| Southbourne | |
|---|---|
 Southbourne beach | |
  Southbourne Location withinDorset | |
| Population | 18,960 (2 wards,2011)[1][2] |
| OS grid reference | SZ142913 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BOURNEMOUTH |
| Postcode district | BH6 |
| Dialling code | 01202 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
| 50°43′19″N1°47′53″W / 50.722°N 1.798°W /50.722; -1.798 | |
Southbourne is a suburb ofBournemouth, in theunitary authority area ofBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, in the ceremonial county ofDorset, England. It is situated betweenBoscombe andChristchurch. The area was previously known as Stourfield. Strictly, Southbourne refers to the area near to the coast; areas further inland are West Southbourne,Tuckton andWick. It was historically part ofHampshire until 1974.[3]
Southbourne was the creation of Thomas Armetriding Compton, an enterprising young physician, who set up general practice in Bournemouth in 1866 and could see the area's potential as a health resort. Prior to his arrival the clifftop land here had been part and parcel ofTuckton Farm, Southbourne being founded precisely where the piggeries had stood.[4] This area of clifftop land was purchased by Compton in 1871 and was later developed by the Southbourne-on-Sea Freehold Land Company, founded in 1882 with Compton as principal shareholder.
Some older properties did exist on the outskirts of the area. Around 1766, for instance, Edmund Bott had built aGeorgian mansion to the east ofPokesdown village, commanding views ofChristchurch Harbour; he named it Stourfield House. One of the most celebrated inhabitants of Stourfield House wasMary Eleanor Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, a notorious eccentric who used to set places for her pet dogs at the dinner-table. Stourfield House later became a care home, mainly for servicemen who had been injured in theGreat War. Today only the front steps survive, leading to a block of flats in Douglas Mews; the steps are marked by aBlue Plaque. The original, extended building was demolished in 1990.
Southbourne also had a short-lived pier. It was built by Compton's company in 1888 at a cost of £4,000 and was 300 feet long. There were regular boat-trips between the pier at Southbourne and the pier at Bournemouth. The pier, promenade and nearby sea wall built by Dr. Compton (to rival the resort at Bournemouth) were heavily damaged by storms in December 1900 and January 1901. A buyer for the pier was unable to be found and it was eventually demolished in 1909 due to public safety concerns.[5]
On 11 July 1910, Britain’s first international aviation meeting was held on a specially laid outaerodrome consisting of a mile of grassland between Tuckton and the "Double Dykes" nearHengistbury Head. Aviators from around the world competed in a variety of contests, including spot landing, altitude tests, and speed trials (both for the fastest and slowest circuit).[6]Charles Stewart Rolls, co-founder ofRolls-Royce and pioneeraviator was killed on the second day of the meeting, while attempting a precision landing.[7] The event was Britain’s earliest fatal flying accident involving a powered aircraft.[6] The site is marked by a memorial on the sports fields ofSt Peter's School.
In 1894 Southbourne became a separatecivil parish, being formed from part of Christchurch, on 30 September 1902 the parish was abolished and merged with Bournemouth.[8] In 1901 the parish had a population of 799.[9] It is now in theunparished area of the unitary authority ofBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Southbourne is considered a more relaxed area for tourists keen to escape the busier areas of Bournemouth town centre, although the number of guest houses in the area has declined in recent years. The main area of Southbourne is Southbourne Grove, a long shopping street with largely occupied by independent shops. Another local centre is Southbourne Crossroads, which is further east towardsHengistbury Head. Seafield Gardens is a public open space which has, since 2001, won aGreen Flag Award; it offers various outdoor facilities, includingbowls andtennis. It also features awatertower. The easternmost part of the area is calledHengistbury Head.
Southbourne's primary attraction is its sandyBlue Flag beach, which is considered quieter compared to the more crowded beach along the coast at Bournemouth.[10] Between the clifftop coastal road and the promenade and beach is theFisherman's Walk Cliff Railway, afunicular railway that provides access to Southbourne beach.
In recent years there has been an increase in the construction ofapartment buildings andholiday homes near the sea,[citation needed] examples including theSaltaire Building which was constructed in the early 2000s.
