This series of photographs shows scenes from Verwood as they were in the early 20th Century

and again in 2002

 

VERWOOD CROSSROADS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.  

THE VIEW IS LOOKING NORTH AND SHOWS THE RURAL NATURE OF THE VILLAGE CENTRE AT THAT TIME.   MANY OF THE FIELDS HAVE NOW BEEN BUILT ON.   THE  NEWLY LANDSCAPED TOWN GREEN IS ON THE LAND TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT WHICH USED TO CONTAIN A LARGE MUDPIT FOR THE CROSSROADS POTTERY AND WAS KNOWN AS "FERRETT'S GREEN.   THE HALL WAS THAT OF THE CONSERVATIVE AND UNIONISTS AND SERVED AS THE MAIN VILLAGE HALL FOR MANY YEARS.   SOCIALS, YOUTH CLUBS AND CINEMA SHOWS WERE HELD.
 
 

VERWOOD CROSSROADS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY.

TAKEN FROM ALMOST THE SAME VANTAGE POINT AS THE PREVIOUS EXCEPT THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHER DID NOT DARE STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT IS NOW A BUSY ROAD.   TREES HAVE GROWN AND HIDE THE LANDSCAPE.   A NEWSAGENTS AND ESTATE AGENTS STAND ON THE FAR LEFT CORNER AND A BLOCK OF FLATS WHERE THE CONSERVATIVE HALL ONCE STOOD.   THE SIGNPOST IS JUST ABOUT VISIBLE THROUGH THE TREES.   THE MEMORIAL HALL, BUILT AFTER THE LAST WAR, IS OUT OF SIGHT TO THE RIGHT AND REPLACED IN USE THE FORMER HALL.
 
 

VERWOOD CROSSROADS LOOKING NORTH EAST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. 

THE VIEW IS SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT OF THE PREVIOUS PICTURES.   BEYOND THE FIELDS ARE OPEN HEATHLAND AND THE SANDSTONE PROMONTORY OF STEPHEN'S CASTLE.   HIGH QUALITY SAND USED TO BE QUARRIED FROM HERE AND EXPORTED FOR USE IN THE GLASS INDUSTRY.   IT ALSO SUPPLIED SAND FOR MULBERRY HARBOURS FOR THE NORMANDY LANDINGS IN WORLD WAR II.   TODAY THE HEATHLAND IS WOODED, HAVING BEEN LEASED BY THE FORESTRY COMMISSION.
 

VERWOOD CROSSROADS LOOKING NORTH EAST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY. 

TODAY THE VIEW IS COMPLETELY BLOCKED BY FLATS, SHOPS AND OFFICES.   "THE PARADE", CENTRE RIGHT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT AS HOUSING BUT SOON THE DOWNSTAIRS ROOMS WERE EXTENDED AND CONVERTED INTO SHOPS.   TODAY IT IS NO LONGER LIVED IN BUT CONTAINS ESTATE AGENTS, TRAVEL AGENT, BANK ETC. WHILST OTHER BUSINESSES USE THE UPSTAIRS ROOMS.
 
 

VERWOOD CROSSROADS AGAIN IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. 

THE VIEW IS EAST TOWARDS RINGWOOD, FIVE MILES DISTANT, WHERE MANY PEOPLE VISITED THE WEEKLY MARKET AND STILL DO.   TO THE LEFT THE NEWSAGENTS HAS BEEN BUILT, THE OLDEST SHOP STILL IN THE CONTINUOUS OWNERSHIP OF THE SAME FAMILY AND A POPULAR AND THRIVING BUSINESS TODAY.   ON THE FAR SIDE IS "THE PARADE".   TO THE RIGHT IS THE GARAGE AND CYCLE SHOP FOUNDED BY FORMER BLACKSMITHS, THE SHEARING FAMILY.   THIS WAS THE START OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CROSSROADS AREA WITH FURTHER BUILDING TO THE FAR CENTRE.   BY THIS TIME THE TELEPHONE HAD ARRIVED.
 
 

THE SAME VIEW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY.  

THE NEWSAGENTS HAS BEEN EXTENDED.   THE GARAGE AT THE RIGHT CHANGED HANDS A COUPLE OF TIMES AND HAS NOW BEEN CLOSED DOWN.   THE SITE  HAS BEEN REDEVELOPED INTO A FLATS, SHOPS AND HOUSES COMPLEX.  THE CENTRE BUILDING IS NOW A NEWLY BUILT CONVENIENCE STORE WITH OTHER SHOPS AND BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.   THE FORMER CAR PARK HAS NOW BEEN LANDSCAPED AS A GREEN AREA AND NAMED FERRETT GREEN.

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