Christchurch sits between two rivers – the Avon and the Stour – and research indicates it began as an early Saxon settlement. It was originally known as Tweoxneam (Twynham) from Old English meaning between two rivers. The town has two entries in the Domesday Book.
The name we know the town by today came into use after a church was built there in the 11th century. It was around 1095 the Normans established a priory. A leper hostel is also known to have existed.
During the Middle Ages Christchurch saw a castle built, the introduction of a weekly market and an annual fair. Its geographical advantages also made it a viable fishing port.
The Dissolution forced the closure of the Priory by Henry VIII in 1539. The town suffered during the Civil War when, like so many others, the castle was demolished in 1652. However the ruins can still be seen today, as can Constable’s House, a Grade I listed Normal dwelling.
By the 18th century, fishing was still important to the town’s economy and, with the slow introduction of a gasworks, piped water supply and sewers the population expanded. Trams and then trolley buses came to be used and, in the early 20th century, the introduction of an airfield.
The Priory:
Reputed to be the longest church in England, the Priory is one of the few monastery churches to have survived Henry VIII’s rule.
The current building of Christchurch Priory was built in the 11th century, although the medieval roof still exists and is visible above the newer one. The roof includes the Miraculous Beam which lies above the south aisle and was once the object of pilgrimages; the medieval builders found that a vital beam was too short but when they returned the next morning it was miraculously not only the right length but also in the right position.
If you fancy a challenge take a Tower Tour and climb the 176 steps up to enjoy panoramic views of the town and harbour.
In the grounds of the Priory are a 12th Century castle and Constable’s house which survive as ruins.
The town was a base for smuggling – underneath the town are old tunnels used by smugglers and the salmon weather vane on the Priory was used by smugglers as a sign for when the excise-men were approaching.
There is an impressive alabaster tomb for Margaret Countess of Salisbury; once described by Henry VIII as “the most saintly woman in England”. There is also a memorial to the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (his wife Mary’s mother lived in nearby Bournemouth and his heart is buried in a grave in Bournemouth).
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