Sandbanks

History

In its early years Sandbanks was known as "Parkstone-on-Sea". The area was largely undeveloped until the 20th century. Sandbanks Road was constructed after the First World War, linking the peninsula to the Parkstone area of Poole.[[Image:Sandbanks ferry near poole england.jpg|thumb|[[Sandbanks Ferry]], looking towards Sandbanks]]

Geography

Sandbanks is connected to Studland by the Sandbanks Ferry, a chain ferry across the mouth of the harbour. The Sandbanks area of Poole Harbour (known as North Haven Lake) is used for water sports and by light marina craft. The north side is home to the Southern Headquarters of the Royal Yachting Association and a sailing school.

Views to the north are across Poole Harbour and to Poole. To the south views extend across the English Channel and to the coastline of Studland and Swanage in the west.

Property

Sandbanks is a predominantly residential area, with homes stretching east from the Harbour to The Avenue, the eastern boundary of Poole. Homes often sell for millions of pounds.

Facilities

The Haven Hotel in Sandbanks, constructed in 1887, was where Guglielmo Marconi performed wireless experiments in the late 1890s while living there. Sandbanks was the third place in the world to have a permanent wireless station (1899).

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution stationed a lifeboat at Sandbanks in 1865. The crew had to travel from Poole in a horse-drawn carriage whenever it was launched, so a new Poole Lifeboat Station was opened at Fisherman's Dock on Poole Quay in 1882.

Politics

Sandbanks is part of the Canford Cliffs ward which elects two councillors to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, and also the Poole parliamentary constituency.

Notable present or former residents

• Geoffrey Boycott – former test cricketer.
• Liam Gallagher - singer.
• Karl Pilkington - presenter, author and actor.
• Tony Pulis – former Stoke City football manager.
• Harry Redknapp – former football manager and player. Moved to Branksome Park in 2021.
• Celia Sawyer – television presenter.
• Mimi Smith – maternal aunt and guardian of musician John Lennon.

Transport

Sandbanks is accessible by car on two B-roads: B3369 from Parkstone and B3065 from Westbourne, or via Sandbanks Ferry from Studland. Sandbanks, along with Bournemouth and Poole, has easy access to the M27 motorway at Southampton via the A338 and A31 roads.

The nearest railway station is Parkstone, about 4 km away, but there are no public transport routes connecting there. Instead, the Purbeck Breezer bus route runs daily from Bournemouth railway station, the major station in the South East Dorset conurbation; seasonal routes (some departures only) run from Poole bus station, near to Poole railway station.

References

References

1. "2024 Blue Flag and Seaside Award Winners {{!}} Keep Britain Tidy".
2. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/4440107.stm "Island on the market for £2.5 million"], ''[[BBC News]]'' 13 April 2005
3. Morris, Steven. "[https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,,1606548,00.html £3m for modest bungalow needing TLC]", ''[[The Guardian]]'' 2 November 2005.
4. Doyle, Dave. (2023-06-25). "How sandy peninsula of Sandbanks went from rags-to-riches".
5. (2024-01-27). "30 photos showing the amazing changes to Sandbanks in the last 100 years".
6. (2025-06-02). "How cows in meadows were replaced by wealthy Sandbanks residents".
7. "Home".
8. "History". Poole Lifeboat Station.
9. (13 October 2011). "Geoffrey Boycott to sue lawyers over home". [[The Times]].
10. (14 October 2011). "Geoffrey Boycott loses Sandbanks home court battle".
11. Fox-Leonard, Boudicca. (2024-01-20). "How Sandbanks became England's most unlikely millionaire playground". The Telegraph.
12. "Where does Karl Pilkington live?".
13. "Tony Pulis' wife fighting "beyond laughable" flats plans next to £6m Poole home".
14. "Tony Pulis buys in Sandbanks". This is Staffordshire.
15. (23 September 2021). "Harry Redknapp's former Sandbanks home sells for record £10m".
16. "PICTURES: Inside Harry Redknapp's new mansion".
17. Silverman, Laura. (28 September 2014). "My space: Celia Sawyer". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
18. "Star to portray our Mimi, from Sandbanks, on big screen".
19. "John Lennon's iron gift to his beloved aunt is set to go under the hammer".