksome Chine, and provides a great first view of the sea for many visitors on their way from Bournemouth to Sandbanks. The Avenue does a U-turn when it reaches the shore at Branksome Chine, the road then turning west and climbing up into the village of Canford Cliffs. Until the 1960's the Avenue used to be lined with lovely large homes and rhodedendron bushes, but sadly most of those houses have been replaced by blocks of flats.

Like Alum Chine, it also has a link with a great literary character, John Betjeman. This former Poet Laureate once wrote - walk the asphalt paths of Branksome Chine, in resin scented air like strong Greek wine.

The chine has numerous tree species such as pines, maples and beech as well as a variety of shrubs. many different kinds of birds can be seen throughout the year, including jays, woodpeckers, thrushes, tits and summer warblers. During the summer many insects can be seen including butterflies and dragonflies, the latter being attracted by the stream.

THE CHINES OF BOURNEMOUTH AND POOLE has wonderful details of the various chines, what to see, and detailed walks along the many pathways. I truly recommend a visit.

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REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

Promenades And Piers

With the Victorian era came a desire to spent time at the seaside, and along with this a love of promenades and piers. These allowed the visitors to stroll along the water front without having to walk on the sand, and to walk far out into the sea, enjoying wonderful views back towards the shore. In the latter half of the 19th century, these structures appeared in many of the seaside resorts around the coast of the British Isles.

Both Bournemouth and Boscombe, several miles to the easy, have piers, and these are just as popular today as they were back in the Victorian era when the concept was born.

The First Pier

The first pier in Bournemouth was a short wooden jetty that was completed in 1856. This was replaced by a much longer wooden pier, which opened in 1861 amid much pomp and ceremony, including a 21 gun salute.

The new pier cost the Bournemouth Board of Commissioners £3,418 to construct, and it was decided to charge an annual admission fee, based on residents rateable values, to try and recover the cost.

Because of attacks by Teredo Worms the wooden piles were replaced by cast iron ones in 1866, but even with this improvement, the life of the pier was short lived. Just a year later it was rendered unusable when the 'T' shaped landing stage was swept away in a gale.

The Second Pier

The remaining part of the pier was repaired, and it continued in use for a further ten years until November 1876 when another severe storm caused further collapse making it too short for steamboat traffic. The pier was demolished, and replaced in 1877 by a temporary one. During the next three years a new pier was completed.

The new Bournemouth Pier was opened by the Lord Mayor of London on 11th August 1880. It featured an open promenade and with the addition of a bandstand in 1885, military band concerts took place three times a day in summer and twice daily throughout the winter. Covered shelters were also provided at this time. Two extensions, in 1894 and 1909 respectively, took the pier's overall length to more than 1000ft (304.8m).

In common with most other piers in the south and east of the country, Bournemouth Pier was split into two sections by an army demolition team in the spring of 1940 as a precaution against German invasion during the Second World War. The pier was repaired and re-opened in August 1946.

Refurbishment of the pier head was carried out in 1950, and ten years' later the structure was reinforced with concrete to take the weight of a new pier theatre.

The Current Pier

A structural survey in 1976 found major corrosion, and in 1979 much of the pier was demolished and rebuilt in concrete, giving it the 'bridge' like appearance that it retains today, the work being completed in two years.

The new pier has a new theatre as well as other entertainments, and it ranks amongst the best piers in the country.

Pleasure Cruises

In 1868 the first recorded pleasure excursion from Bournemouth Pier was by the steamer 'Fawn'. She was chartered for a trip to Spithead, where a review of the fleet was being held in honour of the Shah of Persia.

Since 1871 there has been a long association between Bournemouth Pier and pleasure steamers.

Even now the tradition continues with regular seasonal visits by the paddle steamer 'Waverley', and her motorised companion the 'Balmoral'.

Many other local boats offer day trips along the lovely Dorset coast from Bournemouth Pier to Poole Quay and to Swanage.

With thanks to The Heritage Trail - English Seaside Piers for a history of Bournemouth Pier

The following photograph has been used with permission from
REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS

Bournemouth is renowned for its excellent tourist attractions, none more so than its beaches. Bournemouth boasts seven miles of golden sands and clear blue water, stretching from Hengistbury Head in the east all the way to Sandbanks and the mouth of Poole harbour in the west.

Bournemouth beaches have consistently won Blue Flag awards. These are only given to those beaches in the UK that have achieved the highest quality in water, facilities, safety, environmental education and management. CLICK HERE for more information about Blue Flag Awards.

The prevailing wind constantly strives to drive the sand westwards, so at regular intervals along the beach you will find groynes or breakwaters, designed to slow the erosion of the sand. These make for interesting views as well as bathing, since on the eastern side of a groyne you will find the sand much higher than on the west. The water level and depth is often many feet different between the two sides of a groyne.

The stretch of beach from Southbourne and Boscombe in the east all the way to Bournemouth, and beyond as far as Shore Road at Sandbanks is almost entirely walkable on the promenade.

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You can purchase a copy of this great picture from Allposters.com by clicking on the image.






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With it's many pubs, bars and nightclubs, plus other places to gather, and a thriving younger generation, Bournemouth has become a popular place to go for a great night out.

The concert venues, which include The BIC and The Pavilion hold regular concerts for major bands and musicians and are included on many national tours.

A great resource for finding out what to do in Bournemouth at night is www.bournemouthbynight.com. This site maintains a list of the Nightclubs, Pubs and Bars and also has an up to date list of the events.

Bournemouth Personalised Waterproof Dog Coat Size XL
(26" 65cm)

The doggie coats are made of tough nylon and are lined with a thick polar fleece with adjustable velcro straps. Both waterproof and washable they're just what your pet needs this winter. They come complete with your personalised name printed along either side of the coat and any numbers/pets name/other text added for free! Click the link for other sizes.

Sir Merton Russell-Cotes was a Mayor of Bournemouth and also a local philanthropist who helped establish the town's first library and museum. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum was created in his mansion and after his death it was given to the town.

The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum is one of the most fascinating and unique museums in the world. It comprises art galleries and a museum as well as a children's area and is an ideal place for learning, exploring and socialising.

The museum is situated on the east cliff in the centre of Bournemouth, over-looking seven miles of award-winning beaches and is housed in one of the last Victorian villas in Bournemouth, East Cliff Hall.

The museum is open most days throughout the year, and is somewhere that every visitor to Bournemouth should see.

For more information, visit the official web site for the museum - CLICK HERE

The Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra was founded in 1893 by Sir Dan Godfrey as a small group of wind players. The band quickly expanded to become a full orchestra, gaining a reputation for championing contemporary British music. Elgar and Holst (among others) conducted the orchestra in their own works. The Bournemouth Municipal Choir, founded by Godfrey in 1911,sang regularly with the orchestra.

The orchestra changed to its present name in 1954,and developed its present role of giving concerts at more venues in the south west of England. The choir was re-named The Bournemouth Symphony Chorus in 1979, when it entered into a closer relationship with the orchestra.

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra currently gives around 150 concerts a year. An up to date list of these is given on their web site (click on the orchestra image above)

Parts of the above were taken from Wikipedia

HOTEL INFO - SEARCH FOR HOTELS IN BOURNEMOUTH

Being a seaside resort as well as a commercial and finance centre, Bournemouth has a good range of hotels, ranging in price from the cheaper family hotels to the more exclusive five star hotels. There are also a number of properties to rent, from houses and flats to mobile homes, which are ideal for families that plan to spend a week or more in the area, as well as for those travelling to Bournemouth on business.

Up to the 1970's the East Cliff area (east of Bournemouth Pier) had more up-market hotels than on the West Cliff, but with recent growth and the redevelopment of many of the older hotels, this is not as marked as it once was. Still, the West Cliff does have more budget family friendly hotels.

Whether you are going to be staying in Bournemouth for business, on holiday or just passing through, Hotel Info has a list of the main hotels in the area and discounted prices.

PROPERTY RENTALS IN BOURNEMOUTH

Self Property Rental is the one stop shop for Holiday Rentals,
Vacation Rentals, Property Rentals and Apartment Rentals. All their Holiday Rental properties are available to view online and you can find the perfect vacation homes wherever you decide to go in the world. They are long and short term holiday rentals, direct from the owner.

HOTELS IN BOURNEMOUTH

The Britannia Bournemouth Hotel Is A Four-storey Seaside Hotel Situated 500 Metres From East Cliff Beach And A Half-mile From The Town Centre. Bournemouth Airport (Boh) Is Seven Miles Away And Takes Approximately 15 Minutes To Reach By Car.
Hotel Features. Complimentary Wireless Internet Is Available In The Lounge Bar Where Freshly- Ground Coffee, Traditional Cream Teas And A Choice Of Alcoholic Drinks Are Served Until Around 9 Pm. Guests Wake Up To A Complimentary Full English Breakfast Each Day. Further Amenities Include Fitness Equipment And Free Parking.


The Bournemouth Marriott Highcliff Hotel Is A Victorian Seafront Hotel Located High Up On The West Cliff Overlooking The Sweeping Dorset Coastline Adjacent To The Bournemouth International Centre; The Beach And Pier Are 300 Metres Away. Bournemouth Airport Is 7 Miles Away With An Approximate Driving Time To Bournemouth Marriott Highcliff Hotel Of Ten Miles.
Hotel Features. This Hotel's Facilities Include A Health Club With Heated Indoor Pool, Spa Tub And Gym. Other Relaxing Facilities Include A Sauna And Steam Room. Fitness Classes Include Yoga And Pilates. In The Summer Months The Sun Terraces And Heated Outdoor Pool Provide A Retreat For Guests, While Steps Lead Down From Outside The Hotel Directly To The Beach Below. The Hotel Has 18 Meeting Rooms, The Largest Able To Accommodate 500 People. Parking Is Available On Site (Surcharge Applies).

Marriott Highcliff Hotel's Highcliff Grill Features Relaxed, Contemporary Decor Overlooking The Sea And Cliffs. Guests Can Also Dine In The Stylish Highcliff Lounge And Bar And In Old Harry's Piano Bar, An Informal Sports Bar With Pool Tables And Big-screen Tv, Open Evenings And Weekends.


The Ramada Encore Bournemouth Is A Contemporary Hotel, Located In Bournemouth Town Centre; The Shopping Centre, Beach And Pier Are All Less Than Half A Mile Away. Bournemouth Airport Is Eight Miles Away, An Approximate Driving Time Of 15 Minutes.
Hotel Features.This City-centre Hotel's Facilities Include A Coffee Bar Where A Buffet Breakfast Is Served Each Morning, And A Range Of Hot And Cold Beverages Are Available Throughout The Day. Wireless Internet Access Is Available In The Lounge Area Of The Bar, And Other Practical Amenities Include A Business Centre, Dry Cleaning Services, And Free Car Parking On Site.

Guestrooms.Ramada Encore Bournemouth Offers 114 Bold Stylish Guestrooms, All Of Which Have Bright Contemporary Decor With Wooden Floors And Modern Furnishings, And Include Interactive Satellite Television With Pay Movies, Direct-dial Phones, Internet Access, Safes, Hair Dryers And Tea And Coffee Making Facilities.


The Belvedere Hotel Is Located In The Seaside Resort Of Bournemouth, England, Within 450 Metres Of The Town Centre And The Beach. Bournemouth Train Station Is One Mile From The Hotel.
Hotel Features. The Belvedere Hotel Is Built In A Traditional Style With White-painted Walls And Grey Tiled Roofs. The Hotel Features A Private Garden And Offers An Indoor Leisure Complex With A Heated Swimming Pool, Hot Tub, Sauna And Cardiovascular Gym Equipment. This Is A Smoke-free Property

The Four Season's Restaurant Serves Breakfast (Complimentary) And Dinner Daily, As Well As Sunday Lunches. Manfred's Pub Offers Ales And Fine Wines Accompanied By Live Music At The Weekend. There Are Two Additional Private Dining Rooms For Groups Or Parties.

The Belvedere Hotel Can Host Conferences And Exhibitions For Up To 7,000 Delegates. There Are Four Halls And A Number Of Break Out And Reception Areas. Wireless Internet Access Is Available Throughout The Hotel.

The following people were either born in Bournemouth, or had a special connection with the town.

I never realised until I researched just how many Rock Musicians came from Bournemouth. I grew up thinking that there was a dearth of good local musical talent. Seems I was wrong...

You can click on any of the names for more information from Wikipedia...

Adrian Havill - Author of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
Colin Allen - Drummer with Focus, Donovan, Bob Dylan and more
Jayne Atkinson - Actress, best known for the role of Karen Hayes on 24
Sir Anthony Blunt - Spy and Art Historian
Tony Brock - Drummer with Spontanious Combustion
Vera Chapman - Founder of The Tolkein Society
Leilani Dowding - Page 3 Girl and Glamour Model
Michael Giles - Drummer and co-founder of King Crimson
Peter Giles - Bas Player and Vocalist with Giles, Giles and Fripp and King Crimson
Lawrence Grant - Actor, The Mask Of Fu Manchu, Bulldog Drummond
Charles Gray - Actor, "Blofeld" in the James Bond movies
Karen Hardy - Dancer, Strictly Come Dancing
Gordon Haskell - Basist and Vocalist with King Crimson
John Hawken - Keyboard player with the Nashville Teens, The Strawbs and Vinegar Joe
Amanda Holden - Actress, and wife of Les Dennis
The Inciders - Hardcore Punk band from Bournemouth
Alex James - Bass player with alternative rock band Blur
Ben Jones - DJ and Television presenter
Lee Kerslake - Drummer with Uriah Heep and Ozzie Osbourne
Ray Lonnen - Actor
Richard Frewen Martin - Decorated WWII pilot and early Jet test pilot
Freddie Mills - British Boxing Champion
Zoot Money - Singer, Pianist and Actor
Cecil Reginald Noble - Awarded the Victoria Cross in WWI
Melita Norwood - Spy for the KGB
Richard Palmer-James - Lyricist for King Crimson and founder of Supertramp
Hubert Parry - English Composer, best known for Jerusalem
Don Partridge - Busker, found fame with his self-penned song "Rosie"
Frederick Charles Riggs - Awarded Victoria Cross for gallantry in WWI
Sir Rocco Forte - British Hotelier
Derek Anthony Seagrim - Recipient of the Victoria Cross in WWII
Stuart Semple - Contemporary British Artist
Russell Spencer - Television presenter and singer
Ken Sprague - Political Cartoonist
Amy Studt - Singer, Songwriter, Musician
Matt Tong - Drummer for Art Rock band Bloc Party
Virginia Wade - Professional Tennis Player
Barbara West - the second to last remaining survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic

More Famous People from Bournemouth

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