| Christchurch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Christchurch is a small town on the
eastern coast of the county and it sits on the confluence of the Rivers
Stour and the Avon, its harbour is now a haven for wildlife and it
attracts thousand of visitors including those into water sports. It
takes its name from the Priory which dominates the town and a market is
held on Mondays. It was one of Alfred the Great's strong holds that was built to fend off the invading Danes and was known as Twynham which menat town between two waters and eventually the name was change in honour of the priory church which was built around 100 and took 400 years to complete.
A Norman castle once stood here and a fine piece of Norman architecture is Constable's House which is dated 1160. The Red House Museum was situated in a workhouse from the 18th century and holds some interesting finds that have been excavated from the area. The town has existed in may forms since the Iron Age when the Avon and Stour was a trading point and a safe mooring place. The Priory can be seen from almost everywhere and the view from the Quomps is no exception, this is an area of lush grass that is ringed by a path that in some places runs along the banks of the Stour and here can be found a children's play area complete with paddling pool In Ducking Stool Lane is a replica ducking stool built in the 20th century and its use is still being researched but it was said to have been used to punish scolds and those who committed minor crimes or were well known trouble makers and it was used right up to the 19th century as did the pillory which can be seen at the Castle Entrance Walking through the gardens at the rear of the castle and the bowling green there is a large mausoleum standing near to the path on the Priory side. The story is that some smugglers of Christchurch who say that the mausoleum was built to a Mrs Perkins who died in 1783 and she faced the horror of being buried alive for some unknown reason, but she requested that before this took place her body should be interred in suitable fabric near to the local free school entrance which then was in St Michaels loft of the Priory as she was sure that if she revived and called out the children going to and from the school would be bound to hear her, also she asked that the coffin lid was not screwed down and the lock on the door of the mausoleum mad to enable here to open it. Here wishes were adhered to and she was buried alive and when her husband died in 1803 her body was removed and the structure sold and move to where it is today. The Priory has both Saxon and Renaissance period styles and is though to be the largest parish church in the land and in the tower are two of the countries oldest bells. IMAGES OF CHRISTCHURCH
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