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| Location | near Christchurch |
|---|---|
| Region | Dorset, England |
| Coordinates | 50°42′57″N 1°45′14″W / 50.71583°N 1.75389°W / 50.71583; -1.75389 |
| Type | Ancient Monument, Local Nature Reserve, SSSI |
| History | |
| Periods | Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | well preserved |
Hengistbury Head (/ˈhɛŋɡəstbri/) is a headland jutting into the English Channel between Bournemouth and Milford on Sea in the English county of Dorset. It is a site of international importance in terms of its archaeology and is scheduled as an Ancient Monument. Declared a Local Nature Reserve in 1990, the head and its surroundings form part of the Christchurch Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is also a Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, an Environmentally Sensitive Area and a Site of Nature Conservation Interest. The name "Hengistbury Head" refers to the immediate area, the elevated portion is called Warren Hill.
Location
Hengistbury Head is a sandstone headland which forms part of Southbourne. It is the most easterly part of the Borough of Bournemouth, and marks the most easterly point of Poole Bay. The northern slope of the hill tailing off towards the sea forms Mudeford spit, the sand bar closing Christchurch Harbour from the south.
Buildings
The spit is home to over 300 privately owned beach-huts. In 2012, a hut here became one of the UK's most expensive, achieving a price of £170,000 just two days after going on sale. The hut measures a little over five by three metres, has no running water, and the occupants may only stay overnight from March to October. Despite the relative lack of amenities, the area has become one of the UK's most desirable, with huts being rented out for up to £600 a week.
The Black House, a local landmark, stands at the end of the spit, opposite Mudeford Quay, site of the Battle of Mudeford in 1784. Built in 1848 it was once a boat-builders' house and is now rented out to holidaymakers. It has served a variety of functions over the years, though it is commonly associated with the area's smuggling past.
Etymology
Mentioned as Hednesburia in a church deed of the early 12th century, and referred to as Hynesbury Head in the 17th, Hengistbury only took on its current spelling in the 19th century, during a period of what archaeologist Barry Cunliffe calls "antiquarian romanticism". Many prehistoric sites around this time were renamed to link them with historical figures. It was thought at the time that the legendary Anglo-Saxon leader Hengist could well be buried here, as he was said to have been laid to rest in an unlocated mound, however, the tumuli at Hengistbury Head date to the Bronze Age as 20th-century excavations have discovered.
History
Hengistbury Head is home to a plethora of nationally and internationally significant archaeological sites, with features dating from the Late Upper Palaeolithic to the Roman settlement of Britain, earning the site Scheduled Ancient Monument status. Interest in the site declined throughout the Dark Ages, until extensive development took place in Christchurch around 890 AD, when the Head may have been used as a lookout post. The area was heavily quarried during the Victorian period and nowadays receives over a million visitors annually.
Stone Age
Several archaeological digs have revealed that the site was occupied during the Upper Palaeolithic. There is evidence of an open settlement of the Creswellian culture on the hill in the middle of the headland dating to around 10,500 BC. After the ploughing of Warren Hill in 1913, thousands of flint implements covering the entire Stone Age were discovered. Most interesting were several blades typically found at Upper Paleolithic sites across Europe, but rarely seen outside of caves in the UK, where open air sites of this age are extremely rare. People at the Head were heavily involved with the production of blades, further excavations identified 649 tools, dominated by backed blades, endscrapers and burins. At the time the Warren Hill would have overlooked a large river valley that was to become the English Channel. Once the sea had inundated the surrounding valley, Mesolithic hunter gatherers exploited the site. Pollen analysis of peat from the Solent bed suggest a lightly wooded headland free of close-knit undergrowth during this period, an ideal habitat for game.
Bronze Age
Eleven Bronze Age round barrows sit on the promontory with two more a little further inland. Eleven of the round barrows were excavated; three by Bushe Fox in 1911–12 and eight by Harold St George Gray in 1919 and 1922. Two appear to be undisturbed. Numerous finds including Early Bronze Age axes and cremation urns were recovered from these tumuli, which have been consistently found to be between 3500 and 4000 years old. One of the barrows (south of where the thatched barn now stands) contained a high status cremation of a woman of about twenty years in age, accompanied by an incense cup, a halberd-style pendant made from amber and copper alloy, and two gold cones that would have covered buttons of an organic material. The burial-goods recovered are similar to those of the Wessex culture, the Wilsford and Dorset Ridgeway series in particular. An urn from one of the barrows likely to have been made between 1700 and 1500 B.C., has been identified as Trevisker ware, a type widely found throughout Devon and Cornwall which was transported east in lesser amounts, this find being one of the easternmost discovered.
Iron Age
In around 700 BC, a settlement on the Head was established; also around this time, the headland was cut off from the mainland by the construction of two banks and ditches called the Double Dykes, similar to those found at Maiden Castle. The earthworks consisted of an inner bank three metres high, with a ditch three and a half metres deep. An outer ditch six metres wide and two metres in depth is now obscured due to wind-blown deposits of sand and a gradual silting process. These defences turned Hengistbury Head into a fortified settlement area which seems to have grown over succeeding centuries until it became an important port. The Iron Age port at Hengistbury Head forms a final site in a small chain of fortified earthworks, starting from Hambledon Hill, and also including Hod Hill, Spetisbury Rings, Buzbury Rings, Badbury Rings and Dudsbury Camp.
John Lavender of the local Red House Museum noted evidence of small iron-ore smelting hearths on Warren Hill, while green vitreous slag has been also found on the Head. In his 1911 to 1912 excavations, Bushe-Fox found evidence for working of lead, copper and silver. Two ingots discovered at this time revealed importing of raw materials to the area. One ingot was of nearly pure copper, while the other, which weighed 8.6 kg, was roughly 50/50 copper-silver alloy with around one percent gold. Argentiferous (i.e. silver-bearing) copper was refined to produce silver at the Head. There are also indications that gold was worked at Hengistbury. One site produced part of a torc, twisted together with a small gold bracelet and another fragment in manner suggesting it was scrap; a different site produced a streaked touchstone indicating use in gold testing.
Thousands of bronze coins have been found from the pre-Roman period, the vast majority having been struck by the Durotriges. The abundance of coins, together with various hearths and smelting artefacts found within a close proximity suggest that the Durotrigan finds were minted here. Interestingly, some of them were fake, worthless cores dipped in silver.
Hengistbury Head as an international trade centre
The advanced level of metallurgy in the area, coupled with its ease of access from the Continent, meant that Hengistbury Head became a significant Late-Iron Age port; trading worked metal of iron, silver, and bronze in return for figs, glass, tools and other goods. Armorican coins and pottery uncovered here show links to the Brittany peninsula. Amphorae used for the transportation of North Italian wine have been found in such quantities (more than all other sites in the south of England put together), that it is clear that the Head was a main port of entry into the country. Intriguingly, no similar amphorae have been unearthed in Armorica, hinting at a more direct trade-route between Hengistbury Head and Italy. Most of these vessels date from before 50 B.C., while later styles are absent despite being common in other parts of Britain, indicating that the wine trade seems to have dropped off around the same time as Caesar was starting his Gaulish campaigns.
Roman occupation to Medieval period
After the Roman conquest, the south-east of England started to develop into a more urban economy, while the socio-economic system of the south-west remained little changed. Hengistbury would still have served as important hub for the Dumnonii of Cornwall and Devon, and the Durotriges of Wiltshire and Dorset; since transport by water was more efficient at the time, and the Head offered both a coastal route, and freshwater options via the Stour and Avon rivers.
No evidence of Saxon use has been found at the Head. The area was not substantially reoccupied until Alfred the Great decided to rebuild the harbour as a defence against raiders. He built the town that later became Christchurch, on the north side of the harbour. Access to Salisbury up the River Avon made this a more strategic place. The Head may have been used for harbour defense at this time. In the 11th century, some of the iron-ore rich stones found at the Head were used in the construction of Christchurch Castle. These reddish-coloured stones can still be seen in the base of the now ruined castle.
17th, 18th and 19th centuries
In the late 1600s, Andrew Yarranton (with backing from the Earl of Clarendon) commenced a scheme to improve the harbour. A channel was cut out to sea and ironstone boulders from the head were used to create a pier. The plans proved ineffective; the pier was poorly positioned and subsequent storms (including the Great Storm of 1703) soon undid most of the work although parts of the pier known as "Clarendon's Jetty" or the "Long Rocks" are still visible today. Thousands of tons may have been removed from the beach and the head itself to make the jetty.
In 1733 a new Excise and Customs Bill was introduced, restricting imports and raising taxes on many luxury items. Christchurch rapidly became a hot-bed for smugglers, where they were known as "freetraders", and much of the town was involved in the trade. The "Double Dykes" is said to have been used to hide contraband, while Mudeford spit is rumoured to have been used in the construction of "Guinea boats" (cheaply built galleys sometimes capable of outrunning the day's steamships). One apocryphal story is that the black house acquired its distinctive black colour when customs officers tried to smoke out some holed-up smugglers by lighting fires around the base. The house was constructed in 1848 and used by shipwrights as a dwelling and workshop, smuggling was in decline with the introduction of a free trade policy and more effective measures being implemented by the Coast Guard by this time, so the house may not in fact have had much involvement in smuggling. The spit has a long association with shipbuilding with two large ships being built in the mid 19th century, the "Viscountess Canning" of 193 tons and the "Enterprise" 253 tons.
From 1848 to 1872, the Hengistbury Mining Company—formed by a Christchurch-based merchant, John E. Holloway—extracted many more ironstone boulders. Holloway brought coal from Southampton, and took the ironstone as ballast for the return journey. These boulders, known as Iron Doggers, were prized for their high quantity of iron ore (up to 30%). They form the base of Hengistbury Head, and the removal of a substantial amount of doggers over the years has weakened the headland. These and earlier excavations resulted in a loss of up to a third of the Head, caused mainly by erosion after the quarry's closure. The silt being washed down also threatened the ecology of the saltmarsh below. This has been reduced by the building of a dam, in 1976, to create a pool. Many "doggers" can still be seen lining the route of the land-train and at the quarry.
UK's first airshow
In 1910, The first international aviation meeting ever held in Britain took place on a specially laid out aerodrome consisting of a mile of grassland between the "Double Dykes" and the nearby village of Tuckton. Around twenty pioneer aviators from around the world competed in a various competitions including spot landing, altitude tests, and speed trials (both for the fastest and slowest circuit). On the second day of the meeting, co-founder of Rolls-Royce and pioneer aviator; Charles Stewart Rolls was thrown from his plane which disintegrated beneath him. Despite the fact that the first-ever powered flight had only occurred seven years beforehand, Rolls had been attempting a precision landing. He died from his injuries shortly after his fall. The event was Britain's earliest fatal flying accident involving a powered aircraft.
20th century
There were a number of development schemes for the head including a major railway and docks scheme proposed in 1885, proposals for housing and a golf course were also put forward before World War I none of these schemes came to fruition and in 1919 the head was sold by Sir George Meyrick to Harry Gordon Selfridge with plans to construct a grand house these plans also came to nothing apart from the establishment of a nursery garden. Bournemouth Borough Council purchased the head in 1930 for £25,200, although plans for housing existed west of double dykes the head itself was to be kept as public open space. During World War II the head was closed to the public and was occupied by the army with a number of installations including a radar station it was also extensively mined. The area was cleared of the military defences by the 1950s.
The Head today
Hengistbury Head Local Nature Reserve is currently owned and managed by Bournemouth Borough Council. In 1990, the land was declared a Local Nature Reserve, as a commitment by the town of Bournemouth to conserve and enhance the environment. The heathland forms part of the Dorset Heaths and is internationally protected as a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area. Nearby, the upper reaches of Christchurch Harbour (including the meadows at Wick) are recognized as an Environmentally Sensitive Area.
The head today is used for a variety of reasons. Firstly it is a tourist spot where country walks can be taken all over the head due to the well defined gravel paths, some of which form part of the Bournemouth Coast Path. In 2008, many paths were resurfaced, making more (though not all) parts of the Head wheelchair accessible. For example, it is now possible to gain wheelchair access to Quarry Pool. Regular field trips to the site are made by students of all ages and there are occasional guided tours or meetings around the Head covering a wide variety of subjects.
There is a cafe at the bottom of the head on the Bournemouth side. Hengistbury Head Outdoor Education centre is located near here on the south shore of the harbour, run by Brockenhurst college the centre offers a variety of water and outdoor activities. A scenic land train (known as "the Noddy train") makes regular journeys from the cafe to the end of the spit, a journey of ten or so minutes. On the head itself is a H. M. Coastguard radio relay station, a nature reserve and a triangulation pillar, shown on Ordnance Survey maps as 36 metres above sea level. Ample parking (subject to charges) can be found near the cafe, but the Head is also within walking distance of Southbourne and parts of Christchurch. By the car park is a hut containing further information about the head. On windy days the head is very good for kite flying.
The Quarry Pool is now a significant part of the nature reserve features of the Head. While it was very acidic in the early years, since 1990 it has allowed the growth of a significant number of plant and insect species, as well as mallard and little grebe. The insects provide valuable food for migrating martins and swallows.
Visitor centre
A new visitor centre for Hengistbury Head is scheduled to open in the summer of 2013. Developments are currently underway on the thatched barn, which is being made in an eco-friendly way. the new addition will cost over a million pounds with funding provided by developer contributions, the Heritage Lottery Fund and £300,000 from landfill tax.
The centre will house a new display area concerning the site's archaeology, ecology and geology, while work space will be created for volunteers and other community groups such as the Hengistbury Head Supporters Group, Residents' Association and Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group. The public will have the chance to scrutinize a selection of the finds discovered at Hengistbury Head in the last century, and to interact with experienced staff, as well as providing them with the opportunity to become actively involved in the administration of the nature reserve.
The surrounding area will be extensively landscaped to create outdoor learning areas and a wildlife garden. Energy-saving features will include photovoltaic panels for electricity and ground source heat pump for heating. A green roof (a living roof that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium), will used to absorb rainfall and provide insulation. The centre will be constructed using timber-frame walls insulated with straw bales.
Geology
According to Ian West of Southampton University, "Hengistbury Head is the best part of the Bournemouth coast for geology and geomorphology.. .. is geologically important for the unusual nodules of sideritic ironstone in Middle Eocene strata." The exposed and relatively untouched cliff face at the Head perfectly lends itself to students of Lithostratigraphy. Warren Hill itself is composed of Tertiary Bracklesham Beds, a mixture of clays and marls with overlying sandy and lignitic beds.
Erosion
One serious threat to the future of the Head is erosion of the exposed southern cliff face from wind and rain, as well as erosion caused by the sea primarily through the process of Longshore drift. A comparison of Ordnance Survey maps reveals that 25 metres of cliff was washed away from 1915 to 1962, a process accelerated by the Bournemouth cliff's concreted promenade and groynes, construction of which started in the early 20th century. It is thought that in the last 200 years around 150 metres of land has been lost from the Head. The first attempt to counteract erosion came in the 1930s when Bournemouth Council constructed a breakwater now known as "the Long Groyne". Since then, a gabion revetment has been constructed to secure the weakest point at the eastern end of the Head. In a long-term project to secure the Head's future, from 2005 to 2008 Poole Bay was replenished with 1.8 million cubic metres of beach material, drawing ire from some surfers and beach lovers, due to the increase in sharp stones on Southbourne beach in particular. The project's organizers, the Poole Bay Partnership, state that: "The resulting wide beaches have been a success in terms of their function as a coast protection structure and for the enjoyment they provide to the area's residents and visitors."
Flora and fauna
Hengistbury Head forms part of the Christchurch Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and in May 1990 was declared a Local Nature Reserve. The Head supports 500 plant species (a quarter of the national flora), including eight red data book species, 14 nationally scarce, and 39 locally rare species. The main nature reserve area faces Christchurch Harbour, and is contiguous with the reed beds of Wick Fields. The Head contains a large variety of habitats from the heathland on Warren Hill to freshwater ponds, sand dunes, and salt marshes. The woodland (known as Withybed Wood) is home to English Oak and Silver Birch amongst many other trees, and is of particular interest, as it is the only such area to be shown on an 1811 O.S. map of the Bournemouth/Christchurch area. In 2002, cattle grazing commenced in a field near the new visitor centre known as "Barn Field". This, combined with gorse eradication, has assisted in the restoration of this habitat to its ancient character.
Present on the site is Sea knotgrass (Polygonum maritimum), the rarest of the knotgrasses in Britain, and currently listed as a "schedule 8 species" under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Such plants are afforded greater than usual protection against damaging activities - such as "cutting, picking, destroying or selling." The heathland is both a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area, part of a network of the best wildlife sites in Europe.
The various habitats provide homes to numerous species of insects. There are 700 moth species recorded in the nature reserve, again a quarter of the national total. At different spots across the site butterflies (including the Green Hairstreak), damselflies (like the Large Red), and dragonflies (such as the "Hairy") can be observed. The exceedingly rare thirteen-spotted ladybird (Hippodamia 13-punctata), was recently observed at the Head, the first recorded UK sighting since 1952.
Over 300 bird species have been recorded in the area, making Hengistbury Head an important migratory point. The Balearic Shearwater, considered critically endangered with extinction by the IUCN and seldom sighted in the UK, has been seen in the area. Other rare birds spotted here include the Purple Heron, the Pink-footed Goose, the European Honey Buzzard and the Melodious Warbler to name but a few. The fields and reserved areas near the car park provide an ideal spot to watch and listen to a significant population of skylarks during the summer months.
In 1989 a project commenced to re-introduce the country's rarest amphibian, the Natterjack Toad, to Hengistbury Head. The Natterjack was last recorded on the headland in the 1950s before its extinction, likely the result of lack of suitable ponds. The project has been a great success and today there are thriving populations at various locations. The ideal time to witness their mating rituals is in May as dusk approaches, when the distinctive call of the Natterjack can be heard for miles around.
See also
References
- "Archaeology". Hengistbury Head Supporters Group. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- "Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve". Hengistbury Head Supporters Group. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ^ "Hengistbury Head Local Nature Reserve". Bournemouth Borough Council. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- Hilary Osborne (Monday 18 June 2012). "Beach hut property near Bournemouth sells for £170,000". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|newspaper=(help) - "Huts for rent". Mudeford Sandbank Beach Hut Association. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- "Mudeford Sandbank Management Plan" (PDF). Christchurch Borough Council. March 2001. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
- "History of the Black House". The Black House. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ^ Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 15. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 23. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - "New CAHO fieldwork at Hengistbury Head started". University of Southampton. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- "Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre". Bournemouth Borough Council. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. pp. 18–20. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 18. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 20. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Pettitt, Paul; White, Mark (2012). The British Palaeolithic: Human Societies at the Edge of the Pleistocene World. p. 472. ISBN 1-136-49677-7.
- "The archers of Hengistbury Head", New Scientist Peter James, 3 May 1984
- ^ Pastscape - Detailed Result: HENGISTBURY HEAD
- Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve - Bronze Age
- Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. pp. 21, 82. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 25. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. pp. 26–28. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 35. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 33. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Hoodless WA, Hengistbury Head - The whole story, page 24. Poole Historical trust. 2005. ISBN 1-873535-60-0.
- Hill Forts of the Stour Valley by David E. C. Jardine, 1985, Bournemouth Local Studies Publications
- Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 40. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 40. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 41. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) Cite error: The named reference "CunliffeBarry_c" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. pp. 45, 47. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (2008). A Companion to Roman Britain. (edited by Malcolm Todd) John Wiley & Sons. p. 4. ISBN 0-236-40125-4. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
- ^ Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 67. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 77. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 79. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 81. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Hengistbury Head Coastal Defence.
- 17th century at Hengistbury Head
- 18th century at the Head
- ^ History at the Black House. Black House Holiday Apartments
- Richard Platt Smugglers Britain, Guide-Book: South-East England
- "Mudeford Sandbank Management Plan". Christchurch Borough Council. March 2001.
{{cite journal}}:|format=requires|url=(help); External link in|format= - First section of information sign posted at Quarry Pool
- ^ Bournemouth's flying circuses | Dorset Life - The Dorset Magazine Cite error: The named reference "autogenerated1" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- Hengistbury Head from the Romans to the 20th Century
- Hoodless, WA (2005). Hengistbury Head. Poole Historical Trust. pp. 66–80. ISBN 1-873535-60-0.
- Hoodless, WA (2005). Hengistbury Head. Poole Historical Trust. pp. 47–50. ISBN 1-873535-60-0.
- Hoodless, WA (2005). Hengistbury Head. Poole Historical Trust. p. 73. ISBN 1-873535-60-0.
- Hoodless, WA (2005). Hengistbury Head. Poole Historical Trust. pp. 109–119. ISBN 1-873535-60-0.
- "Hengistbury Head outdoor education centre". Retrieved 2013-03-23.
- Second section of information sign posted at Quarry Pool
- ^ "Hengistbury Head visitor centre built with straw walls". BBC. 6 January 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ^ "Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre". Bournemouth Borough Council. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- "Design Layout". Bournemouth Borough Council. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- Hengistbury Head Geology, Dorset - by Ian West
- ^ Cunliffe, Barry (1978). Hengistbury Head. Elek Books Ltd. p. 11. ISBN 0-236-40125-4.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - The head in the 20th century
- ^ Poole Bay Coastal Management | Coast Protection | Flood Defence | Swanage Poole Bournemouth Christchurch
- Rees, Ceri. "Replenished beach 'now a disaster'". Daily Echo. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Bournemouth Council, Hengistbury Head Action plan, 2005, pdf.
- Bournemouth Council Hengistbury Head Management plan 2011(draft)
- Plants & Fungi: Polygonum maritimum (sea knotgrass) - Species profile from Kew
- Wild plants: dangerous, invasive and protected species - Detailed guidance - GOV.UK
- Hengistbury Head.org, Nature, Woodland.
- Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group, Odonata list.
- Hengistbury Head Local Nature Reserve
- Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group (CHOG) Bird list for Christchurch Harbour area
- CHOG | Harbour List
- Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group website, Rarities
- ^ Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve
- BBC Nature - Natterjack toad videos, news and facts
External links
- Extensive notes on the geology of the area, with many images from University of Southampton.
- A site run by the Hengistbury Head Supporters Group
- Website of the Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group. Detailed information on birds (and other species) in the area
- Details and plans of the new visitor centre
- Laymans guide to Hengistbury Head geology and history
- Hengistbury Head at the modern Antiquarian
- Gallery of artist Alan Hayden, who has spent over twenty years painting the Head and surrounding area