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Green Island (Dorset)
Encyclopedia
Green Island is an island in Poole Harbour
in the English
county of Dorset
. It lies in the central south part of the harbour, south of Brownsea Island
and Furzey Island
. The island is an Area of Natural Beauty (AONB), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Protection Area (SPA
).
while the central raised part of the island is approximately 19 acres (76,890.3 m²). The island is covered in extensive woodland in the centre, made up of Scots pine
with several small zones of heathland. The island also has a large salt marsh
and several small glades, as well as a beach area. The majority of the island is made of sandstone. has two buildings: a two bedroom summer house and a single story cabin known as the Greensleaves. The island has a helicopter landing pad and a private wooden jetty. The island, along with Brownsea Island and Furzey Island, is one of the few known places in England where red squirrels
are still found.
Long Island lies within the civil parish
of Corfe Castle. The parish forms part of the Purbeck local government district
.
).
The island was featured on television in the archaeology programme Time Team
.. In 2003 the team visited the island and conducted works to examine the islands rich history. The team found a furnace
as well as pottery fragments. Evidence suggests that at one point Green Island was twice its size and a major place of trading in southern England
. This episode was broadcast on the 8th February 2004. The island is part of a current project run by Bournemouth University
to discover the history of Poole Harbour, in conjunction with Poole Maritime Trust.
Poole Harbour
Poole Harbour is a large natural harbour in Dorset, southern England, with the town of Poole on its shores. The harbour is a drowned valley formed at the end of the last ice age and is the estuary of several rivers, the largest being the Frome. The harbour has a long history of human settlement...
in the English
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...
county of 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...
. It lies in the central south part of the harbour, south of Brownsea Island
Brownsea Island
Brownsea Island is the largest of the islands in Poole Harbour in the county of Dorset, England. The island is owned by the National Trust. Much of the island is open to the public and includes areas of woodland and heath with a wide variety of wildlife, together with cliff top views across Poole...
and Furzey Island
Furzey Island
Furzey Island is an island in Poole Harbour in the English county of Dorset. The island lies to the south of the larger Brownsea Island. Seen from the water, or adjoining land, the island looks like another wild pineclad island. However, hidden in the trees is an oil well and gathering station for...
. The island is an Area of Natural Beauty (AONB), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Protection Area (SPA
SPA
SPA can refer to:* SPA , a 1990s British band-As an abbreviation:* Saddle point approximation, a term used in quantum field theory* Sales and Purchase Agreement, a legal term for selling a company...
).
Geography
The island covers approximately 45 acres (182,108.7 m²) at low tideTide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
while the central raised part of the island is approximately 19 acres (76,890.3 m²). The island is covered in extensive woodland in the centre, made up of Scots pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
with several small zones of heathland. The island also has a large salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
and several small glades, as well as a beach area. The majority of the island is made of sandstone. has two buildings: a two bedroom summer house and a single story cabin known as the Greensleaves. The island has a helicopter landing pad and a private wooden jetty. The island, along with Brownsea Island and Furzey Island, is one of the few known places in England where red squirrels
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
are still found.
Long Island lies within the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Corfe Castle. The parish forms part of the Purbeck local government district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
.
History and ownership
The island is currently privately owned. The island was owned from 1987 by the Davies family until 2005. In 2005 the island went for sale at an asking price of 2.5 million pounds. In previous years, the island was used by the Green Island Holiday Trust which ran a limited number of holidays for disabled and disadvantaged people on the island. It was also used for corporate events, weddings and functions. The Green Island Holiday Trust now conducts their activities at Holton Lee (near UptonUpton, Dorset
Upton is a village in south east Dorset, England. It is the second largest village in Purbeck-Geography:The village is built around a road junction where the Blandford to Hamworthy road crosses the main Poole to Dorchester road. The Poole suburbs of Hamworthy and Turlin Moor adjoin the village to...
).
The island was featured on television in the archaeology programme Time Team
Time Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
.. In 2003 the team visited the island and conducted works to examine the islands rich history. The team found a furnace
Furnace
A furnace is a device used for heating. The name derives from Latin fornax, oven.In American English and Canadian English, the term furnace on its own is generally used to describe household heating systems based on a central furnace , and sometimes as a synonym for kiln, a device used in the...
as well as pottery fragments. Evidence suggests that at one point Green Island was twice its size and a major place of trading in southern 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...
. This episode was broadcast on the 8th February 2004. The island is part of a current project run by Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University is a university in and around the large south coast town of Bournemouth, UK...
to discover the history of Poole Harbour, in conjunction with Poole Maritime Trust.