Poole has an enormously rich heritage stretching back thousands of years. From humble beginnings, the town centre grew up from the quay as it became one of the South Coast’s most important mediaeval ports.
Prehistory
Poole is rich in archaeological sites dating back to prehistory. Hundreds of stone tools have been recovered in the borough.
Iron Age/Roman
The massive Poole logboat dredged from the harbour is one of the finest examples in Western Europe and has been carbon dated to about 295BC. The logboat can be viewed at Poole Museum.
During the Roman conquest of southern England, a military port was situated at Hamworthy. The Roman forces active in the Poole area were commanded by a future emperor, a Vespasian.
Saxon
Massive oyster shell deposits containing millions of shells lie under Poole and Hamworthy Quays. These seem to represent the discarded waste from an oyster fishery of mid-late Saxon date. In 876 A.D. and 998 A.D., Viking fleets entered Poole Harbour, sacking Wareham, Wimborne, and other settlements.
Norman
In 1248, the crusader knight William Longespee granted his borough of “La Pole” a measure of self-government under the Longespee Charter. He was killed in a battle in Egypt in 1250.
Medieval Poole
Throughout the medieval period, Poole was an important port for trading with most of the maritime nations of Europe. Substantial stone buildings, such as the Town Cellars, date from this period.
Poole Harbour had the reputation of being a nest of pirates. In 1405, the town was attacked by a combined Franco-Spanish force retaliating for the exploits of Harry Paye of Poole, one of the more important sea captains who raided their coasts.
Elizabethan Poole
In 1568, Elizabeth I granted the Great Charter, under which Poole became "The County of the Town of Poole," separate from the county of Dorset. A 1574 census showed Poole had a sizable population of 1,373.
Georgian Poole
Poole has a splendid heritage of Georgian mansions, which can be seen in and around Poole’s Old Town. These were largely the products of the wealth created by the Newfoundland trade. Poole ships sailed to Newfoundland, where salt cod was loaded and taken to Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Back from these countries came valuable goods such as olive oil, wine, and salt.
