The settlement dates back to before theIron Age. The earliest recorded use of the town's name was in the 12th century when the town began to emerge as an important port, prospering with the introduction of thewool trade. Later, the town had important trade links with North America and, at its peak during the 18th century, it was one of the busiest ports in Britain. In theSecond World War, Poole was one of the main departing points for theNormandy landings.
The town's name may have originated around the post-Roman or Anglo-Saxon periods, and seems to have originally applied to the harbour. It is derived from the lateBrittonic or earlyOld English wordspol meaning a pool or creek.[5]
By the middle to lateAnglo-Saxon period, Poole was included in the Kingdom ofWessex. The settlement was used as a base for fishing and the harbour a place for ships to anchor on their way to the River Frome and the important Anglo-Saxon town ofWareham.[6] Poole experienced two large-scaleViking invasions during this era: in 876,Guthrum sailed his fleet through the harbour to attack Wareham, and in 1015,Canute began his conquest of England in Poole Harbour, using it as a base to raid and pillage Wessex.[7][8]
Following theNorman conquest of England, Poole rapidly grew into a busy port as the importance of Wareham declined.[9] The town was part of themanor of Canford but does not exist as an identifiable entry in theDomesday Book.[10] The earliest written mention of Poole occurred on a document from 1196 describing the newly built St James's Chapel in "La Pole".[11] TheLord of the Manor, SirWilliam Longspée, sold acharter of liberties to theburgesses of Poole in 1248 to raise funds for his participation in theSeventh Crusade.[6] Consequently, Poole gained a small measure of freedom fromfeudal rule and acquired the right to appoint a mayor and hold a court within the town. Poole's growing importance was recognised in 1433 when it was awardedstaple port status byKing Henry VI, enabling the port to begin exporting wool and in turn granting a licence for the construction of a town wall.[12] In 1568, Poole gained further autonomy when it was granted legal independence from Dorset and made acounty corporate by the Great Charter ofElizabeth I.[13] During theEnglish Civil War, Poole'spuritan stance and its merchants' opposition to theship money tax introduced byKing Charles I led to the town declaring forParliament.[14] Poole escaped any large-scale attack and with theRoyalists on the brink of defeat in 1646, the Parliamentary garrison from Poole laid siege to and captured the nearby Royalist stronghold atCorfe Castle.[15][16]
Beech Hurst in the town centre, aGeorgian mansion built in 1798 for a wealthy Newfoundland merchant
Poole established successful commerce with theNorth American colonies in the 16th century, including the important fisheries ofNewfoundland.[13] Trade with Newfoundland grew steadily to meet the demand for fish from the Catholic countries of Europe. Poole's share of this trade varied but the most prosperous period started in the early 18th century and lasted until the early 19th century. The trade followed a three-cornered route; ships sailed to Newfoundland with salt and provisions, then carried dried and salted fish to Europe before returning to Poole with wine, olive oil, and salt.[17] By the early 18th century, Poole had more ships trading with North America than any other English port and vast wealth was brought to Poole's merchants.[18] This prosperity supported much of the development which now characterises the Old Town where many of themedieval buildings were replaced withGeorgian mansions andterraced housing.[17][19] The end of theNapoleonic Wars and the conclusion of theWar of 1812 ended Britain's monopoly over the Newfoundland fisheries and other nations took over services provided by Poole's merchants at a lower cost. Poole's Newfoundland trade rapidly declined and within a decade most merchants had ceased trading.[20][21]
Poole Quay was the busy centre of the town's maritime trade.
The town grew rapidly during theIndustrial Revolution as urbanisation took place and the town became an area ofmercantile prosperity and overcrowded poverty. At the turn of the 19th century, nine out of ten workers were engaged in harbour activities. On 1 January 1848 the port had 116 registered vessels (13,641 tons) of its own[22] but as the century progressed, ships became too large for the shallow harbour and the port lost business to the deepwater ports atLiverpool,Southampton andPlymouth.[18] Poole's first railway station opened inHamworthy in 1847 and later extended to the centre of Poole in 1872, effectively ending the port's busy coastal shipping trade.[21] The beaches and landscape of southern Dorset and south-westHampshire began to attract tourists during the 19th century and the villages to the east of Poole began to grow and merge until theseaside resort ofBournemouth emerged. Although Poole did not become a resort, like many of its neighbours, it continued to prosper as the rapid expansion of Bournemouth created a large demand for goods manufactured in Poole.[23]
DuringWorld War II, Poole was the third-largest embarkation point forD-Day landings ofOperation Overlord and afterwards served as a base for supplies to theallied forces in Europe.[13] Eighty-one landing craft containing American troops from the29th Infantry Division and theUS Army Rangers departed Poole Harbour forOmaha Beach.[24] Poole was also an important centre for the development ofCombined Operations and the base for aUS Coast Guard rescueflotilla of 60cutters.[25] Much of the town suffered from German bombing during the war - in which the Municipal Borough lost 75 civilian lives[26] - and years of neglect in the post-wareconomic decline. Majorredevelopment projects began in the 1950s and 1960s and large areas ofslum properties were demolished and replaced with modern public housing and facilities. Many of Poole's historic buildings were demolished during this period, particularly in the Old Town area of Poole. Consequently, a 6-hectare (15-acre)Conservation Area was created in the town centre in 1975 to preserve Poole's most notable buildings.[27][28] ThePoole explosion of 1988 caused 3,500 people to be evacuated out of thetown centre in the biggest peacetime evacuation the country had seen since theWorld War II.[29][30]
Civic Centre, Parkstone Road: Poole Borough Council's headquarters 1932–2019
When elected county councils were established in 1889, despite being a county corporate, Poole was not considered large enough for the borough council to take on county council functions.[b] It was therefore included in theadministrative county of Dorset under the newDorset County Council. The borough boundaries were enlarged in 1905 to take inBranksome, and again in 1931 to absorb Canford Magna.[38] In 1932 the borough council built itselfPoole Civic Centre on Parkstone Road to serve as its headquarters.[39]
Since the abolition of Poole Borough Council in 2019, Poole has hadcharter trustees, being the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole councillors representing wards in the former borough of Poole. The trustees preserve the town's civic charters and traditions, including appointing one of their number each year to serve as mayor and another to serve as sheriff; these roles are now purely honorary with no practical functions.[45] Poole is one of only fifteen towns and cities across England and Wales which appoint their own sheriff, with Poole's right to do so stemming from its former status as a county corporate.[46]
The arms were confirmed by theCollege of Arms on 19 June 1948, and at the same time, the crest (amermaid supporting an anchor and holding a cannonball) was granted. Followinglocal government reorganisation in 1974, the 1948 arms were transferred to Poole Borough Council. In 1976, the council received the grant ofsupporters for the coat of arms. The supporters refer to important charters given to the town; to the left is a gold lion holding a long sword representingWilliam Longespee who in 1248 granted the town's first charter; on the right is adragon derived from theRoyal Arms ofElizabeth I who granted Poolecounty corporate status in 1568. TheLatinmotto –Ad Morem Villae De Poole, means:According to the Custom of the Town of Poole, and derives from the Great Charter of 1568.[48]
Poole is a complex shore of theEnglish Channel; it lies on the northern and eastern edges ofPoole Harbour, 97 miles (156 km) west-southwest of London.[49] The oldest part of the town (including the historic Old Town, Poole Quay and theDolphin Shopping Centre) lies to the south-east ofHoles Bay on a peninsula jutting into the harbour, although much of the land to the east of the peninsula has been reclaimed from the harbour since the mid-20th century. To the west isUpton andCorfe Mullen and across the northern border at theRiver Stour liesWimborne Minster. At the eastern edge of Poole, the town abuts Bournemouth and the settlements ofKinson,Winton andWestbourne. To the south of Poole along the coast liesPoole Bay, which has 3 miles (4.8 km) of sandy beaches fromSandbanks in the west to Bournemouth in the east.
The natural environment of Poole is characterised by lowlandheathland to the north and woodedchines and coastline to the south. The heathland habitat supports the six nativeBritish reptile species and provides a home for a range ofdragonflies and rare birds. Development has destroyed much of the heath but scattered fragments remain to the north of Poole and have been designatedSpecial Protection Areas.[citation needed] The town lies on unresistant beds ofEocene clays (mainlyLondon Clay andGault Clay), sands and gravels.[50] TheRiver Frome runs through this weak rock, and its manytributaries have carved out a wideestuary. At the mouth of the estuarysand spits have been deposited, enclosing the estuary to create Poole Harbour.[51]
The harbour is the largestnatural harbour in Europe and the second-largest natural harbour in the world afterSydney Harbour.[52] It is an area of international importance for nature conservation and is noted for its ecology, supportingsalt marshes,mudflats and an internationally important habitat for several species ofmigrating bird. It has been designated aSite of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protection Area and aRamsar site as well as falling within theDorset National Landscape area.[53] The harbour covers an area of 15 square miles (11 sq nmi; 39 km2) and is extremely shallow. The main shipping channels are 7.5 metres (25 ft) deep the average depth of the harbour is 48 centimetres (1 ft 7 in).[54][55] It contains several small islands, the largest isBrownsea Island, a nature reserve owned by theNational Trust and the birthplace of theScouting movement and location of the firstScout Camp.[56] Britain's largest onshoreoil field operates fromWytch Farm on the south shore of the harbour.[57] Theoil reservoirs extend under the harbour and eastwards from Sandbanks andStudland for 6.2 miles (10 km) under the sea to the south of Bournemouth.[58]
Due to its location on the south coast of England, Poole has atemperate climate with a small variation in daily and annual temperatures. The average annualmean temperature from 1971 to 2000 was 10.2–12 °C (50.4–53.6 °F).[61] The warmest months in Poole 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).[62] Meansea surface temperatures range from 6.9 °C (44.4 °F) in February to 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) in August.[63] The average annual rainfall of 592.6 millimetres (23.33 in) is well below the UK average of 1,126 millimetres (44.3 in).[64]
Poole 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.[65]
Poole has areas of green belt to the north and west of the district, mostly on the fringes of the shared border with the Purbeck and East Dorset districts. These cover landscape features and greenfield facilities including the rivers Stour andSherford and theirfloodplains, theStour Valley Way,Canford Heathland, Dunyeats Hill andCorfe and Barrow Hill nature reserves, Upton Country Park,Pergins Island, and the Wimborne District Society of Model Engineers miniature railway.
The small communities at Merley, Canford Magna, Oakley and Oakley Hill are separated from the main urban area, and while inset, are not covered by green belt. However, the isolated hamlets of Knighton, Merley Hall andAshington are 'washed over', and development is limited in these locations.[65] A specific function of the restrictions is to prevent further urban encroachment towardsWimborne Minster, to help maintain its historic character and surroundings.[65]
Poole merges with several other towns to form theSouth East Dorset conurbation which has a combined population of over 465,000, forming one of the South Coast's major urban areas.[67] In the2011 census, the population of the borough of Poole was 147,645,[1] an increase from 138,288 in2001.[68] The town has a built-up area of 25 square miles (65 km2), giving an approximate population density of 5,532 inhabitants per square mile (2,136/km2) in 60,512 dwellings.[69] The population has grown steadily since the 1960s,inward migration has accounted for most of the town's growth and a significant part of this has been for retirement.[70] Housing stock has increased by over 100 per cent in the past 40 years from 30,000 in 1961 to approximately 62,700 in 2004.[70] Compared to the rest ofEngland and Wales, Poole has an above-average number of residents aged over 65 (20.3%), but this is less than the Dorset average of 22.2%. The largest proportion of the population (24.8%) is between the ages of 45 and 64, slightly above the national average of 23.8%.[67] Population projections have predicted a continual growth; a population of 151,481 is estimated by 2016.[67]
The district is overwhelmingly populated by people of a White ethnic background, 95.98% of residents are ofWhite British ethnicity, well above the rest of England at 86.99%.[66] Minority ethnic groups (including those in White ethnic groups who did not classify themselves as British) represent 4.0% of Poole's population. The largest religion in Poole is Christianity, at almost 74.34%, slightly above theUnited Kingdom average of 71.6%.[71] The next-largest sector is those with no religion, at almost 16.23%, also above the UK average of 15.5%.[71]
The average house price in Poole is high compared to the rest of the UK and the surroundingsouth-west region.[72] The average price of a property in Poole in 2008 was £274,011;detached houses were on average £374,150,semi-detached andterraced houses were cheaper at £226,465 and £217,128 respectively. An apartment or flat costs on average £216,097, more than any other part of Dorset.[72] The average house prices in Poole are boosted by those inSandbanks which had the fourth-most expensive house prices in the world in 2000;[73] in 2007 the average house price was £488,761.[74] A study in 2006 by theNational Housing Federation reported that Poole was the most unaffordable town in which to live in the UK.[75]
Poole's economy is more balanced than the rest of Dorset.[67] In the 1960s, prosperity was fuelled by growth in themanufacturing sector, whereas the 1980s and 1990s saw expansion in theservice sector as office-based employers relocated to the area.[67] The importance of manufacturing has declined since the 1960s but still employed approximately 17% of the workforce in 2002 and remains more prominent than in the economy of Great Britain as a whole.[67]Sunseeker, the world's largest privately owned builder ofmotor yachts and the UK's largest manufacturer, is based in Poole and employs over 1,800 people in its Pooleshipyards.[76] Other major employers in the local manufacturing industry includeLush,Siemens andRyvita. Poole has the largest number ofindustrial estates inSouth East Dorset, including the Nuffield Industrial estate, Mannings Heath, Arena Business Park, Poole Trade Park and the Branksome Business Centre.[77]
The service sector is the principal economy of Poole; a large number of employees work for the service economy of residents or for tourists. During the 1970s, Poole's less restrictiveregional planning policies attracted businesses wishing to relocate from London.[67] These included employers in the banking and financial sector, such asBarclays Bank (who operatedBarclays House as a regional headquarters in Poole),American Express Bank and thecorporate trust division ofBank of New York Mellon. Other important service sector employers include the national headquarters and college of theRoyal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the UK headquarters ofFitness First,Bournemouth University andArts University Bournemouth. Poole is also the headquarters for clothing companyAnimal, cosmetics manufacturer Lush, andMerlin Entertainments, the world's second-largesttheme park operator afterDisney.[78] TheDolphin Shopping Centre is Poole's main retail area and the largest indoor shopping centre in Dorset.[79] It opened in 1969 as anArndale Centre and underwent three major refurbishments in 1980, 1989 and 2004. The centre provides 47,000 square metres (510,000 sq ft) of retail space with 110 stores and twomulti-storey car parks with 1,400 parking spaces. A pedestrianisedhigh street with shops, bars, pubs and restaurants connects the Dolphin Centre with the historic Old Town area and Poole Quay.[79] Tourism is important to the Poole's economy and was worth an estimated £158 million in 2002.[67] Poole's Harbour, Quay and the beaches are some of the main attractions for visitors.[59] Visitor accommodation consists of hotels,guest houses andbed and breakfast rooms located around the town, particularly in Sandbanks and the town centre.
Poole is served by thePort of Poole. Since the 1970s, Poole has become one of Britain's busiest ports.[67][80] Investment in new port facilities in Hamworthy and the deepening of shipping channels allowed considerable growth incross-channel freight and passenger traffic.[67] The port is a destination forbulk cargo imports such as steel, timber, bricks, fertiliser, grain, aggregates and palletised traffic. Export cargoes include clay, sand, fragmented steel and grain.[53] Commercial ferry operators run regular passenger and freight services from Poole toCherbourg,St Malo and theChannel Islands.[53] TheRoyal Marines operate out of the harbour atRM Poole, established in Hamworthy in 1954.[81] The base is home tospecial forces unit theSpecial Boat Service and a detachment of theRoyal Marines Reserve.[82][83] In 2008, 105 fishing boats were registered and licensed to the port and held a permit issued by the Southern Sea Fisheries District Committee (SSFDC) to fish commercially.[84] It is the largest port in terms of licences in the SSFDC district which covers the coastline of Dorset,Hampshire and theIsle of Wight, and one of the largest registered fishing fleets in the UK.[85] However, the fleet is gradually declining because of rising fuel costs and restrictivefishing quotas introduced by theEuropean Union.[84][86] A large number of unlicensed boats also operate charted or private angling excursions.[85]
Poole Quay, once a busy centre of maritime trade, has become increasingly popular with tourists
PooleQuay is a visitor attraction to the south of the town centre lined with a mixture of traditional pubs andlisted buildings alongside new bars, redeveloped warehouses and apartment blocks. Once the busy centre of Poole'smaritime industry, all port activities moved toHamworthy in the 1970s as the Quay became increasingly popular with tourists. The Grade II* listedCustoms House on the quay-front was built in 1814 and now functions as a restaurant and bar.[87] Nearby the Grade I listed Town Cellars, amedieval warehouse built in the 15th century on the foundations of a 14th-century stone building, houses alocal history centre.[88]Scaplen's Court, another Grade I listed building, also dates from the medieval era.[89]Poole Pottery has been redeveloped into anapartment block.[90] Boats regularly depart from the quay during the summer and provide cruises around the harbour and toBrownsea Island, theRiver Frome andSwanage.[91] Public artworks along the Quay includeSea Music – a large metal sculpture designed bySir Anthony Caro, and a life-sizebronze sculpture of Robert Baden-Powell created to celebrate the founding of theScout Movement on Brownsea Island.[92] At the western end of the quay, near the mouth of Holes Bay, isPoole Bridge. Built in 1927, it is the third bridge to be located on the site since 1834.[93]
Poole Guildhall has played a varied part in the history of the town. A Grade II* listed building, the Guildhall was built in 1761 at a cost of £2,250.[94][95] The new building included an openmarket house on the ground floor and a courtroom and offices for the town council on the first floor and has also been used as acourt of record,magistrates' court,court of admiralty and a venue forquarter sessions. Between 1819 and 1821 the building was consecrated as aparish church while the oldSt. James Church was pulled down and replaced with the present church.[94] During theSecond World War, the building was used as a canteen and meeting room for American soldiers before theinvasion of France. The showers and washing facilities installed at this time were later converted intopublic baths which were used until the 1960s. The building was converted for use as the town museum between 1971 and 1991 but stood empty for the next 16 years. After a renovation project funded by Poole Borough Council, the restored Guildhall opened in June 2007 as aRegister Office for weddings,civil partnerships and other civic ceremonies.[94][96]
Poole has severalurban parks – the largest isPoole Park adjacent toPoole Harbour and the town centre. It opened in 1890 and is one of twoVictorian parks in Poole. Designated aConservation Area in 1995 and awarded aGreen Flag in 2008, the park comprises 44.3 hectares (109 acres) of which 24 hectares (59 acres) include the park's human-made lake and ponds.[97] The park contains two children's play areas, aminiature railway, tennis courts, abowling green, aminiature golf course, an Italian restaurant and an indoor ice rink for children.[98][99] Acricket field and pavilion at the eastern end are home to Poole Town Cricket Club and water sport activities such as sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and rowing take place on the large lake.[100] Awar memorial stands in the centre of the park as a monument to Poole citizens killed during theFirst andSecond World Wars. The park hosts severalroad races such as theRace for Life and the annual Poole Festival of Running.[101]
Poole's sandy beaches are a popular tourist destination extending 3 miles (4.8 km) alongPoole Bay from theSandbanks peninsular to Branksome Dene Chine at the border withBournemouth.[102][103] The beaches are divided into four areas: Sandbanks, Shore Road, Canford Cliffs Chine and Branksome Chine. Poole's beaches have been awarded theEuropean Blue Flag for cleanliness and safety 21 times since 1987, more than any other British seaside resort and in 2000 theTidy Britain Group resort survey rated Poole's beaches among the top five in the country.[104][105] Along the seafront, there are seaside cafés, restaurants, beach huts and numerous water-sports facilities.[103]Royal National Lifeboat Institution Beach Rescuelifeguards patrol the coastline in the busy summer season between May and September.[106]
Poole Harbour andPoole Bay are popular areas for recreational pursuits such as: sailing,windsurfing,surfing,kitesurfing andwater skiing.[111] The harbour's large areas of sheltered waters attract windsurfers, particularly around the northern and eastern shores. Water skiing takes place in the harbour in a specially designated area known as the Wareham Channel. The waters around the harbour, Poole Bay andStudland Bay are also popular for recreational angling and diving.[111]
The beaches atSandbanks are often used for sporting events such as the Sandbanks Beach Volleyball Festival, and the annual BritishBeach polo Championship.[112][113]
Since 1999, the town's Rossmore Leisure Centre has hosted the GMPD Poole Gymnastics Competition every October with the Holiday Inn Express hosting some of the competitors as well as previously a Disco on the Saturday evening which has since been scrapped, hundreds of competitors from across the country compete each year, the competition celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019.[citation needed] Following a 2-year hiatus due to theCOVID-19 pandemic it is hoped it will return in 2022.[citation needed]
Poole Harbour is one of the largest centres for sailing in the UK with a number ofyacht clubs such as the: East Dorset Sailing Club, Lilliput Sailing Club, Parkstone Yacht Club, Poole Yacht Club, Sandbanks Yacht Company and the Royal Motor Yacht Club.
Parkstone Yacht Club hosted theOK Dinghy World Championships in 2004,[114] theJ/24 National Championships in 2006 and the J/24 European Championships in 2007,[115] with the2020 J24 Worlds hosted here also and are the organisers of Youth Week and Poole Week – two of the largest annual dinghyregattas of their type in the country.[116][117]
Poole's oldestfootball team isPoole Town F.C., asemi-professional team who play in theSouthern Football League – the seventh tier of theEnglish football league system.[118] Established in 1880, the team has had erratic success at their level; they have never risen abovenon-League levels but once reached the third round of theFA Cup.[119] They played atPoole Stadium until 1994 and have since settled at Tatnam Farm, sharing the school playing field with Oakdale Junior School.[120] Poole's other football teams areHamworthy United, formed in 1970, and play in the Wessex Premier League, and the amateur team Poole Borough F.C. who play in theDorset Premier League. Poole is one of the largest towns in England without a professional football team.[121]
Poole has three of the oldestScout Association groups in the world, 1st Parkstone Air Scout Group holds records dating back to February 1908 and 1st Hamworthy Scout Group has records dating back to October 1908; both groups were formed out of the originalBoys' Brigade units that had members take part in the original Scout Camp in 1907. Broadstone Group has records dating back to December 1908 and was home to the first King's/Queen's Scout.[124]
Corfe Barrows Nature Park, opened in 2016, is a group of eight natural sites, including Happy Bottom Nature Reserve, that is being jointly managed for wildlife and people in the north of the borough.
The 'Beating of the bounds' is an ancient annual custom first carried out in 1612, which revives the traditional checking of the sea boundaries awarded to Poole by theCinque Port ofWinchelsea in 1364.[127][128] The Admiral of the Port of Poole (the mayor) and other dignitaries, and members of the public sail from the mouth of theRiver Frome toOld Harry Rocks to confirm the mayor's authority over the water boundaries of the harbour and check for any encroachments. As there are no physical landmarks that can be beaten at sea, traditionally children from Poole were encouraged to remember the bounds of their town by taking part in the 'Pins and Points' ceremony involving the beating of a boy and pricking of a girl's hand with a needle. In modern times, the acts have been symbolically carried out.[129]
Poole'sSummertime in the South is an annual programme providing various events on Poole Quay and Sandbanks from May until September. During June and July, live music, street entertainment and a large firework display take place on Poole Quay every Thursday evening. In August, the entertainment moves to the beaches at Sandbanks.[130]
Built in 1978, Poole'sLighthouse is an arts centre complex that contains a cinema,concert hall,studio, theatre, image lab and media suite and galleries featuring exhibitions of contemporary photography and moderndigital art. The venue underwent an £8.5 million refurbishment in 2002, paid for by theArts Council England, the Borough of Poole and private donations.[131] The centre's concert hall has been the residence of theBournemouth Symphony Orchestra's main concert series since their former base at the Bournemouth Winter Gardens closed in 1985.[132] Situated in the centre of the Old Town,Poole Museum illustrates the story of the area and its people and the collections reflect the cultural, social and industrial history of Poole. Displays include thePoole Logboat and a detailed history of Poole from theIron Age to the present day. The museum has a floor devoted to the history ofPoole Pottery and some of the company's products are on display. Entrance to the museum is free.[133] Poole Museum was closed for refurbishment with plans to reopen in 2024.[134]
The A35trunk road runs fromDevon toSouthampton and connects to theA31 on the outskirts of the town. The A31, the major trunk road in central southern England, connects to theM27 motorway at Southampton. From here theM3 motorway leads to London.
Services are operated bySouth Western Railway and generally consist of up to three trains per hour (fast, semi-fast and stopping services) to and from London, with two per hour to and from Weymouth.[140]
From the 2007General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) results, Poole was ranked 18th out of 148 local authorities in England based on the percentage of pupils attaining at least five A* to C grades at GCSE level including English and maths (54.5% compared with the national average of 46.8%).[148][149]Parkstone Grammar School was the most successful secondary school in Poole for GCSE results in 2007: 100% of pupils gained five or more GCSEs at A* to C grade including English and maths. Canford School also achieved 100% andPoole Grammar School was the next best performing school with 98%. Poole High School achieved 39% and the worst performing school wasRossmore Community College where only 19% of students achieved five or more A* to C grade results.[149] Poole's grammar schools were also the best performing forA-level results. Poole Grammar School was the 60th most successful school/sixth form in the country in 2007: each student achieved on average 1071.4 points compared to the national average of 731.2. Parkstone Grammar School students averaged 1017.9 points.[146][150]
Bournemouth University was designated as a university in 1992 and despite its name, the university's main campus (the Talbot Campus) and buildings are within the boundaries of Poole Borough; a smaller campus is situated in Bournemouth itself.[151] Media courses are the university's strength, and recent teaching quality assessments have resulted in ratings of 'excellent' for courses in the areas of communication and media, business and management, catering and hospitality, archaeology and nursing and midwifery.[152][153] TheArts University Bournemouth was designated as a university in 2012 and is located atWallisdown. It offersundergraduate,foundation degree,postgraduate andfurther education courses in contemporary arts, design and media.[154]
Policing is undertaken by the Poole and Bournemouth Division ofDorset Police which has one police station in Poole on Wimborne Road in the town centre.[155]Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service providesstatutory emergency fire and rescue services for Poole and are based at Poole Fire Station inCreekmoor which opened in 2008. The former fire station on Wimborne Road was demolished in 2008 and was replaced with a joint fire and police divisional headquarters which opened in 2009.[156]
Poole Hospital is a large acute hospital inLongfleet with 638 beds[157] and is part ofUniversity Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust. It opened in 1969 as Poole General Hospital, replacing Poole's Cornelia Hospital which had stood on the site since 1907.[158] The hospital is the majortrauma centre for East Dorset and provides core services such as child health and maternity for a catchment area including Bournemouth and Christchurch. Specialist services such as neurological care and cancer treatment are also provided for the rest of Dorset.[159] TheSouth Western Ambulance Service provides emergency patient transport.[160]
^The usual threshold adopted for a borough to be made acounty borough was a population of 50,000; at the preceding census of 1881, the borough of Poole's population was 12,310.[37]
^Woolgar, Brian; La Riviere, Sheila (2002).Why Brownsea? The Beginnings of Scouting. Brownsea Island Scout and Guide Management Committee (re-issue 2007, Wimborne Minster: Minster Press).
^"History".Find your local Christadelphians - Dorset. ukchristadelphians.org.uk. 2017. Archived fromthe original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved29 January 2018.
^http://www.poolescouts.org and www.hamworthyscouts.org and books: History of Hamworthy by Ann Smeaton & 1st Hamworthy Scouts the 1st 100 years by James Winchester
Beamish, Derek; Hillier, John; Johnstone, H.F.V. (1949).Mansions and Merchants of Poole and Dorset. Poole Historical Trust.ISBN0-7137-0836-0.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
Cullingford, Cecil N. (1988).A History of Poole. Phillimore & Co Ltd.ISBN0-85033-666-X.
Legg, Rodney (2005).The Book of Poole Harbour and Town. Halsgrove.ISBN1-84114-411-8.
Sydenham, John (1986) [1839].The History of the Town and County of Poole (2nd ed.). Poole: Poole Historical Trust.ISBN0-9504914-4-6.
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