Broadstone, Dorset

Broadstone
  • Broadstone

The Broadway
Broadstone
Broadstone shown within Dorset
Population 10,303 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference SZ006953
• London 109 miles (175 km)
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town BROADSTONE
Postcode district BH18
Dialling code 01202
Police Dorset
Fire Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance South Western
EU Parliament South West England
UK Parliament

Broadstone /ˈbrɔːdstən/ is a village and suburb of Poole in Dorset, England. It is located 3 miles (4.8 km) from Hamworthy railway station and 7 miles (11 km) from Bournemouth International Airport. The village has a population of 10,256 according to the 2001 Census, increasing to 10,303 at the 2011 Census.

Since 1840, it has grown from a small farm to a suburb of 10,000 people. Centred on the main road (the B3074), 'The Broadway' is a busy hub of shops, churches, schools and housing. The shops consist of Costa Coffee, Bennett's Bakery, Charity shops, a Tesco Express store, a Marks and Spencer’s supermarket, and a jewellery. Broadstone is notable for its large recreation fields and heathland park, as well as an annual Christmas parade and lights. The 24 acres (0.097 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 hall. 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.

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 Wetherspoon) was named in honour of this, and displays a large stone outside its beer garden. 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

Wallace's grave in Broadstone Cemetery

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.[2] 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-foot (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.

Education

Broadstone follows the Three-tier education model and contains two First schools (Broadstone First and Springdale First) and a middle school (Broadstone Middle School). Corfe Hills School is also located in Broadstone and is one of the largest secondary schools in Dorset. Corfe Hills School moved from being a Foundation School to being an Academy on 1 April 2011.[3] Its catchment area serves Broadstone, Poole, Corfe Mullen, Wimborne, Merley 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 Lytchett archery club, Broadstone Football Club, the Broadstone Golf Club, Broadstone Horticultural society, Broadstone Tennis Society, Dorset Caledonian Society, Broadstone Scout Group, Broadstone Youth Centre and the Broadstone Cricket Club. Other local offices include the British Legion, the Rotary club, and the Broadstone Wessex Bowling Club.

References

  1. ↑ "Ward population 2011". Archived from the original on 2015-04-13. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Was Wallace more Darwinian than Darwin himself?" (PDF). First Class Essays. 2005-12-01. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
  3. ↑ http://www.corfehills.net/academy-status/43.html
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