Christchurch Harbour

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Coordinates: 50°43′22″N 1°45′15″W / 50.72285°N 1.75404°W / 50.72285; -1.75404
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Christchurch Harbour
Notification
1986
Location mapMagic Map
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCHRISTCHURCH
Postcode districtBH23
PoliceDorset
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Dorset
50°43′22″N 1°45′15″W / 50.72285°N 1.75404°W / 50.72285; -1.75404

Christchurch Harbour is a natural harbour in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England named after the nearby town of Christchurch. Two rivers, the

Local Nature Reserve. To the west side of the harbour are Wick Fields, the southern flank of the harbour being bounded by Hengistbury Head
, a prominent coastal headland. The harbour flows into the Christchurch Bay and the English Channel through a narrow channel known locally as The Run which rests between
Mudeford Spit. Shallow-draught boats can enter from this channel and cruise up stream for 2 miles (3 km) choosing either the Avon or the Stour, the Stour leading up as far as Iford Bridge passing Christchurch Quay and Tuckton
.

Christchurch Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is a 352-hectare (870-acre) site designated both for its biological and geological interest. It comprises the estuary of the Stour and Avon and the Hengistbury Head peninsula. The varied habitats include saltmarsh, wet meadows, grassland, heath, sand dune, woodland and scrub. The site is of great ornithological interest.[1][2]

History

The

Bluestones used at Stonehenge may have been transported via the harbour and the River Avon (2550 BCE).[4] It is suggested that there may have been an ancient causeway usable at low water running from Double Dykes on the south shore to Tuttons Well located on the north shore near Stanpit village.[5]

The Harbour became a major trading port around 100BCE,

Wimborne and Blandford Forum
.

In 1664 The River Avon Navigation act was passed to again enable vessels to travel as far as Salisbury and reestablish it as a port as in Medieval times. Traffic used the river from 1684 to 1720 with a break whilst repairs were made from 1695 to 1700. The route was finally abandoned in 1730.

Lord Clarendon made a new entrance in Mudeford Sandbank using the iron stone from Hengistbury to form a training bank, these rocks now called Clarendon Rocks are still in existence, but the new entrance silted up and the channel returned to its original course. During this period and up until the middle of the 19th century, smuggling was rife in the Harbour (see the Battle of Mudeford
).

There were numerous Harbour Improvement schemes proposed in the next three centuries, particularly the Railway and Docks Scheme of 1885. This would have seen major dredging of the harbour, training banks within the harbour and a railway terminus on the south side.

Dredger, in the late 1980s Wessex Water carried out substantial dredging in the River Stour from Iford bridge as far as Christchurch Quay, this was part of a Flood Alleviation Plan.[14] The channel has been marked since at least 1884 first by Christchurch Sailing Club and since 1963 by the Harbour Improvements Association now renamed Christchurch Harbour Association.[14] Since 1963 the Mudeford inshore lifeboat
has been stationed on the quay at Mudeford.

Geology

The Harbour is made up of Sandy Gravels, Sands, Muddy Sands, and towards the margins Silty Muds.[15] High and low

Spartina anglica does not exist in significant volume, with no sign that it was previously extensive. The sedimentation of the Harbour has not therefore been substantially affected in the way most other south coast estuaries have by the spread and die back of this species.[15] Any loss of the salt marsh appears to have been offset by the re-colonization of abandoned artificial salt pans. Extensive Phragmites reed beds occupy tidal creek margins and areas of higher marsh, where they front wet grazing meadows. The inflow and outflow of sediment in the Harbour is positive,. Grimbury Marsh, is substantially composed of dredged spoil material. In total the estuarine system is a sediment sink.[15]

Royalty Fishery

The earliest reference to the Royal Fishery at Christchurch dates back to 939AD

Pike, the harbour and rivers have now been made a sport fishery where all species are returned to ensure the long term sustainability of the fishery.[16] Montague Hayter was its head keeper between 1909 and 1946.[17]

Wildlife

The harbour is home to a great variety of wildlife. Over 320 bird species have been recorded by Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group.

Seals have been seen in the Harbour.[19]

Leisure

The harbour is home to three Sailing Clubs, Highcliffe Sailing Club situated on Mudeford Quay, Mudeford Sailing Club on the North Shore and Christchurch Sailing Club adjacent to Place Mill on Christchurch Quay. Christchurch Rowing Club is situated on the Quomps above Christchurch Quay. Hengistbury Head Activities Centre is situated on the South Shore of the Harbour. There are more than 1,400 small boat moorings in the harbour and rivers.

kite surfing are all practised in the harbour. Fishing Walking and Bird Spotting are all activities enjoyed on the Harbour shores. Ferries run from Tuckton Bridge to Mudeford Sandbank and between there and Mudeford Quay, these are some of the same vessels first used in the 1930s.[21] The Mudeford ferry crossing "The Run" was until the 1960s operated by Rowing boats with payment at the discretion of the passenger. There is also a ferry at Wick
.

Around the harbour

To describe the various features of the harbour, it is convenient to divide the harbour, and list the features from inland (west) to outlet (east end). Tuckton Bridge over the River Stour, although inland from the harbour, is a convenient starting point. This is also the boundary between Bournemouth and Christchurch.

North side

From Tuckton Bridge along the River Stour there are river front properties up to the Captains Club hotel which is located on the west end of a quay and open space known locally as The Quomps this is overlooked by Christchurch Priory at the eastern end. The River Avon joins the Stour alongside the Priory. Across the Avon are Priory and Grimbury Marsh then the larger Stanpit Marsh (see below), Blackberry point which is an island at High Water is to the east of the marsh. Further east are the residential areas of Stanpit and Mudeford. At the eastern end of the harbour is Mudeford Quay, and the harbour entrance which is a relatively narrow channel, named The Run,[22] the coast eastward and open to the sea leads to Highcliffe, the next coastal village.

South side

From

Land Train
.

Stanpit Marsh

Main article:
Stanpit Marsh

Along part of the south west side of the

Avon as they meet with the salt water within Christchurch Harbour. Together with Grimbury Marsh, it forms one of the largest areas of salt marsh in the county.[23] It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and an important nature reserve of about 65 hectares (160 acres), combining both freshwater and saltwater habitats.[24] It is an important staging point for migratory birds. A circular path on the marsh uses a prototype Bailey bridge to cross Mother Siller's Channel. The highest point of the marsh is Crouch Hill at 15' above sea level.[23]

References

  1. ^ "Christchurch Harbour citation". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  2. ^ "Map of Christchurch Harbour". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  3. ISBN 978-1-873535-60-8
    .
  4. ^ Terence Meaden. "Stonehenge Building". Stonehenge-avebury.net. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Overview of Christchurch Harbour Dredging – December 2005". CommuniGate. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  6. ISBN 1-873535-60-0
  7. ^ "Dorsetforyou - sorry this link is no longer active - Dorset Council". www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.
  8. ISBN 1-873535-60-0
  9. ISBN 1-897887-22-1
    .
  10. ISBN 1-873535-60-0
  11. ISBN 1-873535-60-0
  12. ISBN 1-873535-60-0
  13. ISBN 1-873535-60-0
  14. ^ a b "Christchurch Harbour". Christchurchsailingclub.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  15. ^ a b c "Christchurch Bay". Scopac.org.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  16. ^ a b c d e Mooringssembcorpbw.co.uk Archived 28 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Gwynn, Stephen Lucius (1937). River to River:A Fisherman's Pilgrimage. London: Country Life. pp. 67–68.
  18. ^ "Harbour List". Archived from the original on 16 July 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  19. ^ "Dorset Otter Group". Littleowl.org.uk. 18 March 2011. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  20. ^ "Christchurch Harbour & Waterways management plan final draft" (PDF). Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  21. ^ "United Motor Boats". Simplonpc.co.uk. 3 May 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  22. ^ University of Southampton geological survey
  23. ^
    ISBN 1-871164-43-5
    .
  24. ^ Dorset for You web page on Stanpit Marsh

External links

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