*** Welcome to piglix ***

Lower Parkstone

Parkstone
Castle Hill in Parkstone - geograph.org.uk - 383977.jpg
Commercial Road, Lower Parkstone
Parkstone is located in Dorset
Parkstone
Parkstone
Parkstone shown within Dorset
Population 10,779 (2011)
OS grid reference SZ0391
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town POOLE
Postcode district BH12/BH14
Dialling code 01202
Police Dorset
Fire Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance South Western
EU Parliament South West England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Dorset
50°43′N 1°57′W / 50.71°N 1.95°W / 50.71; -1.95Coordinates: 50°43′N 1°57′W / 50.71°N 1.95°W / 50.71; -1.95

Parkstone /ˈpɑːrkstən/ is an area of Poole, Dorset. It is divided into 'Lower' and 'Upper' Parkstone. Upper Parkstone - "Up-on-'ill" as it used to be known in local parlance - is so-called because it is largely on higher ground slightly to the north of the lower-lying area of Lower Parkstone - "The Village" - which includes areas adjacent to Poole Harbour.

Because of the proximity to the shoreline, and the more residential nature of Lower Parkstone, it is the more sought-after district, and originally included Lilliput and the Sandbanks Peninsula (now part of Canford Cliffs) within its official bounds. Lower Parkstone is centred on Ashley Cross, the original location of Parkstone Grammar School, near to the Parish Church of St. Peter. Despite the residential reputation, Parkstone was the site of several industrial undertakings, the largest being George Jennings South Western Pottery, a manufacturer of salt-glaze drainage and sanitary pipes, which had its own steam locomotive, that ran on a private branch line from Parkstone Station. Much of this area was agricultural until the 1920s and 1930s.

Upper Parkstone includes large areas of smaller artisan housing, the shopping district along Ashley Road and the parish church of St. John's, Heatherlands. There are larger properties, however, and the views from this higher part of the suburb across Poole Harbour to the Purbeck Hills are quite remarkable. Many photographs taken over the years from the Seaview viewpoint (overlooking much of Poole centre and Harbour) exist as postcards, and can be used to chart the changes to the area.


...
Wikipedia

...