Bear Cross
Encyclopedia
Bear Cross is a suburb on the edge of Bournemouth
, Dorset
named after the crossroads made by the main road (A348) between Poole
and Ringwood
and the Wimborne Road/Magna Road (A341). The roundabout is known locally as an accident black spot because of the combination of bad visibility and the high speeds at which it can be approached.
Settlement began here in 1756 when the track on this straighter route from Poole to Ringwood was made into a road. Travellers could then bypass Kinson
when a new inn, The Shoulder of Mutton, was built to cater for them.
The area was initially called Beare Bottom. Beare coming from the Old English word 'bearu' meaing woodland and Bottom due to being located near the bottom of the Stour Valley
. On a map from 1778 the area was simply called 'Beare'. The strips of woodland or bearu still survive and give us the modern name Bearwood which neighbours Bear Cross. At the beginning of the Victorian Era the final ‘e’ had been dropped and the name for the wider area at this time was Cudnell. By the end of the 19th century, Bear had almost died out.
An alternative source of the name is reputed to have been derived from a local bear pit where bears were taught to dance and pitted against dogs in fights over which wagers were taken. This happened on the heathland which historically covered the area until the expansion of Bournemouth and Poole overtook it during the Twentieth century. This activity is reflected locally in the badge showing a bear in chains which appears on both the sign of the Bear Cross pub at the roundabout, and that of the local Oakmead College of Technology
.
The longest road in Bournemouth, Wimborne Road, ends at the Bear Cross roundabout. House numbers reach 1714 on the even side and 1823 on the odd. It used to extend all the way to Canford Magna, along what is now Magna Road.
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...
, 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...
named after the crossroads made by the main road (A348) between 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...
and Ringwood
Ringwood
Ringwood is a historic market town and civil parish in Hampshire, England, located on the River Avon, close to the New Forest and north of Bournemouth. It has a history dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, and has held a weekly market since the Middle Ages....
and the Wimborne Road/Magna Road (A341). The roundabout is known locally as an accident black spot because of the combination of bad visibility and the high speeds at which it can be approached.
Settlement began here in 1756 when the track on this straighter route from Poole to Ringwood was made into a road. Travellers could then bypass Kinson
Kinson
Kinson is a former village which has been absorbed by the town of Bournemouth in the county of Dorset in England. The area became part of Bournemouth on 1 April 1931....
when a new inn, The Shoulder of Mutton, was built to cater for them.
The area was initially called Beare Bottom. Beare coming from the Old English word 'bearu' meaing woodland and Bottom due to being located near the bottom of the Stour Valley
River Stour, Dorset
The River Stour is a 60.5 mile long river which flows through Wiltshire and Dorset in southern England, and drains into the English Channel. It is sometimes called the Dorset Stour to distinguish it from rivers of the same name...
. On a map from 1778 the area was simply called 'Beare'. The strips of woodland or bearu still survive and give us the modern name Bearwood which neighbours Bear Cross. At the beginning of the Victorian Era the final ‘e’ had been dropped and the name for the wider area at this time was Cudnell. By the end of the 19th century, Bear had almost died out.
An alternative source of the name is reputed to have been derived from a local bear pit where bears were taught to dance and pitted against dogs in fights over which wagers were taken. This happened on the heathland which historically covered the area until the expansion of Bournemouth and Poole overtook it during the Twentieth century. This activity is reflected locally in the badge showing a bear in chains which appears on both the sign of the Bear Cross pub at the roundabout, and that of the local Oakmead College of Technology
Oakmead College of Technology
Oakmead College of Technology is a mixed secondary school located in the northern outskirts of Bournemouth in southern England. There are approximately 1300 students between the ages of 11 and 18, a sixth form of about 150 students, and a nursery.- Oakmead :Oakmead College is divided into blocks A...
.
The longest road in Bournemouth, Wimborne Road, ends at the Bear Cross roundabout. House numbers reach 1714 on the even side and 1823 on the odd. It used to extend all the way to Canford Magna, along what is now Magna Road.