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WarehamA small town at the western end of Poole harbour, situated on a mound between the rivers Piddle and Frome. The town still retains its earth-embankment Saxon town walls (attrib. King Alfred, late 9th century). In 1762 a great fire swept through Wareham (a common hazard in Dorset in earlier centuries, when thatch was the predominant roofing material) destroying a large part of the town. A consequence of this fire being that the present day buildings date mostly from the 18th and early 19th century. | ||||||||||||||
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The southern extent of the town is constrained by the River Frome, which at this point is still tidal. The small Quay is a reminder that Wareham was until the 13th century the main port in this part of Dorset. This status changed however when traders moved down river to take advantage of deeper waters in the bay, setting up a new town in the process Poole. The pictures of Wareham seen here were taken on a bright but showery day in May. | |||||||||||||||
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