Geography (1): Where is Greater Westover?

Introduction

Geography (1) provides a definition of the term ‘Greater Westover’. This area contained heathland, seashore, healthy climate, and a network of villages. Bournemouth would take root here, growing to occupy this area, absorbing many of the settlements.

Geography (1): shifting footprint

Because Bournemouth grew from a fishing village to a borough, it changed its footprint every year. This hinders attempts to make comparisons between periods. Bournemouth consists of a ‘moving historical target’. For this reason, the study takes as its focus a synthetic administrative area tagged ‘Greater Westover’. Triangular in shape, the area’s perimeter begins across from Wimborne Minster. Thereafter, it runs along the south bank of the River Stour to the sea. Here, it turns west at the sea until in line with the old Hampshire-Dorset boundary. At this point, it heads north, returning to its start.

Geography (1): area background

Two sides of this triangle consist of ‘physical’ borders – the river, the sea. The other borrows an old national administrative demarcation, the contemporary county boundary. Settlement of this area before the establishment of Bournemouth consisted of the string of villages located on the Stour’s south bank. Most appeared in the Hearth Tax records. Though separated by geography, enough evidence exists to cast the area as a ‘neighbourhood’. The inhabitants maintained economic and social links, if not those of kinship, with each other.

Geography (1): future development

The Marine Village, which sprang to life in the late 1830s, would grow through migration. People came from elsewhere in Hampshire, Dorset and beyond. In its early stages, the settlement depended on people living in the Greater Westover villages for supplies, especially consumables, and manpower. Revenue gained helped to prolong life in these villages already approaching the end of their lengthy dependence on agriculture. In time, Greater Westover and Bournemouth would become the same place.

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