Things to do in Bournemouth

Sightseeing

Bournemouth has three Grade I listed churches, St Peter’s and St Stephen’s in the town centre and St Clement’s in Boscombe.

Other listed churches include St Mark’s Church in the historic Talbot Village and the 12th-century St. Andrew’s Church in Kinson.

Bournemouth Pier is close to the town centre. After World War II, the pier was strengthened to allow for the addition of a Pier Theatre. A redevelopment programme also saw the addition of a large two-storey entrance building.

Visitors with some spare time may also want to see the shorter but architecturally more important Boscombe Pier – 2494 Undercliff Dr, Boscombe, Bournemouth BH5 1BL.

Bournemouth Town Hall is a Grade II listed building designed by Alfred Bedborough. The foundation stone was laid by King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway. During the First World War, the hotel was used as a hospital for British and Indian soldiers. It never opened as a hotel again and was purchased by Bournemouth Borough Council.

Other Victorian hotels in Bournemouth include the Royal Bath Hotel and the Norfolk Royale Hotel in Richmond HillBuilt in 1929, the Pavilion Theatre was at the time considered to be the greatest ever public entertainment grounds. Still a popular venue, it is now a Grade II listed building.

Music venues in Bournemouth

Map showing music venues in Bournemouth

Theatres in Bournemouth

Map showing theatres in Bournemouth

Sports

The town has a professional football club, AFC Bournemouth. AFC Bournemouth play at Dean Court near Boscombe in Kings’ Park

Bournemouth Rugby Club, which competes in the National League, has its home at Bournemouth Sports Club.

The club is based next to Bournemouth Airport, and hosts the annual Bournemouth 7s Festival – the world’s largest sport and music festival.

The Bournemouth Rowing Club is the oldest sporting association in the county. The club regularly competes in regattas on the South Coast of England between May and September.

Other watersports popular in Poole Bay include sailing and surfing, and there are many local schools for beginners to learn.

Bournemouth has the third-largest community of surfers in the United Kingdom and an artificial surf reef.

Sports venues in Bournemouth

Map showing sports venues in Bournemouth

Bournemouth Trivia

In the 12th century, the region around the mouth of the River Bourne was part of Holdenhurst. As late as 1795 it was recorded that no major settlements existed in the area.

By the early 20th century, the Borough of Bournemouth would grow to encompass a number of ancient settlements along the River Stour, including Longham, Bronze Age burial sites near Moordown, and Hengistbury Head.

Anticipating that people would come to the area to indulge in the newly fashionable pastime of sea-bathing, villas were built in 1816 and 1822. Bournemouth grew into a small community with a scattering of houses, villas and cottages.

At a time when the most convenient way to arrive in the town was by sea, a pier was considered to be a necessity, so Boscombe Pier was constructed.

The town initially escaped heavy damage during the Second World War, but cast iron lampposts and benches along the front were removed and melted down for munitions, as was much of the Bournemouth and Boscombe piers.

The arrival of the railways in 1870 led to massive growth in seaside and summer visitors to the town, especially from the Midlands and London. As Bournemouth’s growth increased in the early 20th century, the town centre spawned theatres, cafés, cinemas, and hotels.

The Waterfront complex was constructed on the seafront in 1998. In 2005 it was voted the most hated building in England and was pulled down in spring 2013. The site is now used as an outdoor event arena.

In 2012 Bournemouth was unsuccessful in its bid for city status, losing to Chelmsford.