Christchurch | |
|---|---|
Town andcivil parish | |
 Christchurch Priory, the longest parish church in England | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Motto: 'For Fidelity and Freedom' | |
 Location of former Christchurch borough (dark red) within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (red) | |
| Coordinates:50°44′N1°47′W / 50.73°N 1.78°W /50.73; -1.78 | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | South West England |
| Ceremonial county | Dorset |
| Historic county | Hampshire |
| Unitary authority | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole |
| Government | |
| • Type | Borough council |
| • Body | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council |
| • MP: | Christopher Chope (C) |
| Area | |
• Total | 50.4 km2 (19.5 sq mi) |
| Population (2021 census)[2] | |
• Total | 31,372 |
| • Density | 909/km2 (2,350/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| Postcode | |
| Post town | christchurch |
| Area codes | 01202 01425 |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-DOR(Dorset) |
| ONS code | 19UC (ONS) E07000048 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | SZ156923 |
| Website | Town Council |
Christchurch (/ˈkraɪs(t)tʃɜːrtʃ/) is a town andcivil parish on the south coast[3] ofDorset, England. The parish had a population of 31,372 in 2021.[2] It adjoinsBournemouth to the west, with theNew Forest to the east. Part of thehistoric county ofHampshire, Christchurch was aborough within the administrative county of Dorset from 1974 until 2019, when it became part of the newBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority.
Founded in the 7th century at theconfluence of the riversAvon andStour which flow intoChristchurch Harbour, the town was originally named Twynham but became known as Christchurch following the construction of thepriory in 1094. The town developed into an important trading port, and wasfortified in the 9th century. Further defences were added in the 12th century with the construction of acastle, which was destroyed during theEnglish Civil War by theParliamentarian Army. During the 18th and 19th centuries,smuggling flourished and became one of the town's most lucrative industries. The town was heavily fortified during theSecond World War as a precaution against an expectedinvasion, and in 1940 anAirspeed factory was established on the town'sairfield to make aircraft for theRoyal Air Force.
The town's harbour, beaches, nature reserves and historically important buildings have made Christchurch a popular tourist destination.Bournemouth Airport, aninternational airport which handled around 800,000 passengers in 2019, is within the former borough boundary atHurn. The airport'sindustrial park contains a number ofaerospace and engineering businesses and is one of the largest employment sites in Dorset.
Christchurch was founded in approximately AD 650 bymissionaries sent toWessex bySt Birinus, the firstBishop of Dorchester (Oxfordshire). They settled on a stretch of raised land between the riversAvon andStour which carried people and their wares to and from market settlements such asBlandford andOld Sarum (near modernSalisbury).[4] The harbour became one of the most important inSaxon England as it was easily reached from thecontinent and boats could travel up the river Avon to Salisbury.[4][5] The town appears in theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle entry of 901 asTweoxneam (Twynham) fromOld Englishbetweoxn (between) andēam (rivers).[6] In around 890 AD,Alfred the Great considered Twynham to be of such strategic importance that, with the threat of invasion by theDanes, he made it aburh and defensive walls were erected around the town.[7] In 1094 a chief minister ofKing William II,Ranulf Flambard, thenDean of Twynham, began the building ofa priory on the site of the original mission church.[8][9] Soon after the construction of the priory the town became known as Christchurch.[8]
Some time in the early 12th century, acastle was built within the town.[10] Originally a wooden fort built byRichard de Redvers, first cousin toKing Henry I, it was rebuilt in stone byBaldwin de Redvers to resistKing Stephen during thecivil war with theEmpress Matilda. The castle again saw action during theCivil War of 1642–1651 when occupied by theParliamentarians. Christchurch changed hands a number of times: originally underRoyalist control, it was captured by SirWilliam Waller's Parliamentary army in 1644.Lord Goring briefly retook the town in 1645 but was obliged to withdraw and returned with a larger force days later and laid siege to the castle. However, the Parliamentarians withstood the siege and maintained their hold on the town. Fearing such a powerful stronghold might once again fall into Royalist hands,Cromwell ordered the castle to be destroyed in 1652.[10][11]
Although the fishing industry thrived in Christchurch, the importance of the harbour declined as it became inaccessible to vessels of a large draught. The harbour entrance was particularly troublesome with constantly shifting sandbars. In 1665Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, bought theLordship of the Manor of Christchurch. As part of his plans to improve trade in the town, he attempted to resolve the problems with the harbour entrance by cutting a new one through thesandspit at the foot ofHengistbury Head. However, upon completion the new entrance repeatedly silted up and in 1703a large storm damaged agroyne which blocked the entrance entirely. Over the following 150 years alternative schemes were proposed but none were ever taken up.[12]
Smuggling was one of Christchurch's most lucrative industries during the 18th and 19th centuries due to easy access to neighbouring towns and the difficult harbour entrance which acted as a barrier tocustoms cutters.[13][14] Many townspeople were involved in this illegal trade and large quantities of wealth were accumulated.[15] In 1784 a confrontation between a gang of local smugglers andCustoms and Excise officers led to theBattle of Mudeford in which aRoyal Navy officer was killed and a smuggler subsequently executed.[16] Another important industry during this period was the manufacture offusee chains for watches and clocks. In 1790, Robert Cox began to manufacture fusee chains in workshops in the High Street.[17] By 1793 Cox gained a monopoly on chain production in Britain, supplying watch, clock andchronometer makers throughout the country.[18] In 1845 William Hart opened a similar factory in Bargates. However, by 1875 the chains were no longer required due to changes in watch designs and the factories were closed.[19]
The railway came to Christchurch in 1847 although the nearest station, Christchurch Road, was atHolmsley and passengers were taken the rest of the way by omnibus.[20] In 1862a new station was built in the town close to where it stands today and was served by a branch line fromRingwood. Christchurch joined the mainline in 1883, and athird station had to be built.[21] Christchurch, and in particularMudeford, had been enjoying a modest tourist trade sinceKing George III had patronised the town in the 1790s but the arrival of the railways made Christchurch accessible to more potential visitors.[22][23] Apower station was built in Christchurch in 1903 to power the publictrams. The excess generated was sufficient to light the town, and it was added to thenational grid in 1940.[24]
The Fisher Aviation Company began to provide flights from fields at the eastern end ofSomerford Road in 1930, and by 1933 the company had flown over 19,000 passengers.[25] In 1934, they obtained permission to establish anaerodrome on the site which became known asChristchurch Airfield.[26] During the Second World War anAirspeed factory was built on the airfield, and began manufacturing aircraft for theRAF; theUSAAFNinth Air Force established a base there in 1944. Asecond aerodrome opened atHurn in 1944 which becameBournemouth Airport. In 1940, with theGerman 6th Army atCherbourg, Christchurch was fortified against an expected invasion:[27] the construction ofpillboxes, gun emplacements andtank traps in and around the town, made Christchurch an "anti-tank island".[28] Between 1941 and 1942Donald Bailey developed theBailey bridge at theMilitary Engineering Experimental Establishment at Christchurch Barracks.[29]
Much development with a large increase in housing occurred from the mid-18th century. In 1873, 300 acres (120 ha) of common land north of the town known as Portfield was enclosed and built upon and the town's population rapidly expanded.[30][31][32] During the 20th century further development has seen the population grown from a little over 11,000 to more than 45,000.[33] In the 1950s a large housing estate was built to the east of the town centre and in 1958 a bypass was constructed which redirected traffic using the town's high street as the main thoroughfare to and from London and Southampton.[34] In 1974 the town was transferred from the county ofHampshire to Dorset followinglocal government reorganisation and was grantedborough status by aRoyal Charter.[13][35]
There are two tiers of local government covering Christchurch, atcivil parish (town) andunitary authority level: Christchurch Town Council, andBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. The town council is based at theOld Town Hall at 30 High Street, which was built in 1859.[36][37]
Christchurch was historically in Hampshire and was both anancient borough and anancient parish. The parish extended beyond the borough, also including a large surrounding rural area. The borough was given aroyal charter in 1315, confirming earlier borough rights which had been granted by theDe Redvers family aslords of the manor.[38] The borough is known to have had amayor from at least 1297.[39] It was reformed to become amunicipal borough in 1886.[40]
The parish of Christchurch was gradually subdivided into smaller civil parishes. Thechapelry ofHoldenhurst was a separate civil parish from medieval times.[41] As the town ofBournemouth began to develop from the early 19th century, it initially straddled the parishes of Christchurch and Holdenhurst, continuing to do so even after Bournemouth was made a borough in 1890. TheLocal Government Act 1894 directed that parishes were no longer allowed to straddle borough boundaries. The parish of Christchurch was therefore reduced to match the borough of Christchurch, and a parish of Bournemouth was created matching that borough. The parts of the old Christchurch and Holdenhurst parishes outside the two boroughs were split into sixrural parishes: Christchurch East, Holdenhurst,Hurn,Pokesdown,Southbourne andWinton.[42][43] The southern part of Christchurch East was made a separate parish calledHighcliffe in 1897. Highcliffe was subsequently absorbed into the parish and borough of Christchurch in 1932.[44]
The old municipal borough of Christchurch was abolished in 1974 under theLocal Government Act 1972 and replaced with a largernon-metropolitan district of Christchurch, which was transferred from Hampshire to Dorset. Christchurch'sborough status was transferred to the new district, allowing the council to take the nameChristchurch Borough Council and giving the chair of the council the title of mayor, continuing Christchurch's series of mayors dating back to the 13th century.[45] The new borough covered the area of the old borough plus the parish of Hurn (including an area transferred to it fromSopley) and a new parish ofBurton, created from the western part of the old Christchurch East parish. The remainder of Christchurch East became a new parish calledBransgore and stayed in Hampshire as part of theNew Forest District.[46][47]
Christchurch Borough Council was a lower-tier district council, with county-level services provided byDorset County Council. The borough council was initially based at the Town Hall, which at that time was much larger, incorporating adjoining former school buildings to the rear. In 1980 the council moved to new Civic Offices on Bridge Street, after which most of the Town Hall was demolished to make way for the Saxon Square shopping centre, retaining only the original 1859 section.[48]
The borough of Christchurch was abolished in 2019, merging with Bournemouth andPoole to become a newlocal government district calledBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the council of which is aunitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council.[49] The merger was opposed by Christchurch Borough Council, which unsuccessfully challenged the government's decision to proceed with it in the courts.[50]
Ahead of the borough's abolition in 2019, the parishes in the borough were reviewed. The existing parish of Burton was renamed 'Burton and Winkton', and theunparished part of the borough (corresponding to the pre-1974 municipal borough of Christchurch) was made into two new parishes, one called Christchurch and the other called 'Highcliffe and Walkford'. The new parish arrangements took effect on 1 April 2019, being the same day that the old borough was replaced by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.[51] The new Christchurch parish council takes the style 'town council', with its chair being the mayor. The Old Town Hall was transferred to the new town council, which uses it as its headquarters.[52][53] The Civic Offices on Bridge Street transferred to the BCP Council. They were closed in 2021 pending a proposed sale, after the new council consolidated its offices atBournemouth Town Hall.[54]
Christchurch is represented by asingle parliamentary constituency in theHouse of Commons. The seat was recreated in 1983 from parts of theChristchurch and Lymington,North Dorset andNew Forest constituencies, and was held byRobert Adley (Conservative) from its creation until his death in 1993. At theby-electionDiana Maddock(Liberal Democrat) was elected with aswing of 35.4%, one of the largest-ever swings against a sitting party.[55] The seat was retaken by Conservative candidateChristopher Chope in 1997, and retained in 2001 and 2005. In the2010 general election, Chope retained his seat with a considerable majority of 15,410 and 56.4% of the vote, making Christchurch one of the safest Conservative constituencies in the country.[56][57] Christchurch was part of theSouth West England constituency for elections to theEuropean Parliament.[58]
In the2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, the borough of Christchurch voted by 59% to leave.[59]
Christchurch is the most easterly coastal town of the administrative county of Dorset, and it lies within thehistoric county ofHampshire. The town abuts Bournemouth to the west and is approximately 9 miles (14 km) east ofPoole, 20 miles (32 km) west ofSouthampton, 23 miles (37 km) south ofSalisbury.[60] The town centre lies between the riversAvon andStour which flow directly intoChristchurch Harbour. The borough boundaries stretched toHurn Forest in the north encompassingBournemouth Airport and eastwards along the coast as far asWalkford. The River Stour forms a natural boundary to the west; the estuary and harbour form the southern boundary.[61]
Christchurch Harbour contains large areas ofsalt marsh and is protected by asandbar known asMudeford Spit which has fine sandy beach on both sides of a walkway lined withbeach huts. The harbour is protected by a naturalheadland (Hengistbury Head) at the start of the sandbanks, and is a special site forsand martins which nest annually in the sandy cliffs. The harbour is only accessible to shallow draught boats drawing up to 4 feet (1.2 m) due to the sandbars at the entrance.[62] The entrance, known as the Run, has Mudeford Quay on one side and the spit on the other. Considerable tides flow here: up to 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) duringspring tides.[63] The harbour is a protected wildlife refuge and is home to large populations ofswans,waders and other bird life. On the south side, the harbour is enclosed by Hengistbury Head which was the site of the earliest settlement here dating back to theBronze Age.[62] The landward end of the headland has a bank and ditch known asDouble Dykes, built in about 700 BC, to protect the ancient settlement.[64]
Stanpit Marsh is a 65-hectare (160-acre)nature reserve situated just below the confluence of the Rivers Avon and Stour. During the 18th century it was notorious for smugglers landing tobacco and rum in the narrow channels of Christchurch Harbour.[65] It contains areas of salt marsh andfreshwater marsh withreed beds and is home to grazing horses, rare birds, and 14 species of rare or endangered plants.[66] It was designated as aLocal Nature Reserve in 1964, and aSite of Special Scientific Interest in 1986.[67]
To the north of Christchurch isSt Catherine's Hill, the highest part of the borough at 53 metres (174 ft) abovesea level.[68] This hill is the most southerly of a chain of three hills, some 3 miles (4.8 km) long with 35-hectare (86-acre) area ofheathland and coniferous forest. TheNew Forest, Christchurch Priory, Hengistbury Head,Avon Valley, Christchurch Bay,The Solent andThe Needles of theIsle of Wight can be seen from viewpoints on the east side of the Hill. Stour Valley way,Poole Bay and theIsle of Purbeck can be viewed from the south-west side of the Hill. Due to its commanding views, St. Catherine's Hill has been in use since prehistoric times as a look-out area and beacon and in more recent years served as a military training ground.[68] The hill is home to protected and rare wildlife species, including theDartford warbler,nightjar, and thesand lizard.[68]
The geology of the borough is unremarkable; thebedrock is mainly composed ofsand with patches ofclay to the east and west, and superficial deposits (drift) of sand andgravel cover the entire area.[69] The extraction of sand and gravel for construction purposes is carried out in the borough, and the opening of more sites is planned.[70]
Christchurch, like the rest of the country, has atemperate climate with a small variation in daily and annual temperatures. The presence of theGulf Stream ensures that theBritish Isles maintain an all-year-round ambient temperature, and, because of its position on the south coast of England, Christchurch has slightly warmer winters and cooler summers than settlements further inland. The warmest months in Christchurch are July and August, which have an averagetemperature range of 12 to 22 °C (54 to 72 °F), and the coolest months are January and February, which have a range of 2 to 8.3 °C (35.6 to 46.9 °F).[71] The average annual rainfall of 594.5 millimetres (23.41 in) is well below the UK average of 1,126 millimetres (44.3 in).[72]
| Climate data for Christchurch, Dorset, England | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8 (46) | 8 (46) | 11 (52) | 13 (55) | 17 (63) | 19 (66) | 22 (72) | 22 (72) | 19 (66) | 15 (59) | 11 (52) | 9 (48) | 14.5 (58.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2 (36) | 2 (36) | 3 (37) | 4 (39) | 7 (45) | 10 (50) | 12 (54) | 12 (54) | 10 (50) | 7 (45) | 4 (39) | 3 (37) | 6.3 (43.3) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 62.9 (2.48) | 50.3 (1.98) | 40.7 (1.60) | 45.5 (1.79) | 29.2 (1.15) | 35.6 (1.40) | 31.8 (1.25) | 35.5 (1.40) | 51.5 (2.03) | 75.3 (2.96) | 69.0 (2.72) | 67.2 (2.65) | 594.5 (23.41) |
| Source: MSN[71] | |||||||||||||
Christchurch lies at the centre of agreen belt region that extends into the wider surrounding counties. It is in place to reduceurban sprawl, prevent the towns in the South East Dorset conurbation from further convergence, protect the identity of outlying communities, and preserve nearby countryside. This is achieved by restricting inappropriate development within the designated areas, and imposing stricter conditions on permitted building.[73]
The area is 3,477 hectares (34.77 km2; 13.42 sq mi) (2010) in size,[73] and lies mainly to the north of the district, with portions surrounding the fringes of the Christchurch/Highcliffe-on-Sea urban area. Suburbs also excluded are Jumpers Common, the built up area of Burton, as well as Bournemouth Airport, with the rest of the borough including the rural portions and hamlets in the Hurn and Burton parishes being 'washed over' by the green belt.
Landscape features and greenfield facilities within include the rivers Stour,Moors, Avon and theirfloodplains, Christchurch Priory, Chapel Lane solar farm, Blackwater and St Catherine's hills, Hurn Forest, Stanpit Marsh, Mudeford Spit, and theAdventure Wonderland theme park. TheNew Forest National Park in Hampshire borders the green belt to the east of the borough in Burton parish.[73]
| Age | Percentage[74] |
|---|---|
| 0–15 | 15.8 |
| 16–17 | 2.0 |
| 18–44 | 27.1 |
| 45–59 | 19.1 |
| 60–84 | 31.9 |
| 85+ | 4.1 |
The Christchurch parish had a population of 31,372 in 2021, and around 50,000 for the wider borough, making it the fourth most populous settlement in Dorset.[2] It lies in theSouth East Dorset conurbation which is one of the South Coast's major urban areas with a total population of over 400,000.[75]Christchurch has one of the oldest populations in the country with significant proportion of residents wealthy senior citizens.[76] The percentage of the population aged over 65 in Christchurch is 30.4%, almost double the national average of 16.5%.[77]Highcliffe on the borough's eastern boundary possesses the highest percentage of elderly residents in the entire United Kingdom at 69%.[78][79] TheOffice for National Statistics predicted that by 2031, the percentage of residents over 65 will rise to 37.9.[77] In 2005, the life expectancy of female residents was 83.4 years and male residents 79.7 years. This was an increase on ten years previous (1995) when the life expectancy was 82.6 years and 77.0 years for females and males respectively.[80]
In common with the rest of Dorset, Christchurch has low numbers of black and minority ethnic groups: the vast majority (96.83%) consider themselves to beWhite British.[81] Other white groups account for a further 2.09% and those of mixed race 0.44%. Asian andBritish Asian make up the next largest group with 0.25% of the local population, followed by Chinese, 0.16%, black, 0.13% and 0.11% from other ethnic groups.[82] Over 55% of the economically active population are in full-time employment; a further 22% work on a part-time basis.[83] Of those in employment, over 40% of the borough's residents have a high skill level occupation and 17% have a low level one.[83] Some 28.18% have no formal qualifications but 16.63% have a level 4 qualification or above (first or higher degree,HNC,HND,NVQ levels 4 or 5).[84]
Christchurch contains around 22,800 properties.[85]In 2005 the average price of a detached house in Christchurch was £323,416.[86] On average property in Christchurch is 24% more expensive than anywhere else in England and Wales.[87] Nearly 80% of residences are owner occupied, 3% are vacant and a further 3% are second homes.[76] The borough has around 25,000 cars: an average of 1.21 per household.[87] Christchurch, in common with the rest of Dorset, has lower crime rates than average for the UK. Reported crime rates per 1,000 of the population in 2006 (with figures for 2001 in brackets) are as follows: violence against the person 10.4 (4.8), sexual offences 0.7 (0.3), robbery 0.2 (0.3), burglary 2.2 (4.0), theft of vehicles 0.9 (2.5), theft from vehicles 3.6 (7.2).[88]
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1801 | 265 |
| 1811 | 230 |
| 1821 | 317 |
| 1831 | 359 |
| 1841 | 1,317 |
| 1851 | 1,332 |
| 1861 | 3,460 |
| 1871 | 5,589 |
| 1881 | 7,717 |
| 1891 | 14,686 |
| 1901 | 11,155 |
| 1911 | 8,496 |
| 1921 | 11,572 |
| 1931 | 15,773 |
| 1941 | 18,828 |
| 1951 | 22,475 |
| 1961 | 27,549 |
| 1971 | 33,768 |
| 1981 | 37,285 |
| 1991 | 41,240 |
| 2001 | 44,869 |
| – |
| Sector | 2000 | 2004 | 2007 | Change (£M) | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 10.5 | 14.6 | 16.3 | 5.9 | 56% |
| Mining/Quarrying | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% |
| Food/Textiles/Wood | 6.9 | 4.3 | 4.0 | −2.9 | −42% |
| Printing and Publishing | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.0 | −0.7 | −19% |
| Chemicals and Minerals | 10.2 | 6.7 | 7.4 | −2.8 | −28% |
| Metals and Engineering | 12.8 | 26.9 | 30.8 | 17.9 | 140% |
| Electronics | 56.8 | 34.7 | 40.5 | −16.2 | −29% |
| Transport equipment | 52.7 | 62.4 | 71.6 | 18.8 | 36% |
| Manufacturing nes | 3.5 | 4.7 | 3.2 | −0.3 | −8% |
| Electricity/Gas/Water | 12.5 | 14.9 | 20.7 | 8.2 | 66% |
| Construction | 34.7 | 49.6 | 43.5 | 8.8 | 25% |
| Distribution | 73.5 | 104.2 | 110.8 | 37.4 | 51% |
| Hotel and Catering | 21.5 | 27.0 | 34.3 | 12.8 | 60% |
| Transport and Communications | 80.5 | 119.9 | 145.1 | 64.6 | 80% |
| Banking and Insurance | 15.2 | 20.1 | 25.5 | 10.3 | 68% |
| Other business services | 57.8 | 56.2 | 84.8 | 27.0 | 47% |
| Public administration and Defence | 9.8 | 13.2 | 16.5 | 6.7 | 68% |
| Education and Health | 67.2 | 70.7 | 76.8 | 9.6 | 14% |
| Miscellaneous services | 22.9 | 20.4 | 22.3 | −0.6 | −2% |
| Total GVA | 552.5 | 664.5 | 757.0 | 204.5 | 37% |
Between 2000 and 2007 the totalGross Value Added (GVA) of the borough grew by 37% from £552 million to £757 million.[90] The biggest contributor to the local economy through the period 2000–2007 was the transport and communication sector which in 2007 brought in £145 million GVA; £64 million more than in 2000.[91] The sector which saw the largest growth during that period however, was metals and engineering which increased by 140%.[91] The food, textiles and wood industries experienced the largest negative change at −42% whereas the electronics industry experienced the biggest fall with £16.2 million less than seven years previous.[89]
An aircraft manufacturing industry was established in the town with the construction of anAirspeed factory atChristchurch Airfield in 1942. In 1948 the factory became part ofde Havilland and manufactured a wide range of aircraft such as theVampire,Sea Venom andSea Vixen.[92] In the 1950s,Bournemouth Airport, a formerRAF base situated on the outskirts of borough boundaries atHurn, also became heavily involved in aircraft production afterVickers Armstrong—which later became theBritish Aircraft Corporation (BAC)—established a factory at the airport.[93] Although the de Havilland factory closed down in 1962 and aircraft manufacturing at Bournemouth Airport ceased by the late 1970s, the aircraft and engineering industries remained important to the local economy. Major employers in Christchurch include:BAE Systems, Bournemouth Aviation Services Company (BASCO), Beagle Aerospace,Channel Express, College of Air Traffic Control, Data Track Process Instruments,European Aviation,FR Aviation,Honeywell, Reid Steel, Revvo Castor Company,Sainsbury's,Siemens VAI andSELEX Communications.[74]
The town's High Street has 48 shops with 61,847 square feet (5,745.8 m2) of retail space.[94] The addition of the Saxon Square shopping precinct in 1982 added a further 41,748 square feet (3,878.5 m2) of shop floor to the town centre—an increase of 67.5%.[94] The combined number of shops and floor space makes Christchurch the fifth largest shopping centre in Dorset.[94]
In 2008, Christchurch attracted some 837,000 staying visitors and 792,000 day visitors, and tourism generated £76 million for the local economy.[95]Although important to the local economy, Christchurch is not so heavily dependent on tourism as some of its neighbours. In 2008, visitor accommodation consisted of 11caravan and camping parks, and some 900 bed spaces in eight hotels and 75guest houses orbed and breakfast establishments.[96]
A weekly market was granted to the town byBaldwin de Redvers and the first market took place in 1149 at the junction of Castle Street and High Street.[97] These weekly markets stopped in 1872 but resumed a century later in a car park next to the town hall, now the site of Saxon Square.[35][98] When construction of the square began in 1983, the market was moved to a car park in Bank Close. Today it is held every Monday in High Street which is then closed to traffic. Periodically there are food fairs and a French market in the town.[99]
Every year since 2000 the town has held a food and wine festival during May. It includes an international food market with over 100 stalls selling food and drink, and a large marquee with a kitchen area erected in Saxon Square. Here cooking demonstrations are given, sometimes by a celebrity chef: past guests have includedGary Rhodes andJean-Christophe Novelli.[100] The week-long festival is a community event which aims to educate people in healthy eating as well as the availability of foods. During the festival local chefs are invited into schools to demonstrate recipes; and throughout the weekend the marquee hosts a cookery workshop for 7- to 10-year-olds.[101]
Christchurch holds an annual music festival on the first weekend in July. Originally afolk festival, the event has evolved to cater for a wider variety of tastes:clog andmorris dancing groups andsalsa andbelly dancing exhibitions have featured.Rock bands andsoul groups have been included alongside the more traditional types of music. The festival's format changes annually but usually takes place on and around the town quay where a large marquee contains the main stage. Local bars often host smaller bands and dancing and exhibitions take place throughout the town centre.[102]
Another annual event is theregatta which has been held every year since 1909.[103] It takes place around the second week in August and involves rowing competitions on the River Stour and atravelling funfair sited on the adjacent townquay. Acarnival procession and largefirework display takes place at the weekend. The part of the quay by the priory is known asThe Quomps and was conveyed to the town in 1911 byLord Malmesbury.[104] A 19th-centurybandstand situated in the Quomps was an anonymous gift to the town in 1938.[105] During the summer months it is used for free open-air concerts on Saturdays, one of the most popular being "Stompin' on the Quomps", asmooth jazz festival.[106] On Sunday afternoonsbrass bands often play there.
The town has a museum: theRed House Museum in Quay Road. Once the town'sworkhouse, the Red House contains permanent and temporary exhibitions pertaining to local history, costume, geology, natural history and archaeology. The museum grounds contain formal and informal gardens.[107][108] The old power station in Bargates, owned byScottish and Southern Energy, housed the Museum of Electricity. This is no longer open to the public, although the company is working on new ways to share the museum's collection more widely across the UK.[109]
The Regent Centre is a community-run cinema and theatre, it opened on 26 December 1931 as the Regent Super Cinema, serving the town until its closure as a cinema in July 1973, after which it operated as a Mecca bingo hall until February 1982.[110][111] The venue was refurbished and now functions as a multi-purpose arts centre, with the interior intended to reproduce the look and feel of the theatre in the 1930's.[112][113]
Christchurch is home to many churches, most notablyChristchurch Priory.
Christchurch's town centre encompasses a mixture of traditional public houses, restaurants, coffee shops, antiquated cottages and historiclisted buildings. The older part of the town dates from Saxon times and retains its Saxon street layout.[114] The Grade II listedMayor's Parlour was built as the market hall in 1745 at the far end of the High Street but was moved to its present position in 1849.[115] It was enclosed and extended, and used as thetown hall until the civic offices were built in the mid-1970s. It was restored to its former condition circa 1982 when the Saxon Square shopping precinct was built.[116]
High Street contains two Grade II listedpublic houses: Ye Olde George Inne, once acoach house,[115] and the Ship Inn which has the oldest licence in Christchurch.[117] A known haunt ofsmugglers, the Ship Inn's history can be traced back to 1688.[118] At the end of High Street is Church Street which contains Church Hatch, a Grade II* listedGeorgian residence. Once the home of SirOwen Tudor Burne, it was saved from demolition in 1929 by public appeal.[119] Ye Olde Eight Bells, a Grade II listed gift shop in Church Street, was once anotheralehouse frequented by smugglers and central to a number of local legends.[120] Close by in Castle Street is the Perfumery, a 14th-centurythatched property often referred to as the old courthouse; although some local historians maintain that this was next door and long gone.[121][122]
The town centre contains three Grade I listed bridges. The Town Bridge is a 15th-centuryashlar stone bridge composed of two portions separated by a narrow strip of land. The eastern portion crosses the narrower of two branches of theRiver Avon that pass through the town and features five low round-headedarches.[123][124] The western bridge features two arches and crosses the millstream which runs adjacent to the Avon. Known as Redford, or Mews, Bridge, it has a separate Grade I listing.[125] To the east of the Town Bridge on the same route from the town centre the Waterloo Bridge spans the larger branch of the Avon. Built circa 1816–1817 in the mediaeval tradition with dressedPortland stone, its design incorporates five wide segmental arches, circular piers and capped cutwaters.[126][127] On the northern side of the bridge a modern steel pedestrian footbridge is cantilevered to the older structure.[128]
The Grade I listedChristchurch Castle is ofNorman origin and was originally of amotte and bailey construction. The castle once dominated the town but now lies in ruins and only a couple of thekeep walls remain. A castle has stood in Christchurch since approximately 924 AD whenEdward the Elder fortified the town with a wooden fort on amotte.[129] After theNorman Conquest in 1066 the castle's defences were strengthened with a ditch andbailey surrounded by a woodenpalisade. The wooden fort was replaced; at first with another wooden structure and then a stone keep which was constructed in the 12th century.[130][131] Within the curtain wall of the castle stands the Constable's House, a Grade I listedNorman dwelling. Much of the building's stonework remains, including a rare example of a Norman chimney (one of only five in the country) and theprivy which extends out across the mill stream.[132] The castle wasslighted by theParliamentary army during theEnglish Civil War to prevent the stronghold from falling intoRoyalist hands.[10][11]
Christchurch town centre and the harbour are overlooked by the 11th-century Grade I listedChristchurch Priory. Once amonastery, it was given to the town for use as aparish church byHenry VIII after thedissolution in 1540.[133] It is the longest parish church in England, having anave over 311 feet (95 m) long.[129] The nave andtransepts areNorman with heavy columns and round arches, whereas thelady chapel is from the 14th century and morePerpendicular in style. The greatchoir is even later, having been rebuilt in the 16th century. The Priory is noted for itsMiraculous Beam, which attracts pilgrims from all over the world.[129] Within the Priory grounds stands Priory House, a Grade II listed mansion built in 1777 byGustavus Brander.[134] The Priory is in active use for worship and forms part of theChurch of EnglandDiocese of Winchester.
Place Mill is a Grade II* listed Anglo-Saxonwatermill[135] located a short distance to the south of the Priory on Christchurch Quay. It is mentioned in theDomesday Book and features a mediaeval stone base underneath red brickwork.[136] The mill belonged to the Priory but stopped working in 1908 and stood derelict until purchased by the council and restored in 1981. It is unique in that it takes water from one river (theAvon) and spills it into a second river (theStour).[137] A millstream is supplied from theRoyalty Fisheries near to the Electricity Museum behind Bargates, and flows for nearly 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to the mill between the Avon and the Priory grounds before joining the River Stour.[138] A mediaeval Grade II listed bridge known as the Place Mill Bridge crosses the millstream nearby.[139]
The town'sfootball team,Christchurch F.C., play at Hurn Bridge Sports Club, which is situated at the junction of the Avon Causeway and Matchams Lane.[140] Established in 1885, the club was a founding member of theHampshire Football Association in 1887. Christchurch F.C. were promoted as champions toHampshire League One in 1938, 1948 and 1986; in 1970, they became the first team to win the Bournemouth Senior Cup three times in succession. The club joined theWessex League (the ninth tier of theEnglish football league system) in 1988 and are one of the few clubs in the league that maintain amateur status.[141]
Christchurch has a council runleisure centre, situated at the end of Stony Lane South. The complex contains a swimming pool and indoorbowling facility which is home to the East Dorset Indoor Bowls Club.[142] The town has two other lawn bowling clubs and golf courses, at Iford and Highcliffe.[143]
Sailing is a popular leisure pursuit in Christchurch and the harbour is home to three sailing clubs: Highcliffe Sailing Club, Mudeford Sailing Club and Christchurch Sailing Club, which are situated at Mudeford Quay, Fisherman's Bank and the Town Quay respectively. The other end of the Town Quay is home to the localrowing club.[144]
Christchurch railway station is a stop on theSouth West Main Line. Services are operated bySouth Western Railway; their typical off-peak service each hour is:[145]
Christchurch is served by theA35 road, which runs fromDevon through toSouthampton via Poole, Bournemouth and theNew Forest. To the north of the town, the A35 connects to theA31, which is the major trunk road in central southern England and provides access to theM27 motorway at Southampton. TheA338 road runs northwards from Bournemouth through Christchurch toRingwood in Hampshire.[146]
Buses are operated byGo South Coast under theirMorebus brand. Routes connect Christchurch with Bournemouth, Lymington, New Milton, Ringwood and Somerford.[147]
Bournemouth Airport, inHurn, is the nearest airport and lies around 3.75 miles (6.04 km) north-west of Christchurch town centre. Originally anRAF airfield, the airport began commercial services in the late 1950s and served around 800,000 passengers on 2019.[148]Ryanair,TUI andEasyJet operate from the airport, providing scheduled flights to European destinations.[149]
During the summer months, small passenger ferries travel between Tuckton and Mudeford Spit, via the town quay.[150][151] Another ferry crosses the Stour betweenWick and the Quay just below Tuckton Bridge; this ferry was running before the bridge was built in 1882 and was then, the only crossing below Iford.[152][153] A third ferry service operates across the harbour entrance from Mudeford Sandbank to Mudeford Quay. This ferry was operated by rowing boats until the 1960s; payment being at the discretion of the passenger.[154]
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Christchurch has twoinfant schools, twojunior schools, fiveprimary schools (combined infant and junior) and threesecondary schools. The secondary schools are, in order of size:Twynham School (1,515 pupils),Highcliffe School (1,347 pupils) andthe Grange School (637 pupils). The secondary schools share asixth form, with the three sites providing different courses.[74]
From 1 April 2019 schools in Christchurch have fallen under the jurisdiction of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.
Christchurch istwinned with:[162]
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