the wide expanse of poole harbour is a well-known haunt of sportsmen, for in the winter it is the home of innumerable wild-fowl, and for those who are fond of yachting and pottering about with boats it is large enough to test their skill and patience in controlling a craft in the wind and wave. here we get a double tide, the second rising rather higher than the first, and when the tide is in the view is not unlike a dutch landscape. but the ebb lays bare acres of mud-banks, which mar the prospect. however, the marine emanations from the mud-banks are said to be very salubrious. this harbour is the only haven between southampton and weymouth for yachting men.
inland from poole the country is pleasantly varied by hills and heaths, through which, on the west side of the harbour, the verge of bournemouth is reached, and an hour's walk will take the pilgrim over the hampshire boundary.
poole quay, where we smell the smell of tar, piled-up teak and reeking pine, is an interesting place for lovers of the picturesque. here we find an old postern gate of richard iii.'s day, and the town cellar or wool house. the last recalls the days when poole was part of the manor of canford. the lords of canford sometimes received toll in kind, and the goods handed over were stored in this "town cellar." it is particularly interesting for the way its walls are formed, of flint and large, squared pieces of stone.
the smuggling for which poole was long notorious is handed down to posterity by the following doggerel:—
"if poole was a fish-pool, and the men of poole fish,
there'd be a pool for the devil, and fish for his dish."
one of the most daring and successful of english buccaneers was harry page of poole, or, as he was more commonly called, arripay. his enterprises were principally directed against the coasts of france and spain, where he committed such havoc that a formidable expedition was fitted out in those countries to destroy him. it sailed along our southern shores, destroying as opportunity offered, until it reached poole. here it landed, and a battle ensued, in which the inhabitants were driven from the town and the brother of arripay killed.
the island of brownsea or branksea (it has a score of other variations) is the most prominent feature in poole harbour. it is ovoid in shape, about one and a half miles long by one mile broad, and lies just within the narrow harbour entrance, the main channel sweeping round its eastern side. this made the island of considerable importance in the defence of the port, and led to the erection of brownsea castle towards the end of the reign of henry viii. prior to this brownsea had been part of the possessions of the abbey of cerne. the castle was almost wholly destroyed by fire in 1896, and in the following year rebuilt.
from poole the pilgrim can cross by the toll-bridge to hamworth and visit lytchett minster, which is two miles north-west of the lonely railway junction. part of the action of the hand of ethelberta takes place in this neighbourhood. the sign of one of the village inns, "st peter's finger," is one of the most interesting features of lytchett minster. the sign shows st peter holding up a hand with two extended fingers, and is a curious instance of the way in which old terms and traditions are exposed to corruption. sir b. windle explains the matter tersely and clearly: "august the 1st, lammas day, known in the calendar of the catholic church as st peter ad vincula, was one of the days on which prædial service had to be done for the lord of certain manors, as a condition of tenure by the occupants. such lands were called st peter-ad-vincula lands, a term which easily got corrupted into st peter's finger."
a brief description of poole—under the wessex name of "havenpool"—is given in hardy's "to please his wife," one of the short stories of life's little ironies. it is the story of captain shadrack jolliff, who gave up the sea and settled down in his native town as a grocer, marrying joanna phippard. they had two sons, but the captain did not make much progress in business and his wife persuaded him to go to sea again, as they were in need of money. he bought a small vessel and went into the newfoundland trade, returning home with his makings, which were deemed insufficient by his wife. accordingly he resolved to make another voyage, and take his sons with him so that his profits might be more considerable. from this voyage they never returned, and joanna was left penniless. she spent the rest of her life expecting the return of her husband and sons.
it is evident that hardy chose the name of jolliff from his counterpart in real life, an honest, deep-hearted son of poole, peter jolliff by name, master of the sea adventurer. off swanage, in 1694, with only the aid of a small boy, he captured a french privateer and made its crew prisoners of war. he secured royal recognition for this bold act and received a gold chain and medal from the hands of the king.
to the pilgrim who seeks things of antique beauty and interest on foot, with staff and wallet, in the old way, i cannot recommend a more enjoyable route than along the coast from poole to lyme, which may be covered in a week. but to do the thing comfortably ten days would be more advisable. here is the itinerary if a week is taken. first day, borders of poole harbour by studland to swanage; second day, swanage to west lulworth; the third, lulworth by osmington to weymouth; the fourth, weymouth and portland; the fifth, weymouth by abbotsbury to bridport; and the sixth, bridport to lyme. should the walker allow himself a few extra days he might give an extra day to purbeck, to visit corfe castle, pay a visit to dorchester, and to give himself two days between weymouth and bridport, halting midway at abbotsbury.
