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Poole Harbour is essentially a drowned river valley. It was
formed, along with Poole Bay, when a rising sea broke through the chalk ridge which had
then connected Old Harry Rocks in Studland Bay with the Needles in the Isle of Wight.
Geologists believe that this large river flowed eastwards from the Dartmoor region in
Devon, carrying with it the massive deposits of flint, gravel and clay which are to be
seen all the way to Hampshire. The Harbour as we know it was formed at the end of the last
Ice Age around 7,000 years ago. Since then mudflats and salt marshes have developed,
adding to the uniqueness of this beautiful Harbour. |
| 200 Years of Port
history |
There is strong archaeological evidence that sea levels in Poole
Harbour were considerably lower in ancient times than they are today. It is therefore
likely that prehistoric settlements around the Harbour are now beneath the waves. One
artifact found off Brownsea Island is the Poole Logboat. This is 10 metres long and was
cut from a giant oak tree. Dating to around 295BC it is our oldest evidence of the use of
the Harbour. |
Poole Quay circa. 1833
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The brig 'David' in 1864
One of the last of Poole's Newfoundland fleet of ships. |
The Romans used Poole as an invasion port for
their conquest of southern Britain. At the time of the Norman conquest Poole may have been
a tiny fishing village. Huge deposits of oyster shells dating to late Saxon or early
Norman times lie under Poole and Hamworthy Quays. The port steadily grew in importance and
in 1433 was made Dorset's Port of the Staple. The 14th century Town Cellars were once used
to store wool prior to export. Medieval Poole had trading links from the Baltic to Spain
and Italy. The 17th century saw the start of a transatlantic trade which became vital to
the town. In particular, trade with Newfoundland was the foundation of many fortunes among
Poole merchants. In the early 18th century Poole had more ships trading with North
America than any other English port. |
At the start of the 19th century 90% of the
working population was involved in the activity of the Harbour. However, one hundred years
later, that figure had dropped to just 20%. This was partly due to the new railway and new
industries not associated with the Harbour, but also resulted from the advent of deeper
draught vessels which could not use Poole.
Since that time the Port has regained its importance and, in the last twenty years, has
seen a considerable increase in prosperity through a programme of modernisation which has
redeveloped the commercial links with Europe. Today, Poole is a busy and thriving Channel
Port. |
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