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Ancient History Is Just Round The Corner
Ferndown never ceases to surprise me. "Did you know there is an Iron Age Hill Fort less than 1½miles from this house?" said Bob, back in July. What? Where? I knew nothing of this!
He explained that it is on a large area of land owned by Bournemouth Girlguiding [purchased in 1930, from Lord Wimborne] for use as a campsite.
The adjacent field was then donated to the Guides by its owner, Lt Col Drew, in memory of his daughter, Ann, who had died very young, and had been a Brownie.
Over 2500 years ago, it might have looked like this. Now there is just a replica "Round House", built by the Guides, in Ann's Field.
Our good friend Steve walks his dog on the footpath alongside the site, and has become friends with the Guiders- so he offered to help them organise an "Apple Fair" yesterday afternoon.Bob was doing the PA for the event [a small affair, it didn't take a lot of work!]
Here's "The House" - the original Guides' building on the site. We had a really interesting afternoon, and I found out all sorts of things from both recent and far distant history. Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, came along to the opening, back in 1931.
I think the girls have wisely followed the advice she gave them, almost 90 years ago.
More about Dudsbury later...
Over 2500 years ago, it might have looked like this. Now there is just a replica "Round House", built by the Guides, in Ann's Field.
So much history in your area!
ReplyDeleteThat is a wonderful thing! I wish more land would be held in sacred trust like this and not sold off for really cramped housing.
ReplyDeleteI mourn the loss of all those school playing fields when Mrs T was PM.
DeleteI was a GG in Dorset in the 1960’s and Olave B.P. came to a rally and spoke to us, she must have been pretty ancient by then. You can’t throw a stick in Dorset without hitting a Hill Fort.
ReplyDeleteI saw O B-P once, in about 1962. She did seem ancient to me too. Checking her dates [1889-1977] I realise she must have been 73ish. Now I'm in my 60s, that doesnt seem quite so old! And yes, Dorset is jam packed with historical sites.
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