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Map from Lycos @ 1:200,000
Local Site Map
Brownsea Island is about 1.5 miles long, half as broad and comprises an area of some 500 acres. It is located near the mouth of Poole Harbour and is the largest of the many island in that body of water.
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| Brownsea Island looking approximately north across Poole Harbour from the Sandbanks Ferry |
The name in the 13th century was Brunkeseye which
derives from the personal name Burn or Brown and the Old English
eig for island. It is sometimes known as
Branksea.
The flanks of the island are disguised beneath the dark green groves of pine which clothe
its margins but the interior presents a vista of glens and hills (some as high as 90 feet)
which are covered in heath and wild flowers.
HISTORY, IN BRIEF
The island is probably best known for its connection with the Scouting Movement as it
was here that Colonel Baden-Powell sited his first experimental camp in 1907.
Once the property of Cerne Abbey in Dorset, the island possessed a hermit's cell. It was
in private hands with no access to the public until it passed to the National Trust which
manage it as a nature reserve. It is the last refuge of our native red squirrel, ousted
from England and Wales by its larger grey American cousin, to be found this side of the
border with Scotland.
The island's position commanding the mouth of the harbour and the navigable channel led to
the building of Brownsea Castle at its southern extremity by
Henry VIII and its strengthening during the reign of Charles I.
Brownsea Island and all upon it came into the possession of
Lieutenant-Colonel Waugh in 1848 and he spent a great deal of money developing it by
building cottages and a church. The austere castle itself did not
escape his attentions either - given a Tudor-Gothic frontage it was remodelled as a
splendid mansion. It burnt down in 1896 and was rebuilt to leave the castle we see today.
Click between the arrows for a
more extensive history of the island.
The northern part of the island is leased to the Dorset Wildlife Trust
which runs it as a nature reserve. The Wildlife Trust's first reserve, it was acquired by them in 1962.
The island is accessible to visitors by means of a foot passenger ferry from Sandbanks.
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| | | TOWNS & VILLAGES | | Arne
Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, England | 4.7 km E | | Brownsea
Dorset, England | 0.2 km E | | Canford Cliffs
Dorset, England | 3.5 km NW | | Hamworthy
Dorset, England | 4.7 km NE | | Parkstone
Dorset, England | 4.5 km NW | | Poole
Dorset, England | 2.7 km NE | | Studland
Isle of
Purbeck, Dorset, England | 5.6 km SW | | Tuckton
Bournemouth, Dorset, England | 3 km NE | | | | | OTHER PLACES | | Branksea Castle
Brownsea Island, Dorset, England
Also known as Brownsea, Henry VIII built a castle here to protect the
mouth of Poole Harbour | 0.9 km SE | | Brownsea Castle
Brownsea Island, Dorset, England
Also known as Branksea Castle, Henry VIII built a castle here to
protect the mouth of Poole Harbour | 0.9 km SE | | Green Island
Poole Harbour, Dorset,
England
One of the larger islands of Poole
Harbour | 1.9 km SW | | Poole
Harbour
Dorset, England
The largest natural harbour in
the world, this was the principal port of Iron Age Britain | 2 km NW | | Poole Lifeboat Museum
Poole Town Quay (nr to Dolphin Marina)
The old lifeboat museum, the pink building on the quay near to Dolphin Marina, sells souvenirs, Christmas cards, diaries and calendars. There is also the opportunity to look at the old Surf lifeboat the Thomas Kirk Wright which was Po | 2.7 km NW | | 4 High Street
Poole, Dorset
The Waterfront Museum tells of Poole s history. Displays include a street scene, trade with Newfoundland, the Studland Bay wreck, Roman occupation and more. At the Poole Local Centre there are research facilities relating to the history of the town. (Open | 2.7 km NW |
POOLE
POOLE HARBOUR
POOLE HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS
PORT OF POOLE
BROWNSEA ISLAND
BOURNEMOUTH
WAREHAM
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Recommend a Book for this Page
The Story of Poole, Old Town, Port & Harbour
Joan Sutton ©1988 ISBN 0 906596 04 1
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