Secret
3 total works
Although Bournemouth was only developed in the last 200 years, the town has a fascinating history. Behind the façade of this seaside resort is a story of singular events, little-known personalities and places that are often overlooked or forgotten. In Secret Bournemouth, author Andrew Jackson reveals the history of the town, from the creation of a resort by the Tregonwell family in an area of sand dunes and heath frequented by smugglers to the present-day large business and commercial centre on the south coast. Along the way we look at Bournemouth at war, its special place in aeronautical history, entertainments and other leisure attractions that have attracted many people over the years, its connections to the arts and literature and much more.
With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and hidden or vanished historical buildings and locations, Secret Bournemouth will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this resort on the south coast.
With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and hidden or vanished historical buildings and locations, Secret Bournemouth will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this resort on the south coast.
Dorset’s county town of Dorchester is famous for its association with the writer Thomas Hardy but its history contains much more that has often been overlooked. Secret Dorchester & Around delves deep into the town’s lost, forgotten and hidden histories, recounting some remarkable stories. The area was an important Iron Age stronghold, the huge hill fort of Maiden Castle outside today’s town being taken over by the Romans in the first century AD. The Romans left an extensive legacy in Dorchester including an amphitheatre at Maumbury Rings which was later used as an execution site for eighty rebels from the Monmouth Rebellion condemned to death by Judge Jeffreys at the Bloody Assizes held in the town. Two centuries later, the Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced in Dorchester to penal servitude in Australia following their attempts to set up a trade union of agricultural workers in the nearby village of Tolpuddle.
With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Dorchester & Around will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Dorset.
With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Dorchester & Around will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Dorset.
Swanage’s position on the Dorset coast has shaped its history since its earliest years. In 877 a Danish fleet threatening King Alfred’s army was destroyed in Swanage Bay and in the 19th century the town became a popular seaside resort for the wealthy. Before that, for centuries the town’s port had enabled the locally quarried Purbeck stone to be used throughout the country, including the Purbeck marble to be found in Britain’s mediaeval churches and cathedrals. Swanage’s history has also been shaped by its famous sons John Mowlem and George Burt, who vastly improved the fortunes of the town during the Victorian era by creating the famous Mowlem quarrying and construction company and also importing many old London buildings and giving them a new lease of life in Swanage. The town’s story also includes the Great Globe, Durlston Castle and the Anvil Point Lighthouse, as well as the historic Corfe Castle presiding over the landscape just outside Swanage, which has been the scene of violent and cruel incidents through the centuries.
With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Swanage and Around will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Dorset and the surrounding area.
With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Swanage and Around will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Dorset and the surrounding area.