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At the time of the Domesday book, Christchurch probably had a population of around 170, which made it a fairly large village for that time. Christchurch had one watermill, which ground grain to flour for the inhabitants. About 1094 the Normans built a priory (a small abbey) at Christchurch. There was also a leper hostel in the Middle Ages, dedicate...

In the early 16th century, a writer said that Christchurch was ‘situated in a desolate place in a very barren country, out and far from all highways, in an angle or a corner (between 2 rivers), having no woods or commodious country about it, no good town near but only the said poor town of Christchurch which is a very poor town and slenderly inhabi...

In this century there were still many fishermen in Christchurch. Other industries in the town were knitting silk stockings, glove making, and making fusee chains (a type of very small chain that formed part of the mechanism of a watch). Another important industry in Christchurch was brewing. Perhaps the most profitable industry in those days was sm...

In 1801, at the time of the first census, the population of Christchurch was 1,410. Even by the standards of the time, it was a very small market town. It was also poor. In 1832 a writer said ‘the town presents no symptoms of activity or industry. The houses are of a middling description. The appearance of the inhabitants, who are thinly scattered,...

In 1901 the population of Christchurch stood at 4,204. So it was still very small. In 1902 the council began laying sewers in the town. In 1903 an electricity generating station opened but it was many years before electric light completely replaced gaslight. Trams ran in Christchurch from 1905 to 1936. They were replaced by trolleybuses. These ran ...