Christchurch hotels and self catering cottage accommodation in Christchurch

Dorset » Christchurch accommodation

Dating back to the Iron Age, the village of Christchurch is located amid the River Stour and the River Avon. While its castle was built after the Norman invasion, the Great Priory Church, overlooking the town from the riverside, can be traced back to the Saxon era. The many original timber structures comprising the castle were replaced with stone buildings in the 11th and 12th centuries, with the construction of the stone keep. However, the Great Chamber, a 12th century Norman house, still remains, exhibiting England's oldest Norman chimney.

Once a local courthouse, the New Forest Perfumery and café is not far from the castle entrance, where punishing stocks can still be found. In Ducking Stool Lane, on the other hand, one can find reconstructed examples of Ducking Stools, used until the 19th century.

The Monastery of Holy Trinity of Thuinam (as the village was once known) was the first church to be built here, in the 8th century. A new Saxon church was originally intended to be built on St Catherine's Hill, but mysterious circumstances (and perhaps some divine intervention) decided on another spot. Nothing remains of that church, and the current priory, overlooking the town, dates back to the late 11th century.

Quay Street is where the Redhouse Museum and Art Gallery is located, featuring displays on local and natural history, as well as a wildlife garden, in what was once the local workhouse. The Place Mill, active until 1908, is a crafts centre, restored in 1981 and exhibiting local arts and crafts in the summertime.

The Quomps, a large path-surrounded meadow, offers some great views. Numerous restaurants, bars and cafés are to be found in Christchurch.