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Heritage

Few places in the country can boast two rivers, two castles, an 11th century Priory Church, a mill of Saxon origin, a Medieval bridge and the site of a civil war siege in 1645. The first Neolithic farmers came to Christchurch and the people of the Bronze Age left their burial mounds. The pagan Saxons also left their burial grounds just west of the High Street in what is now Waitrose's car park.

Christchurch is watched over by the magnificent Priory Church which escaped demolition when Henry V111 dissolved the monasteries. It was awarded five stars by Simon Jenkins in his book England's Thousand Best Churches. A guided tour by one of the Priory's guides is essential to fully appreciate this wonderful building and its excellent architecture. The Priory has a varied programme of concerts and events throughout the year.

The Priory Quarter is the oldest part of the town and is also home to the Red House Museum and Gardens which was originally purpose-built as a workhouse in 1764. Nowadays it is the place to visit to learn all about Christchurch's natural history and heritage.

Place Mill dates back to Saxon times and was mentioned in the Domesday Book. Although no longer working, it has been restored and nowadays has a first-floor art gallery with changing exhibitions by local artists, displays of smuggling and local history memorabilia and a ground floor gift shop. From Place Mill, if you follow the Convent Walk you will reach the ruins of the Norman Hall and one of the best examples of a Norman chimney in the country.

Adjacent to the bowling green are the ruins of Christchurch Castle which was built around 1100 and was the centre of a seige during the Civil War when a Parliamentary force held the Castle and the Priory grounds against a seige by Royalists.

Highcliffe Castle, a beautiful Grade 1 listed mansion house set in cliff-top grounds in Highcliffe was built by Lord Stuart de Rothschild in the 1830s. The Heritage Centre features information about the Castle's intriguing history as well as an extensive programme of exhibitions, events and concerts.

Only ten minutes walk from the Priory Quarter is the Museum of Electricity in Bargates, which is housed in a genuine Edwardian Power Station. It has fascinating examples of local electrical generating and distribution equipment, hands on demonstrations, collections of electrical appliances, Electricity Services vehicles and even a fully restored 1911 tram! Free entry from Easter.

Tutton's Well, near Stanpit Marsh was renowned for its constant supply of pure water fed by underground springs which was said to have medicinal virtues especially for the eyes and was hawked around the country as the Christchurch elixir.

Many guided Heritage Tours and Trails take place around the borough from Easter onwards which give an inight into Christchurch's special heritage and natural history. The Town Crier has an Official Guided Walk around the town centre every Friday morning from May until the end of September and full information and leaflets on these walks are available from the Christchurch Information Centre.