The History of Fordingbridge
Fordingbridge is an historic market town with a population
of 6,000 on the banks of the River Avon, close to the new Forest, and
within easy reach of the city of Salisbury, and the seaside resort of
Bournemouth.
From earliest times, man has inhabited the area. On the chalk downlands,
earthworks of the Neolithic (New Stone Age) and of the Bronze Age are
still to be seen. However, evidence such as flint tools and pottery sherds
show that these prehistoric people lived, not just on the downs, but in
all parts of the region.
Fordingbridge was recorded in the Domesday Book and derives its name from
"Forde" and "bridge". The first Great Bridge, built
in mediaeval times, is upstream from the ford. The bridge is a major feature
of the town with its seven graceful arches, which can be seen very easily
from the town's large riverside park where you can walk along the riverbank
draped with willows and waterside plants. Close by is a children's play
area, secluded memorial gardens,parks, and sports playing fields.
Fordingbridge acquired a station on the Salisbury and Dorset Junction
Railway in 1866, which resulted in the development of the 'suburb' of
Ashford. The Railway Hotel, renamed the Load of Hay after the closure
of the line in 1963, was more recently renamed after Fordingbridge's most
famous former inhabitant, The Augustus John.
From the 1960s onwards, the town of Fordingbridge has expanded
considerably, with several housing estates added to the historic core
of the town, resulting in a population increase to almost 6000. The by-pass,
constructed in the mid-70s, diverted much of the heavy traffic from the
town centre and the narrow medieval bridge.
Fordingbridge is twinned with Vimoutiers in Normandy and celebrated their
20th Anniversary in 2002.
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