REDHILL PARK/COMMON 18.91 hectares 45.75 acres
Redhill Common is one of Bournemouth's Open spaces, with a history stretching back to the 19 th century when local landowners succeeded in getting the Christchurch Enclosure Act through Parliament in 1802, which has preserved this piece of heathland from all building development.
During the Napoleonic wars there was a shortage of food so the main landowners of farm land in the Stour Valley combined to sponsor an act of Parliament which would finish common rights on the heaths of Bournemouth and place the common land in private hands, so as to make it possible to cultivate it.
The local people of the farms and holdings heard of the plan and the thought of losing the right to cut turf from the heath for their hearths left them aghast.
The cottagers protest made to the Commissioners appointed to share out the land is told in a local studies booklet No 612, entitled "Farmer West and Muscliffe", which is a nearby contemporary account of what happened. The Commissioners heeded the request of the cottagers that their rights should be preserved, and reserved certain tracts of the heath as "Turbary Commons" (Turbary meaning the right to cut turf for fuel).
The right was confined to the occupiers of small properties standing at least 14 years before the passing of the Act of Enclosure. As Bournemouth grew, most of these cottages were pulled down to make way for modern housing and together with the cutting of peat giving way to coal being used as fuel, the right of Turbary fell into disuse. Thus enabling the Corporation to purchase the Turbary Commons and to lay them out as public parks and Redhill's 45.75 acres were purchased and laid out in this way.
REDHILL COMMON'S CONIFERS
A great deal of forestry, mainly the planting of conifers on the former treeless heaths took place in the 19 th century and the conifers of Redhill Common are a reminder that Bournemouth's famous pine trees are the result of an attempt to justify the enclosure of the common land.
In November 1906 the Town Clerk reported the completion of purchase of Southbourne and Redhill Commons (Nos 58 and 61) from Sir George Meyrick, and the extinguishment of Turbary rights therein. An application was made to the Local Government Board for sanction to borrow the sum of £1,375 for the purchase of the above. This was done with the date of Conveyance being the 9th October 1906, from Sir George A.E.T.G. Meyrick, Bart to the County Borough of Bournemouth, price £1,334, with Sir George Meyrick making a wish that these commons should pass under public control. (The above area also included an area of 3 acres adjoining Stourcliff House known as Turf Common No 58) The site was visited in January 1913 with a view to its development as public pleasure grounds. It was decided to submit plans for the laying out of football grounds on the plateau near the southern end of the Common, the land to be prepared and sown with grass seeds and fenced, approximately 4 acres total. In 1920 more trees were planted at Redhill Common and in 1921 a sanction to borrow £2,000 was made to the Ministry of Health to cover cost of preliminary work of levelling ground, the main paths (excluding main road) and for planting at Redhill Pleasure Grounds.
The British Legion (unemployed ex-servicemen) carried out much of the construction work on the common in the 1920's. On 16th June 1927 the British Legion chairman reported that £892 12s 9d had been paid to the Borough by them in connection with work done by Council at Redhill.
A letter dated 8th October 1930 from Messrs Fox & Son, read offering to sell the Council 12 acres of land at Redhill, was deferred until a Committee visit was arranged. This land adjoined that purchased by Poole Rural District Council for sewerage works, the land fronted onto the river and main road.
The Council went ahead with the purchase, the date of conveyance being 31st August 1931 H C Marshall Esq. C.M.G to Bournemouth Corporation purchase price £1,750. In 1933 a strip of land adjoining the footpath from Pine Vale Crescent to Redhill Drive was purchased for œ55 from a Mr Head. Also during the same year the Parks Committee undertook the maintenance of the footpaths and Roads Committee to accept responsibility for maintenance of the carriageway.
In September 1933 the Borough Engineer communicated with the owner of land at the North End of Redhill Avenue and received a reply from Mr A H Abbott stating he and his partner would be pleased to hand over without payment this strip of land.
On 29th August 1930 a loan was sanctioned for £5,600 for public walks and pleasure grounds, new roads at Redhill Common, repayable in 20 years.
During 1936 the three tennis courts were "ALL WEATHER" surfaced the tender being B Sunley & Co Ltd at œ390, also Cumberland turf was laid for a bowling green, again B Sumley & Co Ltd at £316 6s 2d.
Playground equipment was added in 1936 and the bowling green opened for play on Saturday 2nd May.
The Official opening of the New bowling green took place on Wednesday 9th June 1937, together with a bowling match between members of the council and of the Kinson, etc Ratepayers Association. Also in 1937 the name of the Common changed to "Redhill Park".
Plans for a pavilion at Redhill Park were suggested in June 1937, the proposed new pavilion being adjoining the tennis courts and near the bowling green. The tender of Mr F Box at £1,863 was accepted for the construction of the pavilion with the formal opening taking place on 4th May 1938, with a match between members of the Council and Redhill Park bowling team.
More land at Redhill was purchased in 1938 from Mr and Mrs W J L MacKeen, stretching from Wimborne Road to the river, which would provide means of access to the river front. The date of conveyance being 25th March 1938, at the purchase price of £500.
(Deed of Modification of Restrictions to the above dated 16 th February 1938 between W E Waterman Esq. and Mr and Mrs W J L MacKeen allowing the land to be used for the purposes of a children’s playground, including the erection of swings and roundabouts for use of children without payment in such playground and so that no musical instrument, mechanical or otherwise shall be used in connection with such roundabouts or swings).
SECOND WORLD WAR
During the Second World War a first aid post was erected in the park to be used as an A.R.P. First Aid Station together with the sinking of a static water tank. (After the war this was later converted to a children’s paddling pool).
The bowling pavilion was taken over by the A.R.P. warden
Work on the paddling pool went to Messrs G and G F Maidment Ltd in 1956 at £1,566 8s 3d, the static water basin was demolished. In 1959 the construction of two football pitches on the common took place being completed in 1960. Provisions for a footpath on the south side of the pathway crossing the park between Redhill Drive and Redhill Avenue were made in the estimates for the financial year 1961/62.
The construction of a children’s playground on the north side of Redhill Park took place in 1973, incorporating roundabouts, swings etc.
On the 12th March 1975, a tree planting ceremony was carried out by the British Migraine Association at Redhill Park.
A chain link fence was erected at the riverside at Redhill in 1977, tender being A.R. Patch Fencing Supplies for the sum of £2,070.98 and during the same year a designated pony ride on part of the land was established.
The skull of a Neolithic man was found during the 1970's in riverside reeds at Riddles Ford, Redhill. The skull along with animal bores was found by a local fisherman Mr Robert Legge. It is possible they were unearthed during excavations being carried out on the River Stour, and would date to around 5,000 years B.C.
A single storey Parks Department Building was erected in 1982 in the park, for use as a mess room, garage and office complex costing £8,991 to build.
