---

 

 

Poole Leasing

Did You Know?

Poole has been home to: Professor J R R Tolkein, author of ‘Lord of the Rings’ & ‘The Hobbit’, the composer Mantovani, ‘Wakey, Wakey’ band leader the late Billy Cotton, entertainer Roy Castle and John Lennon’s Aunt Mimi. Augustus John, the artist, lived at Alderney Manor in Poole.

Like many towns along the southern English coast, Poole was first settled by the Romans. In 43 AD, the Roman Second Legion set up an encampment here, dominating the area until their departure in the 4th century AD.

In 1248, the Longspee Charter granted some freedom to the people of Poole, who were still at this time under the feudal rule of the Lord of the Manor, William Longspee. It allowed six burgesses to be elected. An annual Mayor Making Ceremony is still held today.

It's famous for the companies it keeps, including:
Poole Pottery - hand made Poole Pottery can be found in many leading stores such as Harrods, and Tiffanys of New York, although no longer locally produced it remains a collectable item. 

Under Poole Harbour is Western Europe’s largest onshore oilfield, Wytch Farm. It has produced well over 150 million barrels and currently holds the world record for the largest land based drilling rig and the longest horizontal well at 8km.

On 3 August 1940 the first BOAC flying boat passenger flight across the Atlantic by a British Commercial Airline took off from Poole Harbour. Poole was home to the southern headquarters of BOAC until the D-Day evacuations.

Poole is home to the RNLI Headquarters and trains crews from all over the world. It also has the busiest lifeboat station – hardly surprising as Poole Harbour is one of the UK’s leading water activity areas. 

The imposing Byzantine-style church in Parkstone that is now St Stephen the Great Orthodox Church was formerly dedicated to St Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury who died in 1099.

Poole’s historic quayside is filled with the daily hustle and bustle of a working quay. Enjoy some alfresco refreshments and explore the independent, unique shops dotted along the waterfront and lower high street. 

Did you know that what can be regarded as the world’s earliest radio station was set up by Marconi at the Haven Hotel , Sandbanks in Poole? He built a transmitter there in 1899.

Did you know that Sandbanks in Poole is the most expensive place to live in Europe? Even during the financial crisis one plot was advertised in 2009 for roughly £10,000 per square metre.