BOURNEMOUTH GRANT TOO
ST MARKS PRIMARY SCHOOL. TALBOT VILLAGE. BOURNEMOUTH. DORSET. SEPTEMBER 1992
In the 1840s, when Bournemouth was very much in its infancy, the wealthy Talbot family from Surrey used to come and stay at one of the new villas that had recently been built on the east cliff.
The house was called Hinton Wood House, which later became the Hintonwood Hotel, since demolished and replaced by a tower block called Hintonwood.
Whilst staying in the area the family's two daughters, Georgina and Mary [ Marianne ] Talbot, were touched by the plight of some of the poor, and vowed to do something to help.
At this point there was relatively little development in Bournemouth, and the town's first official boundary, set as being within a one mile radius of today's Pier Approach, wouldn't come into force until 1856.
It is very unlikely that there were any noticeable numbers of poor in the vicinity of Hinton Wood House, where the Talbots were staying, although there would have been poor agricultural workers further afield, in areas such as Holdenhurst, Throop and Kinson.
It is likely the large villas, and more specifically the wealthy families within them, would have attracted the less well off to possible employment opportunities such as domestic servants, cooks and gardeners, so perhaps that is how the Talbot Sisters came into contact with the poor.
Another possibility is that tinkers and gypsies in the area would make a beeline to the wealthy visitors and plead desperate poverty in the hope of a hand out.
Whatever happened, the Talbot Sisters were sufficiently moved to use the money at their disposal to purchase some land upon which to build cottages with smallholdings, a number of farms, almshouses, a church and a school.
Work to construct the village began in 1850, with most being completed in just over a decade.
Tenants paid a rent and were expected to make a living working the land associated with their property.
The area covered by Talbot Village was originally larger than the current village as much of the surrounding farmland has been sold for development including the land that Bournemouth University and the Talbot Heath Estate, that eminates from Fern Barrow, now occupies, just across the border in Poole.
Wallisdown Rd that runs past the village is the boundary between the two towns.
Most of Talbot Village lay within the parish of Kinson which became part of Bournemouth in 1931.
Today the heart of Talbot Village remains as a conservation area, with many of it's buildings being grade 2 listed, standing discreetly amongst pines and woodland, mostly hidden from the busy Wallisdown Rd by tall hedges.
Lollipop Farmhouse, one of the village's former farms stands nearby at 74 Columbia Rd.
It fell into disrepair and stood derelict before it was fully restored in the late 1980s, and renamed Lollipop Cottage.
The last of the village's working farms, Highmoor Farm, stands next to the Bournemouth University / Talbot Heath Estate development, on the opposite side of Wallisdown Rd to Talbot Village itself, and therefore lying within the Borough of Poole.
In 2011 the Talbot Village Trust decided that the farm was no longer viable and decided to sell what remained of the farm's land to Poole Council for a housing development that includes 378 homes, 151 of which are affordable housing, including student accommodation.
This has understandably led to a sometimes fierce opposition from local residents. For further info click the link below.
The Talbot Village Trust survives as a charity and continues the good work started by the Talbot Sisters all those years ago, giving at least £800,000 to good causes in the East Dorset area each year.
The plan to redevelop the former Highmoor Farm site.
www.talbotvillageapplication.co.uk/trust_bkgrnd.html
www.bournemouth.gov.uk/PlanningBuildings/ConservationDesi...
ST MARKS PRIMARY SCHOOL. TALBOT VILLAGE. BOURNEMOUTH. DORSET. SEPTEMBER 1992
In the 1840s, when Bournemouth was very much in its infancy, the wealthy Talbot family from Surrey used to come and stay at one of the new villas that had recently been built on the east cliff.
The house was called Hinton Wood House, which later became the Hintonwood Hotel, since demolished and replaced by a tower block called Hintonwood.
Whilst staying in the area the family's two daughters, Georgina and Mary [ Marianne ] Talbot, were touched by the plight of some of the poor, and vowed to do something to help.
At this point there was relatively little development in Bournemouth, and the town's first official boundary, set as being within a one mile radius of today's Pier Approach, wouldn't come into force until 1856.
It is very unlikely that there were any noticeable numbers of poor in the vicinity of Hinton Wood House, where the Talbots were staying, although there would have been poor agricultural workers further afield, in areas such as Holdenhurst, Throop and Kinson.
It is likely the large villas, and more specifically the wealthy families within them, would have attracted the less well off to possible employment opportunities such as domestic servants, cooks and gardeners, so perhaps that is how the Talbot Sisters came into contact with the poor.
Another possibility is that tinkers and gypsies in the area would make a beeline to the wealthy visitors and plead desperate poverty in the hope of a hand out.
Whatever happened, the Talbot Sisters were sufficiently moved to use the money at their disposal to purchase some land upon which to build cottages with smallholdings, a number of farms, almshouses, a church and a school.
Work to construct the village began in 1850, with most being completed in just over a decade.
Tenants paid a rent and were expected to make a living working the land associated with their property.
The area covered by Talbot Village was originally larger than the current village as much of the surrounding farmland has been sold for development including the land that Bournemouth University and the Talbot Heath Estate, that eminates from Fern Barrow, now occupies, just across the border in Poole.
Wallisdown Rd that runs past the village is the boundary between the two towns.
Most of Talbot Village lay within the parish of Kinson which became part of Bournemouth in 1931.
Today the heart of Talbot Village remains as a conservation area, with many of it's buildings being grade 2 listed, standing discreetly amongst pines and woodland, mostly hidden from the busy Wallisdown Rd by tall hedges.
Lollipop Farmhouse, one of the village's former farms stands nearby at 74 Columbia Rd.
It fell into disrepair and stood derelict before it was fully restored in the late 1980s, and renamed Lollipop Cottage.
The last of the village's working farms, Highmoor Farm, stands next to the Bournemouth University / Talbot Heath Estate development, on the opposite side of Wallisdown Rd to Talbot Village itself, and therefore lying within the Borough of Poole.
In 2011 the Talbot Village Trust decided that the farm was no longer viable and decided to sell what remained of the farm's land to Poole Council for a housing development that includes 378 homes, 151 of which are affordable housing, including student accommodation.
This has understandably led to a sometimes fierce opposition from local residents. For further info click the link below.
The Talbot Village Trust survives as a charity and continues the good work started by the Talbot Sisters all those years ago, giving at least £800,000 to good causes in the East Dorset area each year.
The plan to redevelop the former Highmoor Farm site.
www.talbotvillageapplication.co.uk/trust_bkgrnd.html
www.bournemouth.gov.uk/PlanningBuildings/ConservationDesi...