The First 100 Years 1903-2003
Part 1: An old road to London:
The parish is located adjacent to the old toll road from the West Country through Dorchester, Poole and Christchurch towards London. Bournemouth was a Victorian creation. The land to the sea south of the road was heathland until well into the 19th Century.
Development
Ashley Cross emerged between 1830 and 1850 as the middle class families “escaped” from Poole. The first St Peter’s Church
was built in 1833, demolished and rebuilt 1870-83.
The railway to Bournemouth came later - prior to the 1860s the line from London to Poole ran from Brockenhurst to Ringwood, Wimborne and through Broadstone. The growth of Poole and Bournemouth and the railway brought development to Ashley Road and Bournemouth Road. South of the railway, the land was sold to special land companies for residential development.
Most land was owned by Lord Wimborne(of Canford) - the family summer home was at Branksome Dene until the early 1900s. The growth of Poole and Bournemouth and the railway brought development to Ashley Road and Bournemouth Road. South of the railway, the land was sold to special land companies for residential development. The 1904 Ordnance Survey shows the details of the area around St. Luke's
The street plan opposite shows the area surrounding the Church, as you can see, it contained no mention of a Church.
Plots were sold off to builders and private individuals between 1880 and 1900 with very few houses actually being built by 1900.
These 4 photographs below show the parish boundaries in 1900. Can you identify them?
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