Druitt Gardens

Beautiful but directions are really clear.

Christchurch is a borough and town in the county of Dorset on the south coast of England. The town adjoins Bournemouth in the west and the New Forest lies to the east. Historically within Hampshire, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974 and is the most easterly borough in the county. It covers an area of 19.5 square miles and has a population of about 45,000, making it the fourth most populous town in the county.The story of Christchurch Priory goes back to at least the middle of the 11th century, as Domesday says there was a priory of 24 secular canons here in the reign of Edward the Confessor. The Priory is on the site of an earlier church dating from 800 AD. In 1094 a chief minister of William II, Ranulf Flambard, then Dean of Twynham, began the building of a church. Local legend has it that Flambard originally intended the church to be built on top of nearby St. Catherines Hill but, during the night, all the building materials were mysteriously transported to the site of the present priory. Although in 1099 Flambard was appointed Bishop of Durham, work continued under his successors, and by about 1150 there was a basic Norman church consisting of a nave, a central tower and a quire extending eastwards from the crossing. It was during this period that another legend originated, that of the miraculous beam, which was to change the name of the town from Twynham to the present day Christchurch.Christchurch Quay, from the quay you can find a ferry called Wick Ferry,that will take you over to Hengistbury Head, also a little further along the Quay there is a ferry boat that will take you across the river to the pretty village of Wick or even onto the Tuckton tearooms. This ferry started around 1880 by Eli Miller, and only cost then, a halfpenny to cross the river. Christchurch was founded in the 7th century at the confluence of the rivers Avon and Stour which flow into Christchurch Harbour. The town was originally named Twynham but became known as Christchurch following the construction of the priory in 1094. The town developed into an important trading port and was fortified in the 9th century. Further defences were added in the 12th century with the construction of a castle which was destroyed by the Parliamentarian Army during the English Civil War. During the 18th and 19th centuries smuggling flourished in Christchurch and became one of the town's most lucrative industries. The town was heavily fortified during Second World War as a precaution against an expected invasion and in 1940 a Airspeed factory was established on the town's airfield which manufactured aircraft for the Royal Air Force.The castle is believed to stand on the site of an earlier wooden fort built in 924 AD following the capture of the town ramparts in 901 AD by Aethelwold King of Wessex and subsequently fortified with a motte by Edward the Elder. After the Norman conquest of 1066 the castle's defences were strengthened by the addition of a ditch and bailey surrounded by a wooden pallisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling—is typically a fence or wall made from wooden stakes or tree trunks and used as a defensive structure or enclosure. A great tower was built probably around 1300. The castle again saw action during the Civil War of 1642 to 1651. The Parliamentarians were allowed to take control of the castle in 1644. The Royalists laid siege to it for 3 days, demolishing houses on the corner of Church Street and Castle Street in order to site their cannons. The Royalists were unable to take the castle and Cromwell fearing such a powerful stronghold, ordered it to be slighted in 1652. The castle is now in ruins; a couple of the keep walls remain and the remains of a rectangular moat.

Absolutely gorgeous. Very well maintained and planted out. The sights are amazing but the smells are wonderful. Well worth a visit if you're in Christchurch.

Fantastic food and great atmosphere, friendly staff.