Parkstone
Encyclopedia
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" - which includes areas adjacent to Poole Harbour
.
Because of the proximity to the shoreline, and the more residential nature of Lower Parkstone, it is the more sought-after district, and originally included Lilliput
and the Sandbanks
Peninsula (now part of Canford Cliffs
) within its official bounds. Lower Parkstone is centred on Ashley Cross, the original location of Parkstone Grammar School
, near to the Parish Church of St. Peter. Despite the residential reputation, Parkstone was the site of several industrial undertakings, the largest being George Jennings South Western Pottery
, a manufacturer of salt-glaze drainage and sanitary pipes, which had its own steam locomotive, that ran on a private branch line from Parkstone Station
. Much of this area was agricultural until the 1920s and 1930s.
Upper Parkstone includes large areas of smaller artisan housing, and the shopping street of Ashley Road and the parish church of St. John's Heatherlands are its central focus. There are larger properties, however, and the views from this higher part of the suburb across Poole Harbour
to the Purbeck Hills
are spectacular. Many photographs taken over the years from the Seaview viewpoint (overlooking much of Poole centre and Harbour) exist as postcards, and can be used to chart the changes to the area.
In January 1885 we find the earliest indication that a plot of land amounting to 6 acres 2 rods and 35 poles (approximately 25,000 square metres or 2.5 hectares) was to be set aside as a public open space in plans presented to the Council as a result of an invitation to a number of local architects for proposals laying out the Estate. But what is now known as "Alexandra Park
" is essentially Edwardian in concept, having evolved over a period of some 30 years (1885 - 1915). The name dates from June 1906, the presumption being that it is named after Queen Alexandra, consort of the reigning Edward VII.
Much of Upper Parkstone was developed during the Victorian era and is typical for an area of this time, with most of the main shops being along the main road (Ashley Road) together with a few pubs and churches, and most houses being in adjacent roads. A lot of roads are named after important people or events of their time such as Albert Road, Victoria Road and Jubilee Road etc.
The area expanded into other areas such as Branksome and Rossmore and later Alderney, which are sometimes considered to be part of Parkstone. Although most houses are owner-occupied, council houses were also built in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Trinidad and Bourne Estates are typical examples of post-war housing estates although there are very few council flats in Parkstone as much of the area retains its suburban character.
Today Ashley Road is mostly made up of commercial premises, and small blocks of flats have been built in the last 20 years, although further away from the main road the area has changed little. There are a few older cottage-style houses that can be found as reminders of when the area was agricultural, including several pairs of 'Lady Wimborne' houses - yellow brick cottages with steep gables built by the Canford Estate, which can be found in the areas in which the estate owned property, from Longham to Lilliput.
Ashley Road is the main 'corridor' between Bournemouth
and Poole and benefits from much through business. Waitrose
has now moved into the old Safeway
site, abandoning its smaller Westbourne
store.
In Lower Parkstone, Ashley Cross retains much character from being a village despite commercial buildings moving out from Poole town centre. Commercial Road is the main thoroughfare here, providing another through route - and bus route - from Poole to Bournemouth. The station
is in Lower Parkstone, near Parkstone Park.
also have Parkstone addresses.
In Lower Parkstone the schools are:
In Upper Parkstone the schools are:
In Upper Parkstone the schools that have now closed are:
Private schools are:
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...
, 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...
. 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" - which includes areas adjacent to Poole Harbour
Poole Harbour
Poole Harbour is a large natural harbour in Dorset, southern England, with the town of Poole on its shores. The harbour is a drowned valley formed at the end of the last ice age and is the estuary of several rivers, the largest being the Frome. The harbour has a long history of human settlement...
.
Because of the proximity to the shoreline, and the more residential nature of Lower Parkstone, it is the more sought-after district, and originally included Lilliput
Lilliput, Poole
Lilliput is a district of Poole, Dorset. It borders on Lower Parkstone, Whitecliff, Canford Cliffs, and Sandbanks, and has a shoreline within Poole Harbour. Lilliput also has a sub area called Salterns Marina, which has views of Sandbanks, Brownsea Island, and in the distance, Whitecliff...
and the Sandbanks
Sandbanks
Sandbanks is a small peninsula or spit crossing the mouth of Poole Harbour on the English Channel coast at Poole in Dorset, England. It is well-known for the highly regarded Sandbanks Beach and property value; Sandbanks has, by area, the fourth highest land value in the world...
Peninsula (now part of Canford Cliffs
Canford Cliffs
Canford Cliffs is an affluent suburb of Poole in Dorset, England. The neighbourhood lies on the English Channel coast midway between Poole and Bournemouth...
) within its official bounds. Lower Parkstone is centred on Ashley Cross, the original location of Parkstone Grammar School
Parkstone Grammar School
Parkstone Grammar School is a selective, all girls state-school in Poole, on the southern coast of England.-Admissions:...
, near to the Parish Church of St. Peter. Despite the residential reputation, Parkstone was the site of several industrial undertakings, the largest being George Jennings South Western Pottery
George Jennings
George Jennings was an English sanitary engineer and plumber who invented the first public toilets.Josiah George Jennings was born on 10 November 1810 in Eling, at the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire. He was the eldest of seven children of Jonas Joseph Jennings and Mary Dimmock...
, a manufacturer of salt-glaze drainage and sanitary pipes, which had its own steam locomotive, that ran on a private branch line from Parkstone Station
Parkstone railway station
Parkstone railway station is a railway station serving the Parkstone area of Poole in Dorset. The platform sign used to say "Parkstone "....
. Much of this area was agricultural until the 1920s and 1930s.
Upper Parkstone includes large areas of smaller artisan housing, and the shopping street of Ashley Road and the parish church of St. John's Heatherlands are its central focus. There are larger properties, however, and the views from this higher part of the suburb across Poole Harbour
Poole Harbour
Poole Harbour is a large natural harbour in Dorset, southern England, with the town of Poole on its shores. The harbour is a drowned valley formed at the end of the last ice age and is the estuary of several rivers, the largest being the Frome. The harbour has a long history of human settlement...
to the Purbeck Hills
Purbeck Hills
The Purbeck Hills and South Dorset Downs are a ridge of chalk downs in Dorset, England. The hills extend from the Dorset Downs west of Dorchester, where the River Frome begins to form a valley dividing them from the larger area of downland to the north. The ridge then runs east through the Isle...
are spectacular. Many photographs taken over the years from the Seaview viewpoint (overlooking much of Poole centre and Harbour) exist as postcards, and can be used to chart the changes to the area.
History
The "Upper Parkstone Estate" was a significant area of land vested in the local authority by the Great Canford Award of 1831, but it was slow to develop into the bustling neighbourhood of today.In January 1885 we find the earliest indication that a plot of land amounting to 6 acres 2 rods and 35 poles (approximately 25,000 square metres or 2.5 hectares) was to be set aside as a public open space in plans presented to the Council as a result of an invitation to a number of local architects for proposals laying out the Estate. But what is now known as "Alexandra Park
Alexandra Park, Poole
Alexandra Park is a small but well-used public open space set within the densely urbanised area of Parkstone in Poole, on the south coast of England. It's bowling green and pavilion is home to Alexandra Park Lawn Bowls Club, established in the 1920s...
" is essentially Edwardian in concept, having evolved over a period of some 30 years (1885 - 1915). The name dates from June 1906, the presumption being that it is named after Queen Alexandra, consort of the reigning Edward VII.
Much of Upper Parkstone was developed during the Victorian era and is typical for an area of this time, with most of the main shops being along the main road (Ashley Road) together with a few pubs and churches, and most houses being in adjacent roads. A lot of roads are named after important people or events of their time such as Albert Road, Victoria Road and Jubilee Road etc.
The area expanded into other areas such as Branksome and Rossmore and later Alderney, which are sometimes considered to be part of Parkstone. Although most houses are owner-occupied, council houses were also built in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Trinidad and Bourne Estates are typical examples of post-war housing estates although there are very few council flats in Parkstone as much of the area retains its suburban character.
Today Ashley Road is mostly made up of commercial premises, and small blocks of flats have been built in the last 20 years, although further away from the main road the area has changed little. There are a few older cottage-style houses that can be found as reminders of when the area was agricultural, including several pairs of 'Lady Wimborne' houses - yellow brick cottages with steep gables built by the Canford Estate, which can be found in the areas in which the estate owned property, from Longham to Lilliput.
Ashley Road is the main 'corridor' between 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 Poole and benefits from much through business. Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
has now moved into the old Safeway
Safeway (UK)
Safeway was a chain of supermarkets and convenience stores in the United Kingdom. It started as a subsidiary of the American Safeway Inc., before being sold off in 1987....
site, abandoning its smaller 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...
store.
In Lower Parkstone, Ashley Cross retains much character from being a village despite commercial buildings moving out from Poole town centre. Commercial Road is the main thoroughfare here, providing another through route - and bus route - from Poole to Bournemouth. The station
Parkstone railway station
Parkstone railway station is a railway station serving the Parkstone area of Poole in Dorset. The platform sign used to say "Parkstone "....
is in Lower Parkstone, near Parkstone Park.
Education
Parkstone has a large number of schools for all ages. The North Road and Constitution Hill campuses of The Bournemouth and Poole CollegeBournemouth and Poole College
The Bournemouth and Poole College is a further education establishment based in Bournemouth and Poole on the south coast of England. It is one of the larger UK colleges catering for an average of 24,000 learners each year, and it is a member of the 157 Group of high performing schools.- Courses...
also have Parkstone addresses.
In Lower Parkstone the schools are:
- Courthill First School and Lilliput First School feeding into Baden Powell and St Peters Middle School; pupils then go on to Poole High SchoolPoole High SchoolPoole High School is a mixed gender high school and sixth form for 12-18 year olds located in the centre of Poole, Dorset on the South Coast of England...
, Poole Grammar SchoolPoole Grammar SchoolPoole Grammar School is a selective, all boys grammar school in Poole, on the south coast of England.-Admissions:...
or Parkstone Grammar SchoolParkstone Grammar SchoolParkstone Grammar School is a selective, all girls state-school in Poole, on the southern coast of England.-Admissions:...
In Upper Parkstone the schools are:
- Heatherlands First School and Sylvan First School which feed into Branksome Heath Middle School. Sylvan First School is for 4–8 year olds and was built in 1952 as in infant school.
- Manorside Combined SchoolManorside Combined SchoolManorside Combined School is a school in Alderney in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, in the United Kingdom. The school teaches children ages 4–12 years old....
, St Aldhelm's Combined School and Talbot Combined SchoolTalbot Combined SchoolTalbot Combined School is a school for around 520 4-12 year old pupils sited in Wallisdown, Poole, Dorset. Its catchment area is the Poole half of the local Wallsidown/Talbot area and children also come from around Alder Hills and over the border. The school colours are green and yellow and are...
which all feed into Rossmore Community CollegeRossmore Community CollegeSt Aldhelm's Academy is a 12–18 mixed specialist school with Sports College status serving the Rossmore, Parkstone, Newtown, Wallisdown and Alderney areas of Poole, United Kingdom...
. - St Joseph's Combined School is a Roman Catholic school which feeds into St Edward's School, PooleSt Edward's Roman Catholic Church of England SchoolSt Edward's Roman Catholic/Church of England School is a voluntary aided secondary school in Poole, Dorset in South West England.St Edwards turned 40 years old in 2003, and is one of only nine joint Roman Catholic and Church of England secondary schools in the country.Originally the school was only...
. - Winchelsea Special School is next to Manorside in Alderney and The Victoria School for children with disabilities is in Branksome.
In Upper Parkstone the schools that have now closed are:
- Trinidad First School for children aged 4–8 years old who progressed to Alderney Middle School. The school opened in 1952 to replace Martin Road School and merged with Alderney in 2004 to become Manorside Combined School. The first school moved to the Alderney site and the old school site was redeveloped as housing. Heatherlands was once a full Primary School with an Infant and Junior Section, but was reorganised in the 1980s, closing the Junior section.
Private schools are:
- Buckholme Towers School
- Bournemouth Collegiate Preparatory School
Areas of Parkstone
These are areas of Poole which are also considered to be in Parkstone:- AlderneyAlderney, DorsetAlderney is a suburb and electoral ward in the town of Poole in Dorset, England with a population of 11,196. It is Poole's second most densely populated area with 31 people to each hectare and suffers much higher than average levels of poverty, illiteracy and crime.-External links:...
- Ashley Cross
- BranksomeBranksome, DorsetBranksome 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 to the south and Westbourne to the east.Until the early part of the...
- LilliputLilliput, PooleLilliput is a district of Poole, Dorset. It borders on Lower Parkstone, Whitecliff, Canford Cliffs, and Sandbanks, and has a shoreline within Poole Harbour. Lilliput also has a sub area called Salterns Marina, which has views of Sandbanks, Brownsea Island, and in the distance, Whitecliff...
- NewtownNewtown, DorsetNewtown is a suburb and electoral ward in the town of Poole in Dorset, England with a population of 11,132.-References:...
- Penn HillPenn HillPenn Hill is an electoral ward of Poole in Dorset, England, bordering on Branksome Park, Canford Cliffs, Sandbanks, Lilliput and Parkstone. It is effectively part of Parkstone.-Overview:* 10,293 people live in Penn Hill....
- Rossmore
- Sea View
- WallisdownWallisdownWallisdown 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...
- partly in PoolePoolePoole 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...
, partly in BournemouthBournemouthBournemouth 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... - WhitecliffWhitecliffWhitecliff, is a small area of Parkstone in Poole, Dorset, England. It is situated near the eastern shore of Poole Harbour and is a very sought-after residential district of Poole due to its park and harbour view....