Verwood
Encyclopedia
Verwood is a town
and civil parish
in Dorset
, England
. The town lies 15 miles (24.1 km) north of Bournemouth
and 19 miles (30.6 km) north of Poole
. The town has a population of 14,820 according to latest figures (2009) from Dorset County Council, making it the largest town in Dorset without an upper school in terms of population.
Until the end of their useful life, the methods of production had not varied from Roman times, all the processes being carried out with no mechanisation or electrification. For example, the clay was always trodden by foot and not mixed in a pug mill. The wheel was turned by an assistant with a pole or handle. The kilns were wood fired. As such the Crossroads Pottery, then the last remaining in the area, attracted national and local newspaper attention in the early to mid 20th century.
The industry was not confined to a local sales base. Hawkers, or “higglers” took the wares for sale over a wide area of southern England. It was also exported abroad, especially to Newfoundland which had a thriving trade with the nearby port of Poole.
). In 1985, Verwood twinned with French town Champtoceaux
. In 1987, Verwood had reached a population of 9,856. The Parish Council passed the necessary resolution to become a Town Council under provisions made in the 1972 Local Government Act. In 1992, the new Verwood Town Council offices were open. Later that year, the town twinned with German
town Liederbach am Taunus
.
In 1995, the town reached a population of over 11,000. In 2001, the town reached a population of 12,069. Verwood Heritage Centre was opened by Rt. Hon, the Viscount Cranborn. The centre is used as a museum of local history and a coffee shop. In 2007, The Verwood Hub, a multi-purpose cinema and theatre, opens to the public.
Today, the town has a population of over 14,000, and the Verwood Town Plan is currently being constructed in an attempt to provide residents with new facilities, such as a swimming pool and an upper school.
The town has two shopping areas. One in the town centre, and the second being at Pennine Way.
Verwood is home to The Hub
, a community facility which opened in April 2007. The Hub houses the 300 seat Merryfield Theatre, a 100 seat hall and a number of other smaller rooms. These facilities are used for films, plays, concerts and many other activities and the rooms can be hired by various organisations. In the centre of the Hub is a bistro area, surrounded by art displays and various exhibitions.
4th Section champions in 2005 and 2006. This resulted in two trips to the National Brass Band Finals of Great Britain in Harrogate
where they finished 6th and 7th respectively.
In September 2008 the band were placed second at the 3rd section national finals after winning the area championship in March, and made another 'Finals' appearance in 2009 the 2nd section. The band now competes in the 1st section, the second highest section in banding. The band also has a 'B' band who compete in the 4th section, and a training band, where new learners can come and enjoy playing in an ensemble together for the first time. They perform in many concerts in the local area including several performances at the Hub.
Forest FM 92.3 is a community radio station, broadcast in Verwood for listeners based in Dorset. The station provides a range of music throughout the day and is presented independently. Forest FM holds the distinction of being the very first Radio Station to include 'BeatlesandBeyond' - Europe's longest running Beatles themed Radio Show - on its regular schedules. Presenter Pete Dicks chats to international listeners regularly in an internet chat room when Forest FM plays his show.
Verwood is also the home to the Verwood Town F.C.
, a football club founded in 1920. They are based at Potterne Park and are currently members of Wessex League
Division One.
Verwood Leisure Centre provides a wide range of sport, health and fitness facilities to suit all ages, and Potterne Park provides the community with 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of sporting provision including rugby, football, tennis, netball, cricket and a skate park. There is also a bowls club (green bowls)
Verwood also hosts three large family events, Verwood Carnival takes place on the last saturday in June, the Rustic Fayre on August Bank Holiday Monday and Flameburst the last saturday in october.
Public bus services are mainly provided by Wilts & Dorset
. Bus services run to Bournemouth
and Poole
7 days a week on an hourly basis. Services are also provided by Transdev Yellow Buses
to Bournemouth & Poole College.
Rail:
Verwood once housed its own railway station
, however this was closed as part of the Beeching Axe
in 1964 .
The nearest station to the town is Bournemouth
Air:
The nearest airport to the town is Bournemouth Airport
, which is served by RyanAir
, Palmair
and Thomson Airways
The town also has a good road link to the A31
and the A338
and middle
. Verwood CoE First, Hillside First and Trinity CoE VA First accommodate children aged from 4-9.
Emmanuel Middle CoE VA School take children from the three first schools, at ages 9–13. The school is built directly next to Verwood First.
Plans to open an upper school in Verwood were discussed as part of the 2010 Verwood Town Plan.
http://jumelage4c.online.fr/ in the Maine-et-Loire
département of France
.
Liederbach am Taunus
http://www.liederbach-taunus.de/ in the Main-Taunus
Kreis
of Germany
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
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 town lies 15 miles (24.1 km) north 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...
and 19 miles (30.6 km) north of 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 town has a population of 14,820 according to latest figures (2009) from Dorset County Council, making it the largest town in Dorset without an upper school in terms of population.
Early history
Verwood was originally recorded as Beau Bois in 1288, and it was not until 1329 that is got the name Verwood, which developed from Fairwood or The Fayrewood.Pottery industry
The East Dorset Pottery Industry, known collectively as “VERWOOD POTTERY” thrived from earliest time on the clay soils of the neighbourhood and with ample firing material close at hand. The major production was of domestic earthenware although finer and more unusual pieces have been found from earlier times. In the latter days ornamental and novelty items were producedUntil the end of their useful life, the methods of production had not varied from Roman times, all the processes being carried out with no mechanisation or electrification. For example, the clay was always trodden by foot and not mixed in a pug mill. The wheel was turned by an assistant with a pole or handle. The kilns were wood fired. As such the Crossroads Pottery, then the last remaining in the area, attracted national and local newspaper attention in the early to mid 20th century.
The industry was not confined to a local sales base. Hawkers, or “higglers” took the wares for sale over a wide area of southern England. It was also exported abroad, especially to Newfoundland which had a thriving trade with the nearby port of Poole.
1980-Present
The towns (then known as a village) first supermarket opened, which was then a Safeways (now a MorrisonsMorrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
). In 1985, Verwood twinned with French town Champtoceaux
Champtoceaux
Champtoceaux is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department of western France.-Twin towns: Verwood in East Dorset, England. Niederheimbach in the Mainz-Bingen Kreis of Germany. Calcinato in the province of Brescia, in the Lombardy region of Italy...
. In 1987, Verwood had reached a population of 9,856. The Parish Council passed the necessary resolution to become a Town Council under provisions made in the 1972 Local Government Act. In 1992, the new Verwood Town Council offices were open. Later that year, the town twinned with German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
town Liederbach am Taunus
Liederbach am Taunus
Liederbach am Taunus is a town in Hesse, Germany with 8500 inhabitants. It is situated 20 km west of downtown Frankfurt am Main.-Twin towns: Saldus in the Courland region of Latvia Verwood in East Dorset, England. Villebon-sur-Yvette in the Essonne département of France-External links:*...
.
In 1995, the town reached a population of over 11,000. In 2001, the town reached a population of 12,069. Verwood Heritage Centre was opened by Rt. Hon, the Viscount Cranborn. The centre is used as a museum of local history and a coffee shop. In 2007, The Verwood Hub, a multi-purpose cinema and theatre, opens to the public.
Today, the town has a population of over 14,000, and the Verwood Town Plan is currently being constructed in an attempt to provide residents with new facilities, such as a swimming pool and an upper school.
Shopping and facilities
A country market which is open from 10:00 to 11:30 is held each Friday in the Memorial Hall. The market sells locally produced seasonal vegetables and fruit, plants and cut flowers, homemade cakes and jams and craft items.The town has two shopping areas. One in the town centre, and the second being at Pennine Way.
Verwood is home to The Hub
The Hub (Verwood)
The Hub is a multi-purpose venue based in Verwood, Dorset. The Hub opened in 2007, and hosts a range of live music, theatre, art, conferences and workshops....
, a community facility which opened in April 2007. The Hub houses the 300 seat Merryfield Theatre, a 100 seat hall and a number of other smaller rooms. These facilities are used for films, plays, concerts and many other activities and the rooms can be hired by various organisations. In the centre of the Hub is a bistro area, surrounded by art displays and various exhibitions.
Media and culture
The town is home to Verwood Concert Brass, a successful lower section brass band. The band became West of EnglandWest of England
The West of England is a loose and locationally unspecific term sometimes given to the area surrounding the city and county of Bristol, England, and also sometimes applied more widely and in other parts of South West England.-Use in the Bristol area:...
4th Section champions in 2005 and 2006. This resulted in two trips to the National Brass Band Finals of Great Britain in Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
where they finished 6th and 7th respectively.
In September 2008 the band were placed second at the 3rd section national finals after winning the area championship in March, and made another 'Finals' appearance in 2009 the 2nd section. The band now competes in the 1st section, the second highest section in banding. The band also has a 'B' band who compete in the 4th section, and a training band, where new learners can come and enjoy playing in an ensemble together for the first time. They perform in many concerts in the local area including several performances at the Hub.
Forest FM 92.3 is a community radio station, broadcast in Verwood for listeners based in Dorset. The station provides a range of music throughout the day and is presented independently. Forest FM holds the distinction of being the very first Radio Station to include 'BeatlesandBeyond' - Europe's longest running Beatles themed Radio Show - on its regular schedules. Presenter Pete Dicks chats to international listeners regularly in an internet chat room when Forest FM plays his show.
Sports and recreation
Verwood is the home to Verwood Rugby Union Football Club, a relatively young and ambitious rugby club founded in 1995. The club's pitch is located at Potterne Park, and the club house is currently hosted by Club31 (formerly the Verwood Royal British Legion) in the town centre. Verwood RUFC are currently members of Dorset & Wilts Division 3 South League.Verwood is also the home to the Verwood Town F.C.
Verwood Town F.C.
Verwood Town F.C. are a football club based in Verwood, Dorset, England. They were among the founding members of Wessex League Division Three in 2004. They are currently members of Wessex League Division One.-External links:*...
, a football club founded in 1920. They are based at Potterne Park and are currently members of Wessex League
Wessex League
The Wessex League is an English association football league formed in 1986, with its premier division currently at the fifth step of the National League System, or the ninth tier of the overall English football league system...
Division One.
Verwood Leisure Centre provides a wide range of sport, health and fitness facilities to suit all ages, and Potterne Park provides the community with 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of sporting provision including rugby, football, tennis, netball, cricket and a skate park. There is also a bowls club (green bowls)
Verwood also hosts three large family events, Verwood Carnival takes place on the last saturday in June, the Rustic Fayre on August Bank Holiday Monday and Flameburst the last saturday in october.
Transport
Public bus service:Public bus services are mainly provided by Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
. Bus services run to 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
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...
7 days a week on an hourly basis. Services are also provided by Transdev Yellow Buses
Transdev Yellow Buses
Yellow Buses is a bus operator based in Bournemouth, on the south coast of England, owned by the RATP Group, a company owned by the government of France. Although most routes are restricted to the Bournemouth local authority area, an increasing number are expanding into the adjacent areas of...
to Bournemouth & Poole College.
Rail:
Verwood once housed its own railway station
Verwood railway station
Verwood Railway Station served Verwood, a town in East Dorset in southern England, and its hinterland, from 1866 to 1964. It was one of many casualties of the mass closure of British railway lines in the 1960s; the last train running on 2 May 1964...
, however this was closed as part of the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
in 1964 .
The nearest station to the town is Bournemouth
Bournemouth railway station
Bournemouth railway station, originally known as Bournemouth East and then Bournemouth Central , is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
Air:
The nearest airport to the town is Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England...
, which is served by RyanAir
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
, Palmair
Palmair
Palmair was a British tour operator with its head office in the Space House in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Palmair offered charter and scheduled flights on behalf of Bath Travel. Its main base was Bournemouth Airport...
and Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways
Thomson Airways is the world's largest charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the UK to destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. The company commenced operations on 1 November 2008, following the merger and subsequent re-branding of Thomsonfly and First...
The town also has a good road link to the A31
A31 road
The A31 is a major trunk road in southern England that runs from Guildford in Surrey to Bere Regis in Dorset.-Route of road:The road begins in the centre of Guildford, meeting the A3 road before running south west along the Hog's Back. It continues past Farnham, Alton and New Alresford before...
and the A338
Education
Schooling in Verwood is based on 2-tier system, firstFirst School
First school and lower school are terms used in some areas of the United Kingdom to describe the first stage of primary education. Some English Local Education Authorities have introduced First Schools since the 1960s...
and middle
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
. Verwood CoE First, Hillside First and Trinity CoE VA First accommodate children aged from 4-9.
Emmanuel Middle CoE VA School take children from the three first schools, at ages 9–13. The school is built directly next to Verwood First.
Plans to open an upper school in Verwood were discussed as part of the 2010 Verwood Town Plan.
Notable residents
- Lionel JeffriesLionel JeffriesLionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
- actor, writer and director - Jessie MatthewsJessie MatthewsJessie Matthews, OBE was an English actress, dancer and singer of the 1930s, whose career continued into the post-war period.-Early life:...
- actress, singer and dancer - Buster MerryfieldBuster MerryfieldHarry "Buster" Merryfield was an English actor best known for starring in the BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses.-Early life:...
- actor - Sean O'DriscollSean O'DriscollSean Michael O'Driscoll is an English-Irish football manager and former player. He is currently without a club, having been relieved of his duties as manager of Doncaster Rovers in September 2011. He joined Doncaster in September 2006 following Dave Penney's departure. He was previously manager at...
- manager of Doncaster Rovers FC and former AFC Bournemouth player and manager - Matt TubbsMatt TubbsMatthew Stephen Tubbs is an English footballer who plays for Crawley Town as a striker.-Salisbury City:Born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, Tubbs signed for Salisbury City from Dorchester Town and scored on his debut in a 5–1 win against Fleet Town. He has helped 'The Whites' rise through the leagues,...
- footballer - Darren KennyDarren KennyDarren Kenny OBE is a British road and track racing cyclist and Paralympian. Kenny's results have made him one of his sport's biggest stars.-Career:...
- paralympic cyclist - Gordon HaskellGordon HaskellGordon Haskell is a Pop, Rock & Blues music vocalist, songwriter, and bassist. He first gained recognition as a member of the British band Les Fleur de Lys. He sang on one of the songs of King Crimson's second album, then played bass and sang on their third album...
- pop music vocalist, songwriter and bassist - Eddie HoweEddie HoweEdward "Eddie" Howe is an English former footballer and manager of Burnley. A defender before retirement who spent much of his career at Bournemouth, he was the youngest manager in the Football League when appointed Bournemouth manager in January 2009.-Playing career:Howe began his professional...
- manager of Burnley FC and former AFC Bournemouth player and manager
Twin towns
ChamptoceauxChamptoceaux
Champtoceaux is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department of western France.-Twin towns: Verwood in East Dorset, England. Niederheimbach in the Mainz-Bingen Kreis of Germany. Calcinato in the province of Brescia, in the Lombardy region of Italy...
http://jumelage4c.online.fr/ in the Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire is a department in west-central France, in the Pays de la Loire region.- History :Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791....
département of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Liederbach am Taunus
Liederbach am Taunus
Liederbach am Taunus is a town in Hesse, Germany with 8500 inhabitants. It is situated 20 km west of downtown Frankfurt am Main.-Twin towns: Saldus in the Courland region of Latvia Verwood in East Dorset, England. Villebon-sur-Yvette in the Essonne département of France-External links:*...
http://www.liederbach-taunus.de/ in the Main-Taunus
Main-Taunus-Kreis
Main-Taunus is a Kreis in the middle of Hesse, Germany and is part of the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region as well as the Frankfurt urban area...
Kreis
Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
External links
- Verwood Town Council
- Verwood Community Information & Links
- Verwood Heathlands Heritage Centre
- Verwood Twinning Association
- Verwood Historical Society
- Verwood Timeline and Historical Information
- Verwood Concert Brass
- Forest FM
- Association of Verwood Residents
- Flameburst
Schools
Sport and leisure
- Verwood Leisure Centre
- Verwood Rugby Union Football Club
- Verwood Town Football Club
- Verwood Cricket Club
Churches
- St Michael's (Church of England)
- Verwood Methodist Church(Not been updated for some time)
- Verwood Salvation Army
- Verwood Road Evangelical Chapel