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Westover, Hampshire

Dorset geography stubsGeography of BournemouthHistory of Bournemouth

Westover, Hampshire, is the ancient manor, now in Dorset, over which much of modern Bournemouth has developed. This area of land marked a historic boundary between Celtic and Saxon civilisations, which found expression as the county boundary between Hampshire to the east and Dorset to the west. Geographically detached parts of the manor (for example the tithings of Longham and North Ashley) may have resulted from the post-Civil War breakup of estates formerly belonging to the Lords Arundell of Wardour. The name probably derives from that of the Dorset Stour, which flows through the manor. At Christchurch, the Stour is joined by the Avon, and at one time the river upstream (west) of this point was known as the "West Stour", while downstream it was known as either the "East Stour" or "Stour & Avon". The area bordering the West Stour (referred to as 'Westesture' or "Westur') became known as the Liberty of Westover. Westover is a 'liberty' which meant that whoever owned it gained certain extra rights by dint of their possession. The name was used in an Act of Parliament in 1802 when the heathland of Westover was enclosed. Just over 30 years later, the name was used for one of the proposed new roads as holiday villas were built. Westover Road remains one of the principal commercial streets of modern Bournemouth. It has always been co-owned with the manor of Christchurch.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Westover, Hampshire (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

Westover, Hampshire
Richmond Hill,

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N 50.722 ° E -1.879 °
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Richmond Hill 21
BH2 6EP , West Cliff
England, United Kingdom
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Bournemouth
Bournemouth

Bournemouth ( BORN-məth) is a coastal resort town on the south coast in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. The town's urban subdivision had a population of 187,503 at the 2011 census making it the largest town in the county; the town is part of the South East Dorset conurbation, which has a population of 465,000. Founded in 1810 by Lewis Tregonwell, in an area of deserted heathland occasionally visited by fishermen and smugglers, as a health resort, Bournemouth became a town in 1870, with growth from the arrival of the railway. Bournemouth lies in the historic county of Hampshire. Following the local government reorganisation in 1974 the town was transferred to the county of Dorset, governed by Dorset County Council. Although the borough gained unitary authority in 1997, it retained Dorset's ceremonial county functions and emergency services. In April 2019, the borough was replaced by the current borough, also with unitary authority status, governing the town, Poole, Christchurch and surrounding areas. Victorian architecture is notable in town centre. The 202-foot (62 m) spire of St Peter's Church, one of three Grade I listed churches in the borough, is a local landmark. The town's location has made it a popular destination for tourists, attracting over five million visitors annually with its beaches and popular nightlife. It is also a regional centre of business, home of the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and a financial sector that is worth more than £1 billion in gross value added.