Verwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Verwood |
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 Verwood town centre |
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 Verwood
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| Population | 15,196 (Source: Mid Year Estimates, Office for National Statistics Jul-22) |
| OS grid reference | SU0808 |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | VERWOOD |
| Postcode district | BH31 |
| Dialling code | 01202 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Verwood is a town in eastern Dorset, England. It is located about 10 miles (16 km) north of Bournemouth and 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Poole. In 2014, the town and its nearby village, Three Legged Cross, had a population of about 15,170 people. Verwood is the biggest town in Dorset that does not have an upper school.
Contents
History of Verwood
How Verwood Got Its Name
Verwood was first mentioned in records in 1288. Back then, it was called Beau Bois, which is French for "beautiful wood". Later, in 1329, its name changed to Verwood. This name came from older names like Fairwood or The Fayrewood, meaning "fair wood". The way the "f" sound changed to a "v" sound is common in old Southwestern English dialects.
The Pottery Industry
For a long time, Verwood was famous for its pottery. This industry, known as Verwood Pottery, grew because the area had lots of clay and wood for firing the pots. Most of the pottery made was for everyday use, like plates and bowls. However, some fancier items were also created in earlier times. Later, people started making decorative and fun items.
The way pottery was made in Verwood stayed the same for hundreds of years, much like it was in Roman times. There were no machines or electricity used. For example, workers would mix the clay by stepping on it, not with a machine. An assistant would turn the potter's wheel by hand, and the ovens (called kilns) were heated with wood. Because of these old methods, the Crossroads Pottery, which was the last one left, became famous in newspapers in the mid-1900s.
The pottery was not just sold locally. People called "higglers" or "hawkers" would travel far across southern England to sell the pots. Some pots were even sent to other countries, especially to Newfoundland, Canada, through the nearby port of Poole. You can see examples of Verwood pots at the Verwood Heathland Heritage Centre.
Remembering War Heroes
The Verwood Memorial Recreation Ground is a special place that remembers the people who died in World War I. It was bought in 1920 with money from the public. The land is used as a public park for everyone in Verwood. It has a large area for a football field and several play areas for children.
Many people believe that the oak trees around the park were planted to remember each local person who died in the First World War. Each tree is protected by a special order.
In 1955, a group decided to build a new hall called the "Memorial Hall." This hall would remember those who bravely died in World War II. The hall was built at the Recreation Ground and officially opened on May 9, 1959. It was made bigger in 1977 during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. People in Verwood have always worked hard to protect the hall from being torn down.
Across the road from the Memorial Hall and Recreation Ground is the Memorial Stone. This stone has two plaques that honor the brave people who died in both world wars.
Verwood from 1980 to Today
Verwood got its first supermarket in the 1980s. In 1985, the town became "twinned" with Champtoceaux, a town in France. This means they became friendly partners. By 1987, Verwood's population grew to 9,856 people. The local council became a Town Council, which meant it had more responsibilities.
In 1992, new offices for the Verwood Town Council opened. Later that year, Verwood also twinned with Liederbach am Taunus, a town in Germany. By 2001, the town's population reached 12,069. The Verwood Heritage Centre, which is a museum about local history and a coffee shop, also opened. In 2007, the Verwood Hub opened. This is a modern building with a cinema and theatre for the community.
By 2014, Verwood had over 15,000 residents. The town created a plan that year, which included ideas for new facilities like a swimming pool and an upper school.
Shopping and Fun Places
Every Friday, a country market is held in the Memorial Hall. It sells fresh local vegetables, fruits, plants, flowers, homemade cakes, jams, and crafts.
Verwood has several shopping areas, mainly in the town center. You can find different places to eat, including Italian and Indian restaurants, a cafe, a fish and chip shop, a kebab shop, and a Chinese takeaway.
The Hub is a big community center that opened in April 2007. It has the Merryfield Theatre, which can seat 300 people, a smaller hall for 100 people, and other rooms. These spaces are used for movies, plays, concerts, and many other activities. Groups can also rent the rooms. In the middle of The Hub is a bistro area, where you can see art displays and exhibitions.
Media and Culture
Verwood is proud to have three successful brass bands: Verwood Concert Brass Principal Band, Verwood Town Band, and Verwood Community Band. As of 2022, Verwood Concert Brass is one of the top bands in the West of England. They won championships in 2005 and 2006, which led to them competing in national finals. They often perform concerts in the local area, including at The Hub.
Verwood also hosts an annual carnival around the Spring bank holiday. Many local groups, like the Verwood Guides, schools, youth clubs, and the Pantomime Society, take part in the parade. You can see floats, marching bands, fire engines, and other fun displays.
Local TV news is provided by BBC South and ITV Meridian. You can listen to local radio stations like BBC Radio Solent, Heart South, Greatest Hits Radio South, and Forest FM. Forest FM is a community radio station based in Verwood. It even has Europe's longest-running radio show about The Beatles!
VerwoodToday is a good online source for local news. Viewpoint Magazine, which started in Verwood over 35 years ago, now reaches many readers in nearby towns too.
Sports and Recreation
Verwood offers many sports and fun activities for everyone.
Football
Verwood is home to Verwood Town F.C., a football club started in 1920. They play at Potterne Park. Rossgarth Youth Football Club is also very successful, with teams for boys and girls of all ages. Eddie Howe, a famous former manager of AFC Bournemouth, used to play for Rossgarth.
Cricket
Verwood Cricket Club has several teams for both adults and young players. They play their home games at Potterne Park.
Lawn Bowls
Verwood Bowling Club has teams for men and ladies and plays at Moorlands Road.
Rugby
Verwood Rugby Club was founded in 1994 and plays at Potterne Park. Dorset Dockers Rugby Club also has two teams.
Gym and Park
Potterne Park has 12 acres (4.9 ha) of space for sports, including rugby, football, tennis, netball, cricket, and a skate park.
Verwood also hosts three big family events each year:
- The Verwood Carnival, usually on Spring Bank Holiday Monday.
- The Rustic Fayre, on August Bank Holiday Monday.
- Flameburst, a fireworks display on the last Saturday in October.
Stephen's Castle and Stephen's Stone
Stephen’s Castle is an ancient Iron Age burial mound located north of Verwood. It's in a special protected area (SSSI). This mound is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, meaning it's historically important. When archaeologists dug there in 1828, they found human remains from the Iron Age.
The Stephen Stone is a large, ancient stone hidden among pine trees and boggy ground, about 400 meters northeast of Stephen's Castle. Legend says that Stephen, a very strong local tribal chief, threw this stone half a mile into Ringwood Forest. This is amazing because the stone weighs about 3 tons!
In 1220, the stone was called "LE HORESTONE" and was used as a boundary marker. The Stephen Stone is a huge block of sandstone, but it's not from this area. It's a "monolith," which means a single, massive stone placed as a monument. Even though it's lying flat now, it's thought to have once stood upright, possibly over 10 feet (3 meters) tall. If so, it would be one of the biggest stones of its kind in Dorset. This area used to be open heathland, and you might have been able to see as far as Hengistbury Head on the coast.
For many years, the stone was lost in the overgrown wilderness. Only a few old stories mentioned it. In 1841, a writer shared a 561-year-old story about a large stone on Verwood's heathland. In 1993, a researcher named Peter Knight led a project to find the stone again. The area was then cleared in 1994 so people could visit it.
Old records suggest that local people used to treat the stone with great respect and told stories about how impossible it was to move it. They believed there was a golden box buried underneath it. They also said that if anyone tried to move it, a black bird would land on top to scare them away. Perhaps the "golden box" was a way to describe powerful, unseen energies at the site, and the warnings were to stop people from misusing the area.
Transport in Verwood
Roads
Verwood is located where two main roads, the B3081 and the B3072, cross. These roads connect the town to the A31 and A338 highways.
Buses
The Morebus route X6 provides regular bus services. You can take a bus to Poole or an express service to Ringwood and Bournemouth.
Trains
Verwood used to have its own railway station, but it closed in 1964. The closest train stations now are Christchurch (about 11.9 miles or 19.2 km away), Hinton Admiral (13.3 miles or 21.4 km), and Bournemouth (13.6 miles or 21.9 km).
Education
Verwood uses a three-tier school system. This means children go to three different schools as they grow up.
- There are three First schools for children aged 4 to 9: Verwood CofE First, Hillside First, and Trinity CofE First.
- Emmanuel CofE Middle School takes children from these First schools when they are 9 to 13 years old. This school is on the same campus as Verwood First School.
- After middle school, students usually go to either Queen Elizabeth's School, Wimborne Minster or Ferndown Upper School.
In 2014, there were discussions about opening an upper school in Verwood as part of the town's future plans.
Notable People from Verwood
Many interesting people have lived in Verwood, including:
- Lee Camp – a football player for AFC Bournemouth.
- Michael Giles – the original drummer for the band King Crimson.
- Harold Gimblett – a famous cricketer.
- Gordon Haskell – a pop music singer, songwriter, and bassist.
- Eddie Howe – a former football player and manager for AFC Bournemouth.
- Lionel Jeffries – an actor, writer, and director.
- Darren Kenny – a Paralympic cyclist.
- Jessie Matthews – an actress, singer, and dancer.
- Buster Merryfield – an actor.
- Sean O'Driscoll – a football coach and former player/manager for AFC Bournemouth.
- Tony Pulis – a football manager and former player/manager for AFC Bournemouth.
- Matt Tubbs – a footballer.
- Adam Booth – a Great Britain Youth International athlete.
Twin Towns
Verwood is twinned with two towns in other countries:
- Champtoceaux in France. You can learn more about their twinning committee here: Comité cantonal de jumelage de Champtoceaux
- Liederbach am Taunus in Germany. You can visit their homepage here: Homepage der Gemeinde Liederbach am Taunus
