Skinner Street United Reformed Church Poole

Excellent meeting place
Nov 14th, 2022

Nov 10th, 2021

I started work in Poole over 50 years ago and I have seen many changes around the town. I saw what was then the Arndale Centre ( now known as the Dolphin Centre ) being built. The quay is one of the most beautiful places to visit. Poole harbour being one of the largest natural harbours in the world and Brownsea island being within this harbour is now the home of the thriving red Squirrel population and the home of Boy Scout movement in England. The Poole Harbour area has been inhabited for at least 2,500 years. During the Iron Age, Celtic people known as the Durotriges lived in Dorset, particularly around Wareham, five miles ( eight km ) to the west. In the 3rd century BC, these Celtic people moved from hilltop settlements, such as Maiden Castle and Badbury Rings on the chalk downs to the north, to the lower vales and heathland around the River Frome and Poole Harbour. This marshy area may have lent its name to the Durotriges, which means water dwellers. The Durotriges engaged in cross-channel trading at Poole with the Veneti, a seafaring tribe from Brittany. The earliest significant archaeological find in the harbour is the Poole Longboat, a 10 metres ( 33 ft ) boat made from a single oak tree and dating to 295 BC. During that time, the harbour was shallower than it is today and any settlement would now be under water. Poole Quay is a visitor attraction to the south of the town centre lined with a mixture of traditional public houses, new bars, redeveloped warehouses, modern apartment blocks and historic listed buildings. Once the busy centre of Poole's maritime industry, all port activities moved to Hamworthy in the 1970s as the Quay became increasingly popular with tourists. The Grade II listed Customs House on the quay-front was built in 1814 and now functions as a restaurant and bar. Nearby the Grade I listed Town Cellars, a medieval warehouse built in the 15th century on the foundations of a 14th century stone building, houses a local history centre. Scaplen's Court, another Grade I listed building, also dates from the medieval era. Poole Pottery has been redeveloped into an apartment block. Boats regularly depart from the quay during the summer and provide cruises around the harbour and to Brownsea Island, the River Frome and Swanage. Public artworks along the Quay include Sea Music a large metal sculpture designed by Sir Anthony Caro, and a life-size bronze sculpture of Robert Baden-Powell created to celebrate the founding of the Scout Movement on Brownsea Island. At the western end of the quay near the mouth of Holes Bay is Poole Bridge. Built in 1927, it is the third bridge to be located on the site since 1834. Poole's Guildhall has played a varied part in the history of the town. A Grade II listed building, the Guildhall was built in 1761 at a cost of 2,250. The new building included an open market house on the ground floor and a courtroom and offices for the town council on the first floor and has also been used as a Court of Record, Magistrates' Court, Court of Admiralty and a venue for Quarter Sessions. Between 1819 and 1821 the building was consecrated as a Parish Church while the old St. James Church was pulled down and replaced with the present church. During the Second World War the building was used as a canteen and meeting room for American soldiers prior to the invasion of France. The showers and washing facilities installed at this time were later converted into public baths which were used until the 1960s. The building was converted for use as the town museum between 1971 and 1991 but stood empty for the next 16 years. After a renovation project funded by Poole Borough Council, the restored Guildhall opened in June 2007 as a Register Office for weddings, civil partnerships and other civic ceremonies. Near to this is the Poole local history museum a modern looking building for so near older buildings but is hidden away in a corner of High Street. Inside it is Olde World appearance.
Nov 6th, 2021

The Dolphin Marching band and other organisations use this church hall for practices. Its a very good building that is in constant use. It also doubles up as a routes to roots hub serving the homeless population of Poole. Providing them with clothes and a hot meal. They recently installed a shower for the homeless to stay clean as well. All in all a very good and well looked after building serving the community of pools to its best!
Nov 10th, 2020

Very old quaint church building, but can be very cold in the Fall of the year. It has a lot of Heritage.
Oct 16th, 2020