Poole Harbour

About Poole Harbour

Poole Harbour is in the Dorset National Landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with extensive wetlands, woodlands, and some of the finest beaches in the country.  

Archaeology around Poole Harbour includes: 

• coastal defences from the Second World War
• Romano-British and medieval quarries 
• shipwrecks and boatbuilding remains 
• clay and gravel extraction sites 

Get involved

Between 2025 - 2027 we’ll be working with local community groups and organisations. Learn about our collaboration with SWRAC here.

Please get in touch if your youth or community group would like to be part of our:

· Workshops

· creative projects

· coastal archaeology recording sessions

· walks, talks, and more!

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Our work in Poole Harbour

With your help, we’ve been documenting how the harbour land and seascape has changed over your lifetime. We’ve held group memory discussions to understand what changes are important, and oral history interviews where we’ve dived deep into the lived experiences of knowledgeable local people. We’ve also been providing unique opportunities for local young people, as we’re passionate to bring young people into climate and heritage narratives. Here are just a few highlights.

Fishing

It’s been insightful to hear from people involved in the fishery trade. We’ve learnt about eroding islands, evolving reedbeds, and even dog walking out in Holes Bay. See our pop-up café at Bailey Bakes here.

We were honoured to hear from local fisherwoman Kayleigh about her experiences. View the interview here, where she tells us about life in a fishing family, harbour traditions, seals, barriers to fishing, and more.

There are plenty of records on our community archive about fishing - from the River Frome in Wareham, to Poole Quay itself - and we welcome even more. Explore the changes that people have lived through here (make sure to check out this beautiful video from Poole Museum’s archives!).

The Power Station

The Power Station was a big part of people’s lives - from employment, environmental impacts, and as a landmark feature. This record shows the day the chimneys came down, captured from the quiet shores of Upton Country Park away from the busyness of Hamworthy.

Archaeology

From the large-scale excavations at Bestwall Quarry, to the Brick Kilns on Brownsea Island, archaeology and built heritage allows us to recognise and reflect on coastal change. Find out more in our community archive records here.

There are plenty more coastal change themes being uncovered around Poole Harbour, such as wildlife, infilling, and storms. Explore what changes are important to the people of Poole on our search page.