Broadstone, Dorset
Encyclopedia
Broadstone is a town and suburb
of Poole
in Dorset
, England
. It is located 3 miles (4.8 km) from Hamworthy railway station
and 7 miles (11.3 km) from Bournemouth International Airport. The town has a population of 10,256 according to the 2001 Census
.
Since 1840, it has grown from a small farm to a suburb of 10,000 people. Centred around the main road (the B3074), 'The Broadway' is busy hub of shops, churches, schools and housing. Broadstone is notable for its large recreation fields and heathland park, as well as an annual Christmas parade and lights. The 24 acre (0.09712464 km²) Broadstone Heath possesses some of the original heathland which covered the Poole basin.
. The first railway station
was built in 1872 and named "New Poole Junction" and, after several name revisions, became "Broadstone" in 1890. Broadstone First School originated as a Dame school
, founded in 1871. At the turn of the century, lavender oil
started being produced. This ceased in 1935 when the factory burnt down, but much lavender
can still be found in the area. Rapid expansion of the town has since occurred, with the development of the Pine Springs housing estate
and the opening of additional schools to cope with the increase in population.
. Rumoured to be the original, it was stolen decades ago and has since been replaced by a replica. There are also two stones outside Broadstone United Reformed Church, supposedly also originals from the stream.
The Victorian
biologist, naturalist and philosopher Alfred Russel Wallace
, who independently proposed the same evolutionary theory as Charles Darwin
, lived in Broadstone during the last few years of his life. He built his own house, named Old Orchard, near what is now Wallace Road. His remains are buried in Broadstone Cemetery, next to those of his wife, Annie. His grave was restored by the A. R. Wallace Memorial Fund in 2000. It features a 7 feet (2.1 m) tall fossil tree trunk mounted on a block of Purbeck limestone.
Annette Brooke
, a Liberal Democrat MP for Mid-Dorset and North Poole from 2001, currently resides in Broadstone.
Bryan Telfer, a commodore in the Royal Navy
and veteran of the Falklands War
is buried in Broadstone Cemetery.
Victor Watkins who lived in Broadstone was the first Scout in England to gain the Kings Scout Award (now the Queens Scout Award) and a Blue Plaque
has now been unveiled on the wall outside Bollywood Indian Restaurant on Lower Blandford Road.
(Broadstone First School and Broadstone Middle School) on Dunyeats Road. Corfe Hills School
is also located in Broadstone and is one of the largest secondary schools in Dorset
. Its catchment area serves Broadstone, Poole
, Corfe Mullen
, Wimborne, Merley
as well as other areas.
archery club, Broadstone Scout Group (including Beavers, Cubs, Scouts), Broadstone Football Club, the Broadstone Golf Club, Broadstone Horticultural society, Broadstone Tennis Society, Dorset Caledonian Society, Broadstone Youth Centre and the Broadstone Cricket Club. Other local offices include the British Legion, the Rotary
club, and the Wessex Bowling Club.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
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...
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...
. It is located 3 miles (4.8 km) from Hamworthy railway station
Hamworthy railway station
Hamworthy railway station serves Hamworthy, an area of Poole in Dorset.-History:The station opened with the Southampton & Dorchester Railway, which later became part of the London and South Western Railway , in 1847 as Poole Junction...
and 7 miles (11.3 km) from Bournemouth International Airport. The town has a population of 10,256 according to the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
.
Since 1840, it has grown from a small farm to a suburb of 10,000 people. Centred around the main road (the B3074), 'The Broadway' is busy hub of shops, churches, schools and housing. Broadstone is notable for its large recreation fields and heathland park, as well as an annual Christmas parade and lights. The 24 acre (0.09712464 km²) Broadstone Heath possesses some of the original heathland which covered the Poole basin.
History
In 1840, "Broadstone Farm" was built, and a railway line bypassed it in 1847. Its first church was built in 1853, which later became the Scout hallThe Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
. The first railway station
Broadstone (Dorset) railway station
This article refers to the former station in Dorset, England. For the similarly named station in Ireland see Broadstone railway station....
was built in 1872 and named "New Poole Junction" and, after several name revisions, became "Broadstone" in 1890. Broadstone First School originated as a Dame school
Dame school
A Dame School was an early form of a private elementary school in English-speaking countries. They were usually taught by women and were often located in the home of the teacher.- Britain :...
, founded in 1871. At the turn of the century, lavender oil
Lavender oil
Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. Two forms are distinguished, lavender flower oil, a colorless oil, insoluble in water, having a density of 0.885 g/mL; and lavender spike oil, a distillate from the herb Lavandula...
started being produced. This ceased in 1935 when the factory burnt down, but much lavender
Lavender
The lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...
can still be found in the area. Rapid expansion of the town has since occurred, with the development of the Pine Springs housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
and the opening of additional schools to cope with the increase in population.
Toponymy
Legend has it that a number of "broad stones" were laid across a local stream to enable people to cross over without wetting their feet. This stream flows in the valley between Clarendon Road and Springdale Road, and the stones were located close to the Brookdale Farm. The Stepping Stones pub (now renamed 'The Blackwater Stream' since its takeover by Wetherspoons) was named in honour of this, and displays a large stone outside its beer gardenBeer garden
Beer garden is an open-air area where beer, other drinks and local food are served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany...
. Rumoured to be the original, it was stolen decades ago and has since been replaced by a replica. There are also two stones outside Broadstone United Reformed Church, supposedly also originals from the stream.
Notable residents
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
biologist, naturalist and philosopher Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace, OM, FRS was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist...
, who independently proposed the same evolutionary theory as Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, lived in Broadstone during the last few years of his life. He built his own house, named Old Orchard, near what is now Wallace Road. His remains are buried in Broadstone Cemetery, next to those of his wife, Annie. His grave was restored by the A. R. Wallace Memorial Fund in 2000. It features a 7 feet (2.1 m) tall fossil tree trunk mounted on a block of Purbeck limestone.
Annette Brooke
Annette Brooke
Annette Lesley Brooke is a British Liberal Democrat politician. She has been the Member of Parliament for Mid Dorset and North Poole since 2001.-Early life:...
, a Liberal Democrat MP for Mid-Dorset and North Poole from 2001, currently resides in Broadstone.
Bryan Telfer, a commodore in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and veteran of the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
is buried in Broadstone Cemetery.
Victor Watkins who lived in Broadstone was the first Scout in England to gain the Kings Scout Award (now the Queens Scout Award) and a Blue Plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
has now been unveiled on the wall outside Bollywood Indian Restaurant on Lower Blandford Road.
Education
Broadstone contains a large primary school and middle schoolMiddle 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...
(Broadstone First School and Broadstone Middle School) on Dunyeats Road. Corfe Hills School
Corfe Hills School
Corfe Hills School, is a purpose built secondary school in the urban fringe between Poole and Wimborne, located in Broadstone, Poole, England. In 2001, the school was given Technology College status. The school has over 1600 students and over 100 teaching staff...
is also located in Broadstone and is one of the largest secondary schools 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...
. Its catchment area serves Broadstone, 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...
, Corfe Mullen
Corfe Mullen
Corfe Mullen is a village in Dorset, England, on the north-western urban fringe of the South East Dorset conurbation and is part of the rural district of East Dorset. The population is 10,147 ....
, Wimborne, Merley
Merley
Merley is a large housing estate in the borough of Poole, a mile south of Wimborne Minster. Originally called Myrle, Merley was a manor in the tithing of Great Canford...
as well as other areas.
Clubs and associations
Broadstone is the centre of many clubs, societies and organisations for the South East Dorset area including the LytchettLytchett Matravers
Lytchett Matravers is a large village and civil parish in the District of Purbeck within Dorset, England. The village has a population of 3,309.-Location:...
archery club, Broadstone Scout Group (including Beavers, Cubs, Scouts), Broadstone Football Club, the Broadstone Golf Club, Broadstone Horticultural society, Broadstone Tennis Society, Dorset Caledonian Society, Broadstone Youth Centre and the Broadstone Cricket Club. Other local offices include the British Legion, the Rotary
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
club, and the Wessex Bowling Club.