Littledown
Encyclopedia
Littledown is a suburb of Bournemouth
, Dorset
. Originally it was a small settlement to the south of the much more important Holdenhurst Village
, and for centuries it existed as a huddle of farm buildings clinging on to the edge of the heathland.
For many years Littledown had remained an isolated farming community with areas of open fields on the northern edge of Bournemouth, with Mr Joseph Edward Cooper-Dean living in Littledown House. Eventually the only descendants were two spinster sisters who sold Littledown House, with the surrounding farmland, to Bournemouth Council in the early 1980s. There was a lot of discussion as to what the Council would do with the area but eventually much of the land was sold off for housing. A large section was set by for a park and a sports centre.
Most of the built environment that now makes up Littledown was subsequently developed in the 1980s. Notable buildings include the Chaseside Campus of JPMorgan, the Royal Bournemouth Hospital
, Bournemouth County Court
and the Littledown Leisure Centre. In Riverside Avenue there is a mid-20th century home for retired nurses, and even older is Littledown House, which dates back to the late 18th century.
Littledown House, a listed building, located in the grounds of the JPMorgan campus, has been restored to the elegance it would have displayed in the late 18th century, when it would have been a classic Jane Austen
type mansion. With all the new buildings that now cover Littledown, it can be difficult to imagine it as farmland, but drivers on the A338 Spur Road can look out for a set of warning lights near to the back of the hospital site. When the Spur Road was first built, it cut off the Cooper Dean land at Littledown from their farms at Holdenhurst. One of the concessions to the family was that the road was built with a cattle crossing. No one seems to recall it ever being used, however the old agreement remains in force.
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...
, 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...
. Originally it was a small settlement to the south of the much more important Holdenhurst Village
Holdenhurst
Holdenhurst is a small isolated village situated in green belt land in the north-east suburbs of Bournemouth, England. The village comprises fewer than 30 dwellings, two farms and the parish church...
, and for centuries it existed as a huddle of farm buildings clinging on to the edge of the heathland.
For many years Littledown had remained an isolated farming community with areas of open fields on the northern edge of Bournemouth, with Mr Joseph Edward Cooper-Dean living in Littledown House. Eventually the only descendants were two spinster sisters who sold Littledown House, with the surrounding farmland, to Bournemouth Council in the early 1980s. There was a lot of discussion as to what the Council would do with the area but eventually much of the land was sold off for housing. A large section was set by for a park and a sports centre.
Most of the built environment that now makes up Littledown was subsequently developed in the 1980s. Notable buildings include the Chaseside Campus of JPMorgan, the Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
The Royal Bournemouth Hospital is an acute general hospital in Bournemouth, Dorset, UK. It has 692 beds and is part of The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.-Location:...
, Bournemouth County Court
County Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
and the Littledown Leisure Centre. In Riverside Avenue there is a mid-20th century home for retired nurses, and even older is Littledown House, which dates back to the late 18th century.
Littledown House, a listed building, located in the grounds of the JPMorgan campus, has been restored to the elegance it would have displayed in the late 18th century, when it would have been a classic Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
type mansion. With all the new buildings that now cover Littledown, it can be difficult to imagine it as farmland, but drivers on the A338 Spur Road can look out for a set of warning lights near to the back of the hospital site. When the Spur Road was first built, it cut off the Cooper Dean land at Littledown from their farms at Holdenhurst. One of the concessions to the family was that the road was built with a cattle crossing. No one seems to recall it ever being used, however the old agreement remains in force.