West Moors | |
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![]() West Moors village centre | |
Location within Dorset | |
Population | 7,561 [1] |
OS grid reference | SU0802 |
Civil parish |
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Unitary authority | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | FERNDOWN |
Postcode district | BH22 |
Dialling code | 01202 |
Police | Dorset |
Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
Ambulance | South Western |
UK Parliament | |
West Moors is a village in Dorset, England, on the northern fringe of the Poole-Bournemouth conurbation, just outside the larger settlements of Ferndown and Verwood. The parish of West Moors had an estimated population of 7,400 in 2004, [2] increasing to 7,561 for both the parish and electoral ward at the 2011 Census. [3] The parish council was renamed West Moors Town Council in 2020. [4]
West Moors rose to local prominence with the building of the Southampton and Dorchester and Salisbury and Dorset Junction railway lines in the late 19th century and although main line services were later diverted via Bournemouth, West Moors railway station was served by a branch line railway until 4 May 1964. The only remnants of these lines through the village are the original level crossing gatekeeper's cottage on Station Road, and the Castleman Trailway footpath following the original trackbed leading to Ringwood to the east and Poole to the west. This however, was recently resurfaced and the central reservation was removed, rendering the southernmost of the two tracks largely unusable, and causing it to lose its former authentic look.
The village expanded with the development of the military fuel depot located outside the village but within the West Moors civil parish. The depot is home to the Defence School of Petroleum, and also to the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service Training Centre. In April 2017 the Royal Air Force relocated their Fuels Training school from RAF Halton to MoD West Moors. In July 2018 it was announced that after over 80 years the Military would move from West Moors, under project Wellsley the RAF would relocate to MoD Worthy Down in January 2019 and the Army would have moved by April 2020. In the past many military families were housed in their own housing estates, however most jobs are now undertaken by civilian personnel and the military housing sold off. More recent population increases have been due to the influx of commuters, both to Bournemouth and Poole, and to more remote destinations such as Southampton, and London.
West Moors has a mixed population, with a relatively high proportion of elderly people. There are two first schools, one middle school, two youth clubs; including the west moors scout group, and a skatepark.
There are various shops including one butcher, one baker and two pubs. There is also the West Moors Social Club which has entertainment nights. Moors Valley Country Park is just outside the parish boundary (3 miles from the village), and is easily accessible from the Castleman Trailway.
The village's sports facilities include two football pitches (Fryers Playing Field). The tennis courts have recently been refurbished into an artificial floodlit grass football facility and a multi-use area that can be used as two tennis courts (tarmacadam surface) or other sports. There is also a playpark on Fryer’s field and on the other side of the village (Shaftesbury Road) there is another slighter smaller play park.
After 2019 structural changes to local government in England, West Moors is part of the West Moors and Three Legged Cross ward which elects 2 members to Dorset Council. [5]
Dorset is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south-east, the English Channel to the south, and Devon to the west. The largest settlement is Bournemouth, and the county town is Dorchester.
Verwood is a town and civil parish in eastern Dorset, England. The town lies 10 miles (16 km) north of Bournemouth and 13 miles (21 km) north east of Poole as the crow flies. The civil parish comprises the town of Verwood together with the extended village of Three Legged Cross, and in 2014 had a population of 15,170. Verwood is the largest town in Dorset without an upper school.
East Dorset was a local government district in Dorset, England. Its council met in Wimborne Minster between 2016 and 2019.
Corfe Mullen is a village in Dorset, England, on the north-western urban fringe of the South East Dorset conurbation. The community had a population of 10,133 at the 2011 Census. It is served by six churches, four pubs, five schools, a library, various shops and local businesses, a village hall, and many community and sports organisations. On 10 December 2019 The Corfe Mullen Parish Council resolved to adopt Town Council status, citing potential financial benefits. In all other aspects Corfe Mullen is still very much a village, albeit a large one.
Ferndown is a town and civil parish in Dorset in southern England, immediately to the north of Bournemouth and Poole. The parish, which until 1972 was called Hampreston, includes the communities of Hampreston, Longham, Stapehill and Trickett's Cross. At the 2011 Census, the population of the parish was 26,559, making Ferndown the largest inland town in Dorset in terms of population, being larger than Dorchester.
Lytchett Matravers is a large village and civil parish in Dorset, England. The 2011 census recorded the parish as having 1,439 households and a population of 3,424.
Alderholt is a large village and civil parish in east Dorset, England; situated 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Fordingbridge. The parish includes the hamlets of Crendell and Cripplestyle. The local travel links are located 11 miles (18 km) from the village to Salisbury railway station and 9 miles (14 km) to Bournemouth International Airport. The main road running through the village is the B3078 connecting Alderholt to Fordingbridge and Shaftesbury. The village has a population of 3,113 according to the 2001 Census, increasing along with the electoral ward of the same name to 3,171 at the 2011 Census.
The Castleman Trailway is a footpath in Southern England. Portions of the trailway are also used as a cyclepath but the middle section from East Wimborne to the River Allen bridge is not cyclable.
Hamworthy is a village, parish, peninsula and suburb of Poole in Dorset, England. It is sited on a peninsula of approximately 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi) that is bordered by the town of Upton to the north, Poole Harbour to the south, Lytchett Bay to the west and Holes Bay to the east. Poole Bridge, the southern terminus of the A350 road, connects the suburb with the town centre. Hamworthy is the location of the Port of Poole ferry passenger terminal and cargo handling operations.
The South East Dorset conurbation is a multi-centred conurbation on the south coast of Dorset in England.
Kinson is a former village which has been absorbed by the town of Bournemouth in the county of Dorset in England. The area became part of Bournemouth on 1 April 1931. There were two electoral wards containing the name Kinson. Their joint population at the 2011 Census was 19,824.
Ringwood is a closed railway station in the county of Hampshire, England which served the town of Ringwood. It lay on the former Southampton and Dorchester Railway, the original main line from a connection with the London and South Western Railway at Southampton through Brockenhurst to Dorchester.
Three Legged Cross is an extended village within Verwood civil parish in east Dorset, England. It lies to the south of the town of Verwood and to the north of West Moors. Its population in 2014 was estimated at 2,740.
Verwood railway station served the town of Verwood, Dorset, and its hinterland, from 1866 to 1964. It was one of many casualties of the mass closure of British railway lines in the 1960s; the last train running on 2 May 1964. The village is now much larger than when the line ran as it is within reasonable travelling distance of the South East Dorset conurbation.
The Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway was a railway company, that built a line from a junction near Salisbury to another near West Moors on the Ringwood to Wimborne line. It ran through the counties of Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset in England. It opened the line in 1866, and was worked by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR).
The Southampton and Dorchester Railway was an English railway company formed to join Southampton in Hampshire with Dorchester in Dorset, with hopes of forming part of a route from London to Exeter. It received parliamentary authority in 1845 and opened in 1847.
Broadstone was a railway station in the northern part of the Borough of Poole in the county of Dorset in England. It opened in 1872 under the name of New Poole Junction and closed to passengers in 1966. Between these dates there were several changes of name for a station which at its height provided a suburb of Poole with four substantial platforms and a goods yard. A prominent feature of the station was the large footbridge needed to span the four running lines.
Ashley Heath is a village in Dorset, England, adjacent to the villages of St Leonards and St Ives, with which it forms the civil parish of St Leonards and St Ives. Ashley Heath is located 8 miles (13 km) north-east of Bournemouth on the edge of the Moors Valley Country Park.
Media related to West Moors at Wikimedia Commons