Welcome to Priory Quay

Moments from the busy Dorset town of Christchurch, nestled between the magnificent Priory church and waters of Christchurch Harbour lies the marina development of Priory Quay.

Comprising 39 houses of contemporary design, all grouped around a central yacht basin, Priory Quay has a stunning location at the

junction of the Rivers Avon and Stour.

This, plus its proximity to Christchurch’s historic town centre and Priory make it one of the most prestigious housing developments in the area and

properties are highly sought after.

Due to its waterside position, the land was used for hundreds of years as an area of boat building and boat storage.

In the late 1980’s construction of Priory Quay commenced. Designed by local architects Cheshire Robbins, the development has won 2 acclaimed architecture awards: the Civic Trust Award in 1990 and the Eric Lyons Trust Award in 1994.

It is worth noting that the building lines of the development, whilst appearing unusual and contemporary from the land – closely resemble yacht sails, when viewed from the water.

Access to Priory Quay is via the Town Quay, following the cobbled road, before crossing the Mediaeval bridge at Place Mill. Although a private estate, there is a short circular walk for visitors around the development, with fine views across the harbour to Hengistbury Head.

*Please note that there is no public access to the water and no public parking*

We hope that this information is both interesting and useful to you.

Thank you for visiting!

GETTING TO PRIORY QUAY

We would respectfully advise that there is NO PUBLIC PARKING at Priory Quay. Car parking is available nearby in the Town Quay Car Park or the Priory Car Park.

Road: The M3 and M27 provide easy access from London and the South-East. The M40 and A34 give good access from the Midlands. The A35 links Southampton to Christchurch and continues to Bournemouth, Poole and the South West.

Please be aware that most online route planners/Satnav devices do not recognise ‘Priory Quay’ as a destination. It is advised to use the postcode: BH23 1DR

From Christchurch Town Centre take the High Street in the direction of the Priory Church.

At the mini-roundabout bear right (2nd exit) onto Church Street.

Turn right onto Church Lane (following brown tourist signs to ‘Town Quay’).

Turn left onto Quay Road.

Follow the road as it curves to the right by the entrance to the Priory Car Park.

Turn left to the Town Quay at the ‘Boathouse’ restaurant.

Follow the road past Town Quay Car Park, turning left at the Tea Rooms onto a cobblestone road.

At Place Mill, turn sharp right over the Mediaeval Bridge to Priory Quay.

Take the private road immediately ahead - between Priory Quay and Christchurch Sailing Club – to commence the circular walk to the Viewpoint.

For Visitors and Guests to Priory Quay properties

Having crossed the bridge …..

# 1 – 7 Priory Quay - take road straight ahead (through width restriction) to side of Christchurch Sailing Club.

# 9 – 40 - turn left.

No. 34 to No. 40

Marina gates

No. 25 – No. 33

No. 24 to No. 9

No.$1$to$No$7$

The Way

We Were ... Chris White

The approach to Priory Quay is spectacular - few visitors fail to be impressed when arriving for the first time. The tantalising glimpses of the Priory before turning right at the Copper Skillet, give way to Victorian cottages, the Red House Museum, the Boathouse and then on to the Quay. We are all so accustomed to these views on our way home, that I thought it would be fun to raid the archives and see what the area would have been like in yesteryear.

Let us go back over 50 years, to what was the Priory Restaurant and Guest House – now the Copper Skillet.  It  was  ‘noted  for  good  food,  quietness  and  comfort’  and  boasted  a  garage, a ‘pleasant  garden  overlooking  the  Priory  Church’ and was adjacent to the bus stop and

turntable. At the tender age of 3, I remember watching the bus turned around to make the journey back to Bournemouth. Remains of the tram and bus turntable can still be seen in Church Street.

Most of us will be aware that the Red House Museum was previously a Workhouse – its young inhabitants busy making intricate fusee watch chains by hand. The building has hardly changed from the one that was built in

the 18th Century. Today, turning down to the Quay we pass the Boathouse – its predecessor the Riverside Restaurant - long forgotten. Quay Cottage opposite, used to be called Keynes’ Cottage after the owners, who  ran  the  Quay’s  boat-hire business. The property has been in the  current  owner’s family for many years and the exterior is remarkably unchanged.

Her father, a boat builder, lived and worked on the Quay. She remembers, as a child, putting seats out for visitors in the tea gardens in return for pennies for sweets.

The  1953  ‘Christchurch  Official  Guide’  Price  1/- describes the Quay: ‘...  the  gay  little  Quay  with open meadow land adjoining presents an animated and ever-changing centre of interest to visitors and sightseers. In the summer evenings they may listen to the band or watch the waterfowl, so tame that they follow them along the bank in quest of the tidbits thrown to them by the children on the quayside. Boats of all sizes and descriptions move upon the water: houseboats are moored to the further bank and sailing craft give life and colour  to  the  scene  ...’

The Christchurch Regatta was nicknamed  the  ‘Hampshire  Henley’  – a far bigger and better supported event in those days.

Place Mill was  busy  in  the  1800’s  with  a  large       capacity for grinding corn that was shipped to the Quay from Cowes. The Mill and Bridge have thankfully changed little since  the  1920’s.

Convent Walk however, looks very different today.

According to the Ordnance Survey map of 1870, the area where Priory Quay now stands was marshy and liable to flooding. The 1911 census lists a boathouse (the sailing club) and 2 dwelling houses in Quay Road. By 1924, the Ordnance Survey map show the first commercial boathouse with slipway. Subsequent maps show a steady increase in boathouses, boatyards and slipways until the maps of 1951/54 show a well-developed industry.

In this picture, the boat building sheds and slipways are clearly visible. A dwelling house can be seen near to the approach to the Place Mill bridge along with allotments neatly laid out on the other side of the Mill stream, where the Priory Gardens are today.

By  the  1960’s Tom  Lack’s  boatyard  stood where Priory Quay is today and this photo of the severe winter of 1962 shows the area frozen over.

Priory Quay first features in the Ordnance Survey map of 1985 and Peter Robbins of the Cheshire Robbins Partnership publicised the development, displaying  the  architect’s  model in the local paper.

By 1987, the Priory Quay site was under development. Houses were first occupied in the  early  90’s and the final part of the development completed in 1996 with the addition of houses 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Priory Quay won 2 prestigious architecture awards, the Civic Trust Award in 1990 and the Eric Lyons Housing Award in 1994.

In 100 years Priory Quay has risen from a water meadow to the prestigious development we see today. The protection offered by our Conservation Area status brings to a close an era of evolution.