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Parkstone Park was officially opened on
the 17 January 1890 by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII),
on the same day that he visited the town to open Poole
Park.
It covers just 1.27 hectares (3.14 acres) and is today bounded by the
shops, coffee houses, offices and residential properties of
Commercial Road, Station Road and Church Road, some of which date
from the Edwardian and Victorian era.
Set within the developing
village of Ashley Cross, the space was acquired
for parkland in 1887 by way of a land exchange with Lord Wimborne[1]
It was valued at £1,200, and £560 was budgeted for the works.
According to some it was once the site of a "blind-house" or
"village pound" - an early form of gaol or lock-up to hold petty
criminals[2].
The park was laid out by Mr
John Elford, the Council's Borough Surveyor, who also designed Poole
Park at about the same time. At one time supporters of the
park were fearful that the prospect of establishing a "People's
Park" (as Poole Park was referred to then) would mean scrapping the
plans at Parkstone[1].
Nevertheless, Parish
records of 15 September 1888 note the installation of fencing and
gates was nearing completion at the 'Three Acre Field' as the land
was then known.
In 1893, after several serious
fires in the village of Ashley Cross, it is reported that the
Council earmarked the park as a potential site for a fire engine.
Residents objected due to the fact that it was one of the few
remaining open spaces in Parkstone, and in 1899 the fire station was
eventually incorporated into plans for new Municipal Buildings, a
building which today houses Parkstone Library[2].
The public
conveniences were added in Edwardian times, and now the building is
Locally Listed for it's historic interest.
Many of the park's original features have
been lost over the years including:
The original
fountain was an imposing design. It appears to have been
replaced by a lesser 'figurine' fountain that was subsequently
stolen. There followed a period when just the pool remained before
a modern ‘wedding cake’ fountain was installed that still operates
today.
Other
changes were caused by widening of Station Road in the 1960’s
requiring the realignment of a new footpath on the Station Road
boundary and the creation of steps into the newly formed bank. The
peripheral planting on this boundary was never reinstated and thus
this road frontage has a very open aspect.
Park seating
(a replica of the original design) was reinstated in the park in the
1990’s and Poole period lamp columns provided to illuminate the
‘Promenade’.
Although in size not a major
open space or district park, Parkstone Park is a valuable local
facility. It lies in the heart of Ashley Cross Conservation Area,
which displays many characteristics of its former village status,
including a railway station and the local retail properties.
It is recognised that
the amenity value of the site is suffering, with the remaining
landscaping and park features now looking tired. The impact of
traffic using the surrounding roads also detracts from the use of
the park. On a positive note, however, it remains well loved and hosts a number of community events on
an annual basis.
The park is currently
maintained
by
Continental Landscapes as part of the borough-wide Grounds
Maintenance contract. The fountain is maintained separately by
Simon Moore Water Services of Dorchester.
References:
[1] John Hillier (1990).
Victorian Poole. Published by the Poole Historical Trust.
[2] Iris Morris (1996).
Looking Back: a social history of the village of Ashley Cross in
Parkstone, Poole, Dorsetshire. From 1833 - Present Day.
[3] Ian
Andrews & Frank Henson (2009) Poole Past & Present
[back].
[4]
Kate Hanks,
Local History Librarian, Poole Museum Service
[back].
[5] Paul Hillman, local
historian and Landscape Architect for the Borough of Poole from 1989
to 2008 [back].
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