HISTORY
Wareham
dates back over 2000 years. The town was once a stronghold for King Alfred
the Great, who had built the huge earthen walls around three sides of
the town to defend it against the Vikings. The Saxon church of St Martins
(the oldest in Dorset) houses early medieval wall paintings and an effigy
of Laurence of Arabia (originally intended for Westminster Abbey).
The Purbeck Information and Heritage Centre is a mine of information, as is the small but fascinating Wareham museum. The Rex Cinema is also worth a visit as it is the only gas-lit cinema in the country. Thursday is market day, which dates back over 500 years. The oldest auction based market in the country and features a fruit and produce auction, the only one in England. In addition there is now a new market on Satudays based on the Quay.
The Purbeck Information and Heritage Centre is a mine of information, as is the small but fascinating Wareham museum. The Rex Cinema is also worth a visit as it is the only gas-lit cinema in the country. Thursday is market day, which dates back over 500 years. The oldest auction based market in the country and features a fruit and produce auction, the only one in England. In addition there is now a new market on Satudays based on the Quay.
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Neolithic Stone Axe
Found at the Bestwall Site
At the same site typical Neolithic flint tools (4000-2000 BC) consisting of worked arrowheads and scrapers have been found.
Flint working continued throughout the Bronze Age (2000-800 BC). To date eight Bronze Age houses have been located. Field boundaries in the form of ditches divided up the land and crops of barley, wheat and Celtic beans were grown. The excavation at Bestwall has produced the largest assemblage of Middle Bronze Age pottery in this country. Three Middle Bronze Age cremations have been identified, a man, a woman and an infant, were all interred in plain urns.
Many thanks to the Bestwall Quarry Archaeology Project for information and photographs.
Find out more on their web site.
In 1994 a Roman coin hoard (antoniniani and denarii) was found at the Bestwall site in mint condition and dated from 117-272 AD. The hoard consisted of 1564 coins.
There is a pottery-kiln nearby at Stoborough There are also substantial Roman buildings at Creech and Brenscombe. The Isle of Purbeck to the southeast was a hive of activity in Roman times, with shale quarries at Worbarrow, North Egliston, Kimmeridge, Encombe, Blashenwell Farm, Corfe and Worth Matravers. There were also stone quarries at Purbeck, and salt workings at Hobarrow Bay and others at Arne.
The
Danes, for a century and a half, invaded Wareham repeatedly. Until Alfred
the Great, whom Winston Churchill called 'the greatest Englishman'. Alfred
had the walls built thus making Wareham into a 'Burh', a town that could
be defended by local warriors against raiders. But the Vikings still managed
to invade yet again by marching overland from Cambridge, later joined
by 150 ships that had sailed up the Frome. The pagan King Guthrun set
up headquarters in the nunnery, now the Priory Hotel.
Alfred
finally defeated Guthrun at the battle of Edington in 878, and with the
destruction of his fleet off Swanage, so came the end of the Viking threat.
With a battleaxe held to his neck, Guthrun converted to Christianity and became Alfred's godson.
With a battleaxe held to his neck, Guthrun converted to Christianity and became Alfred's godson.
During
the next century the town assumed great importance to the extent that
it housed two mints for the issue of Royal money. During the reign of
Ethelred the Unready, after 100 years of peace the Danes again invaded
and in 1015 King Canute left the town in ruins.
Things got somewhat better for Wareham under the Norman's but when Civil War broke out because of the bickering between Matilda and Stephen over who should succeed Henry I Wareham, and nearby Corfe, became embroiled in it all. Since the townsfolk showed their sympathy to Matilda, Stephen turned up with his army and torched the town. The Normans had built a castle by the river Frome, this was destroyed leaving virtually no remains
Things got somewhat better for Wareham under the Norman's but when Civil War broke out because of the bickering between Matilda and Stephen over who should succeed Henry I Wareham, and nearby Corfe, became embroiled in it all. Since the townsfolk showed their sympathy to Matilda, Stephen turned up with his army and torched the town. The Normans had built a castle by the river Frome, this was destroyed leaving virtually no remains
Up until this time Wareham had flourished as a port; however the increasing
importance of Poole and the silting of the river caused the trade of the
town to suffer.
The Wareham Court Leet: a present day survival of an ancient local court, which existed long before the current parallel systems of local and central government. Are still carrying out a ceremony handed down through the generations, in some cases from father to son, since the time of the Norman Conquest.
Read more on their web site.
The Wareham Court Leet: a present day survival of an ancient local court, which existed long before the current parallel systems of local and central government. Are still carrying out a ceremony handed down through the generations, in some cases from father to son, since the time of the Norman Conquest.
Read more on their web site.
The
struggle between Charles and Parliament turned once again to Civil War,
at first the town fell into Royalist hands.
Over the bay, Poole had sided with Parliament and it was from there that Captain Lay sailed up the River Frome and took the town. Not for long though. Wareham was retaken by Colonel Ashburnham in April 1644 leaving 25 dead in the streets, 14 drowned in the Frome and 156 taken prisoner.
Over the bay, Poole had sided with Parliament and it was from there that Captain Lay sailed up the River Frome and took the town. Not for long though. Wareham was retaken by Colonel Ashburnham in April 1644 leaving 25 dead in the streets, 14 drowned in the Frome and 156 taken prisoner.
All
this ended when the town was taken again by the Parliamentarians, under
the command of Anthony Ashley Cooper (who later, ironically, founded Charleston,
Carolina,) an ancestor of Lord Shaftsbury.
John Churchill leader of the Kings forces
On
June 11th, 1685, four months after King Charles's death, Monmouth landed
his forces on the Beach near the Cobb at Lyme Regis. Marching inland his
army was swelled by many local recruits.
The Kings forces were led by John Churchill, (later 1st duke of Marlborough), the son of Winston Churchill, squire of Minterne Magna.
The two forces finally met on July 6th at Sedgemoor in Somerset. In what was to be known as the last English battle to be fought with pitchforks, the rebels were soundly defeated.
The Kings forces were led by John Churchill, (later 1st duke of Marlborough), the son of Winston Churchill, squire of Minterne Magna.
The two forces finally met on July 6th at Sedgemoor in Somerset. In what was to be known as the last English battle to be fought with pitchforks, the rebels were soundly defeated.
Many
of the townsfolk of Wareham had supported Monmouth in his Protestant cause.
Six of them, after being tried by Judge Jeffries who was famous for his
severity, were executed (hung, drawn & quartered) at the Northwest
angle of Wareham Walls, still known as Bloody Bank.
Monmouth fled from the battlefield, later dressed in the clothes of a shepherd he was discovered shivering in a ditch. He was promptly taken to London and executed for treason on Tower Hill, and so ended the Rebellion.
Monmouth fled from the battlefield, later dressed in the clothes of a shepherd he was discovered shivering in a ditch. He was promptly taken to London and executed for treason on Tower Hill, and so ended the Rebellion.
THE
GREAT FIRE
On
Sunday July 25th 1762 a fire broke out in the back of the Bull's Head,
South Street, in the centre of the town, turf ashes had been thrown on
a dungheap. Thanks to a recent drought and a favourable wind two thirds
of the town was destroyed (over 140 buildings).
After that time no thatches were allowed in the town. Where you see thatched houses today marks the boundary of the fire.
The Georgian architecture of Wareham is a direct result of rebuilding after the fire.
After that time no thatches were allowed in the town. Where you see thatched houses today marks the boundary of the fire.
The Georgian architecture of Wareham is a direct result of rebuilding after the fire.
The Kings Arms, North Street, marks the northern limit of the fire.
THE
VICTORIANS
The Old Town Hall during elections of c1868, replaced by the present building in 1870
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John Samual Wanley Strawbridge Drax (left)
Montague Guest (right)
The
Lordship of the Manor of Wareham was sold by the Drax family to John Calcraft
of Rempstone in 1767 and from that time on, the Calcrafts tended to provide
the main opposition, representing the Liberal interest against the Tory
Drax family.
The Reform Act of 1832 had reduced Wareham's representation to just one member of Parliament. The town became alive at election times and both families fielded dominant characters. One in particular was John Samuel Wanley Sawbridge Drax, known as "The Wicked Squire", an arrogant and dictatorial man.
Elections took place over three days and there was much intimidation and other underhand tactics. Drax furnished his adherents with cudgels and banners proclaiming "Down with Calcraft" and it is said "blood ran in the streets". In 1868 Calcraft won by a small margin but died shortly afterwards and Drax regained the seat at a by-election.
Rivalry continued for the next ten years but the climax came in 1880. The Calcrafts stood down for Montague Guest, brother of Lord Wimborne of Canford.
The Reform Act of 1832 had reduced Wareham's representation to just one member of Parliament. The town became alive at election times and both families fielded dominant characters. One in particular was John Samuel Wanley Sawbridge Drax, known as "The Wicked Squire", an arrogant and dictatorial man.
Elections took place over three days and there was much intimidation and other underhand tactics. Drax furnished his adherents with cudgels and banners proclaiming "Down with Calcraft" and it is said "blood ran in the streets". In 1868 Calcraft won by a small margin but died shortly afterwards and Drax regained the seat at a by-election.
Rivalry continued for the next ten years but the climax came in 1880. The Calcrafts stood down for Montague Guest, brother of Lord Wimborne of Canford.
In
spite of all his gifts of venison and free beer, Drax was booed as he
drove through the town. The pubs were open all day and windows were broken
regularly. Dirty tricks were frequent and the Tories arranged for a party
of Liberals to be hi-jacked and marooned on Horse Island in Poole Harbour.
They were rescued just in time to vote by some passing fishermen.
At last the time came for the declaration of the poll. Silence reigned as the Mayor announced that Guest had won by 35 votes, then cheers and boos and a state of pandemonium ensued. Drax stood deathly pale at the Town Cross, a shattered man. After 250 years of service, his family had been rejected. He broke out in a torrent of unseemly oaths, cursing all and sundry. At that moment his coachman drove up with the Drax carriage. "Where to, Sir?" he enquired. The purple-faced squire shouted out, "Drive me to Hell!" and never entered Wareham again.
It was not known then, but the 1880 election was the last one in which Wareham would have the privilege of sole representation. As a result of the findings of a Royal Commission, Dorset lost five members of Parliament and Wareham to its disgust was merged with East Dorset.
At last the time came for the declaration of the poll. Silence reigned as the Mayor announced that Guest had won by 35 votes, then cheers and boos and a state of pandemonium ensued. Drax stood deathly pale at the Town Cross, a shattered man. After 250 years of service, his family had been rejected. He broke out in a torrent of unseemly oaths, cursing all and sundry. At that moment his coachman drove up with the Drax carriage. "Where to, Sir?" he enquired. The purple-faced squire shouted out, "Drive me to Hell!" and never entered Wareham again.
It was not known then, but the 1880 election was the last one in which Wareham would have the privilege of sole representation. As a result of the findings of a Royal Commission, Dorset lost five members of Parliament and Wareham to its disgust was merged with East Dorset.
WAREHAM
AT WAR
War Memorial, St. Martin's, North Street
When
the Great War came, Wareham became a garrison town. In 1917 there were
around 7,500 men camped on the town's outskirts, many of whom came from
northern regiments. The Royal Engineers also trained here and practiced
bridge building techniques across the two rivers.
The main army camp at Worgret, just west of the Town, had its own chapel,
infirmary, theatre and even its own sewage works.
By the 1920's all military activity had moved to Bovington.
At the outbreak of World War II there was a real fear of invasion by
German forces. Purbeck beaches were protected by mines and barbed wire,
and patrolled by the Home Guard.
To the east of Wareham at Holton Heath was a secret factory that produced
cordite for naval shells. Thanks to an elaborate air defence system
it suffered no major damage throughout the entire war.
In the run up to the D Day landings the whole area was used as a rehearsal
theatre for the invasion, many of the American regiments temporarily
stationed here landed on the Normandy beaches in June 1944.
Both
General Eisenhower and Winston Churchill visited the area to oversee the
rehearsals, secretly passing through Wareham in a private train, hidden
in camouflaged sidings at Norden near Corfe Castle.
German Prisoner of War graves in St Mary's Churchyard
German Prisoner of War graves in St Mary's Churchyard
SINCE
THEN ...
The
post war period saw a great expansion of Wareham beyond the confines of
its ancient walls and north of the Piddle River to the edge of Wareham
Forest.
The revival of tourism during the 1950's and 1960's coincided with the decline of more traditional industries like pottery making, although clay mining is still very active.
Wareham is steeped in history, its dogged resistance of change for the sake of change has honed its individual character.
The revival of tourism during the 1950's and 1960's coincided with the decline of more traditional industries like pottery making, although clay mining is still very active.
Wareham is steeped in history, its dogged resistance of change for the sake of change has honed its individual character.
For
more information, including the permanent T.E.Lawrence exhibition, visit
the Wareham Town Museum in the Town Hall, East Street. Tel: 01929 553448.
Curator: Mike O'Hara
Website: www.wtm.org.uk
Open Easter to October, admission free.
Curator: Mike O'Hara
Website: www.wtm.org.uk
Open Easter to October, admission free.
Wareham
& Swanage Railway
In January 1972 British Railways closed the line and lifted all the track. However, this was not the end, as a group of enthusiasts got together to rebuild the line. In the summer of 1975 a licence was granted to the Swanage Railway Society to occupy the disused Swanage station site, since when the dedicated volunteers have lovingly restored the railway to what you see today.
In January 1972 British Railways closed the line and lifted all the track. However, this was not the end, as a group of enthusiasts got together to rebuild the line. In the summer of 1975 a licence was granted to the Swanage Railway Society to occupy the disused Swanage station site, since when the dedicated volunteers have lovingly restored the railway to what you see today.
Click for web site.
The
Great Blizzard
1977, in February Wareham is cut off by a blizzard, essential supplies were delivered by the army in tracked vehicles.
1977, in February Wareham is cut off by a blizzard, essential supplies were delivered by the army in tracked vehicles.
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