Branksome, Dorset
Encyclopedia
Branksome is a suburb of Poole
in Dorset
, England
. The area consists of mainly residential properties but also has a small commercial area. It borders Parkstone
, another small Poole suburb, to the west and north, Branksome Park
(a more affluent forested area) to the south and Westbourne
(a suburb of Bournemouth
, Poole's conurbation neighbour) to the east.
Until the early part of the 20th century Branksome had its own council, the Branksome Urban District Council. This council's former headquarters was made into an Elderly Persons' dwelling in 1987 and called Bob Hann House after Robert George Hann, Mayor of Poole 1968/69, who was Chairman of the Poole Borough Housing Committee from 1973 until his death in 1986.
and woodlands. With the development and growth of nearby Bournemouth
and later Poole
the area became popular as a place to live, mainly because the area was relatively undeveloped but yet was within commuting distance between Poole and Bournemouth. With the development of the railways, Branksome continued to grow, served by the new Victorian line between Wimborne, Poole and Bournemouth. Branksome railway station
which still serves the area today helped encourage a massive growth in the early 20th century. Most of the houses in Branksome today are from the Edwardian period and before the Second World War. The area became an official suburb of Poole in the 1960s and by the 1980s almost all open areas of Branksome were built upon. The area however still has some heathland towards the Wallisdown
and Canford Heath
areas, as well as a large and popular park known as the Branksome Recreation Ground, which is home to Parkstone Cricket Club. Branksome merges with the area known as Branksome Park
, an area of more expensive properties.
, Comet and in the 1980s & 1990s the commercial retail park also had a large Texas Homecare
store that was in direct competition with Homebase at the time. There is also a Tesco
supermarket as well as smaller local shops which front Ashley Road and Westbourne Road. Branksome is home to 1 of 18 Bowlplex
"bowling alley/total entertainment centres" in the UK. A new John Lewis
store named John Lewis at Home opened in Branksome on 22 October 2009 and replaced the now defunct Court's Furniture Store
. The £6 million development is one-third of the size of a normal John Lewis department store
and is the first of a new experimental format for the retailer focusing exclusively on homeware.
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is 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...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The area consists of mainly residential properties but also has a small commercial area. It borders Parkstone
Parkstone
Parkstone is an area of Poole, Dorset. It is divided into 'Lower' and 'Upper' Parkstone. Upper Parkstone - "Up-on-'ill" as it used to be known in local parlance - is so-called because it is largely on higher ground slightly to the north of the lower-lying area of Lower Parkstone - "The Village" -...
, another small Poole suburb, to the west and north, Branksome Park
Branksome Park
Branksome Park is a suburb of Poole in Dorset, which adjoins Branksome, Dorset. The area covers approximately , mostly occupied by housing, and includes Branksome Chine which leads to the award-winning blue-flagged beaches of Poole.-Description:...
(a more affluent forested area) to the south and Westbourne
Westbourne, Dorset
Westbourne is an affluent residential and shopping area of Bournemouth, Dorset. It is located in between Branksome, Poole and the centre of Bournemouth, just off the main A338. Poole Road, mainly full of specialised shops and small cafes, runs though the centre Westbourne with Seamoor Road curving...
(a suburb of Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, Poole's conurbation neighbour) to the east.
Until the early part of the 20th century Branksome had its own council, the Branksome Urban District Council. This council's former headquarters was made into an Elderly Persons' dwelling in 1987 and called Bob Hann House after Robert George Hann, Mayor of Poole 1968/69, who was Chairman of the Poole Borough Housing Committee from 1973 until his death in 1986.
Residential development
Until the late 19th century the area was mainly unbuilt heathHeath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
and woodlands. With the development and growth of nearby Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
and later Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is 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 area became popular as a place to live, mainly because the area was relatively undeveloped but yet was within commuting distance between Poole and Bournemouth. With the development of the railways, Branksome continued to grow, served by the new Victorian line between Wimborne, Poole and Bournemouth. Branksome railway station
Branksome railway station
Branksome railway station is a railway station serving the Branksome and Branksome Park areas of Poole in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth.-History:...
which still serves the area today helped encourage a massive growth in the early 20th century. Most of the houses in Branksome today are from the Edwardian period and before the Second World War. The area became an official suburb of Poole in the 1960s and by the 1980s almost all open areas of Branksome were built upon. The area however still has some heathland towards the Wallisdown
Wallisdown
Wallisdown is a residential and commercial area situated partly in Bournemouth and partly in Poole, in southern England.- Geography :Wallisdown is situated on the border between Bournemouth and Poole...
and Canford Heath
Canford Heath
Canford Heath is a suburb and area of heathland in Poole, Dorset with a population of just under 14,500.-Geography:Canford Heath has also given its name to a housing development built on the heathland during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s...
areas, as well as a large and popular park known as the Branksome Recreation Ground, which is home to Parkstone Cricket Club. Branksome merges with the area known as Branksome Park
Branksome Park
Branksome Park is a suburb of Poole in Dorset, which adjoins Branksome, Dorset. The area covers approximately , mostly occupied by housing, and includes Branksome Chine which leads to the award-winning blue-flagged beaches of Poole.-Description:...
, an area of more expensive properties.
Commercial development
The area has a small commercial and shopping area based around the old Poole clay and pottery works (until the mid 20th century, served by its own railway line). The area has several large shops focusing on DIY, electronics and furniture such as HomebaseHomebase
Homebase is a British home improvement store and garden centre, with 350 stores across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is well known by its green and orange colour scheme. Together with its sister company Argos , it forms part of Home Retail Group. Homebase recorded sales figures...
, Comet and in the 1980s & 1990s the commercial retail park also had a large Texas Homecare
Texas Homecare
Texas Homecare was a chain of DIY stores in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, that operated from 1972 until 1999.-History:Texas Homecare was established in 1972 by Manny, Sydney and Gerald Fogel, who had previously founded the high street specialist paint and wallpaper chain Home Charm...
store that was in direct competition with Homebase at the time. There is also a Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
supermarket as well as smaller local shops which front Ashley Road and Westbourne Road. Branksome is home to 1 of 18 Bowlplex
Bowlplex
Bowlplex plc is a bowling and leisure corporation that own and operate 18 "total entertainment centres" across England, Wales and Scotland.Bowlplex was formed in 1976 to acquire the Branksome Bowl, although it was not until 1984 that current Managing Director, Tracy Standish became involved with...
"bowling alley/total entertainment centres" in the UK. A new John Lewis
John Lewis (department store)
-Recent developments:In June 2004, John Lewis announced plans to open its first store in Northern Ireland at the Sprucefield Park development, the province's largest out of town shopping centre, located outside Lisburn and from Belfast. The application was approved in June 2005 and the opening of...
store named John Lewis at Home opened in Branksome on 22 October 2009 and replaced the now defunct Court's Furniture Store
Courts Plc
Courts is a retailer of furniture and electronic goods with stores in the Caribbean and Asia. It was originally founded in 1850 in the United Kingdom. It was known for an advertising campaign in the 1980s and 1990s that featured Bruce Forsyth dressed as a judge . After this it advertised with a...
. The £6 million development is one-third of the size of a normal John Lewis department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
and is the first of a new experimental format for the retailer focusing exclusively on homeware.