A Kinson website devoted to old Kinson and modern Kinson
Kinson Review of 2008
Enjoying local history through Communigate
Isaac Gulliver
Old Maps of Kinson and the surrounding district
Unusual sunsets in Kinson
Kinson Astronomy Photo diary
Kinson Wild Flowers Botany & Blooms picture diary
Kinson Common Wild Orchids
Mr. Archibald Hedge Hog`s column
Looking around the historic Kinson Church
About this website
Kinson Common, Local Nature Reserve, SSSI, SACs site
Kinson Smugglers
Kinson & Kinson Common, 1066 to modern times
Kinson Local Astronomy monthly
Poems about Kinson
History of Kinson in Dorset
Natural history files for Kinson, Longham, Millhams, Turbary
A Naturalist`s Millennium & Kinson Nature Diaries
Kinson Heritage buildings
Kinson Common Virtual Tour
Local Views
Glimpses of Old Kinson
Monthly Nature Diary for Kinson
Butterflies
Moonfleet mono photo gallery
Moonfleet colour photo gallery
Moonfleet cartoon photo gallery
Nature Gallery
Kinson Seasons
Insects and Spiders
All named areas of Kinson Common
Kinson Walks 2009
Cuckoo Woods
Kinson News 2009
Moonfleet Wild Birds Photo Gallery
Guestbook
Which of these places do you like to visit in Kinson?
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Looking back at Kinson in 2008
 | Our Kinson Review of 2008
It really is surprising how quickly 2008 passed by. We look forward to new challenges and even greater achievement and local community involvement in 2009.
The following pages are our review of another year we have really enjoyed. |
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Kinson`s wild orchids
 | Kinson Common Nature Reserve Orchid Survey 2008
We were privileged again to be able to survey and count 3 species of wild orchid found on the Kinson Common Local Nature Reserve. This year`s Orchid Survey began as early as February and continued right through until June 2008.
The results were very pleasing especially as the lower valley experienced severe flooding in the recent past. After carefully checking our findings, all records were sent to the Parks and Countryside officers for future monitoring purposes. A detailed report appeared in our Kinson Common Wild Orchids section.
Kinson Common Heath Spotted Orchids 2008
Overall 10.66% increase on the previous year. Highest species count since official recordings began.
Although emerging later than usual, stable on south-side of the bogland. 54% increase on the north-side of the same region.
7% increase in Gover`s Glade. 25% increase in Dragonfly Hollow on previous year but still 30% down on regional count of 2006.
First found on 7th March growing at between 5mm to 15mm tall. First flowering on 14th May. Tallest plant measured at 630mm.
Kinson Common Early Marsh Orchids 2008
13th highest count since official recordings began. 27% decrease on previous year.
Flowerings smaller in 2008 with some young minute developing plants found to ensure succession in the future. Highest count of 99 in 2004, lowest count was 8 in 1995.
First found on 20th April. First Flowering on 18th May. Tallest plant measured at 183mm.
Following researches, those found on Kinson Common are reputed to be a subspecies known as Pulchella.
Kinson Common Southern Marsh Orchids 2008
6th highest count since official recordings began. Almost a 7% overall increase on the 2007 count. Still 69% down on 2006 species count.
Stable in Poole Lane Meadows with no signs of increasing at present. Failed to show in one bogland region, florished hidden in another and increased 50% in the southern region of the same terrain.
At present only 31% remain of the all-time high recordings of 2006. It is likely to take several decades to fully recover again.
First found on 7th March. First flowering on 19th May. Tallest plant measured at 735mm.
In the following pages we feature many other topics we covered during 2008. |
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Down by the Dorset Stour
 | Throughout 2008, we featured a number of views looking over Longham Bridge and of the nearby Bridge House. We also did our best to capture the mood of the everchanging seasons and the flora and fauna of this important region. Thanks to the help of Gwen Drayton we were able to increase our local knowledge about orchid species abounding in this region.
To us, the abundance of natural water locally enables us to enjoy Nature in what we feel is its most beautiful form. We met numerous people of all age groups on our regular visits to this area and it was amazing what could be observed relatively close to home and at close quarters.
We also explored many other local places including Millhams Mead and Cudnell Wood, and intend to do so again in 2009.
As always ,smuggling tales and information about Kinson smugglers again created considerable interest and even Isaac Gulliver was studied in depth by some primary and senior schools. We also assisted borough officers from the countryside division who have compiled a long-distance walk around north Bournemouth in connection with Isaac Gulliver.
We also revised some of our web pages with updated information about local smugglers. Although we could never condone law-breaking, interest in this branch and aspect of local history is unlikely to ever show signs of waning and the community spirit of the past remains very much alive today in modern Kinson! |
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Kinson Smugglers
 | Robert Trotman will never be forgotten and his resting place in Kinson churchyard is often pointed out on local walks. Despite much being written about Robert, after 243 years since his death, very little is known about his true background and roots.
Although we know the resting place of John Potter, we are unlikely to ever unravel the resting places of James Abraham, Luke Budden , Henry Tiller and numerous others associated with the smuggling era long gone. What is for certain is that the old records stored at the Dorset Archives faithfully record their lives for ever and many of them rest in Kinson churchyard.
Each year, historians still look through the dusty pages of the past and sometimes manage to find interesting snippets about them. In doing so, Old Kinson lives on and will not be allowed to fade away or disappear like so many other buildings of our rich historical past have.
We still await with interest a Gulliver`s walk which has still to be finalised and published by Borough officers. Meanwhile, we recently discovered that the Oakley tomb in Kinson churchyard is not in its original position and no Kinson smuggler ever stored contraband in the tomb`s relocated position.
Even in this modern age of super fast computers and digital recording, nothing beats the thrill and pleasure of handling old books which themselves were kept and used by those who recorded accounts as they happened long ago. |
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Kinson Church ( St Andrew`s)
 | We always enjoy adding additional information about Kinson church. Every corner, every brick and every window has a story to tell. Again, It`s good to know that some places appear to never change and continue to enchant and retain the old Kinson Village feel.
We were also delighted that Hazel & Martin Thorby of Kinson School & Village Memories, discovered rare photographs of Old Kinson and especially one depicting Kinson church dating to 1885. This information proved of great importance and provided new avenues of historical research in 2007 and 2008.
Sadly, Martin passed away in 2008 and this was a great shock to the Kinson community. Martin was true gent in every sense of the word and his memory lives on in Kinson School and Village Memories as their wonderful displays of old photographs are regularly shown at local venues and farther afield. |
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Kinson School`s Museum
 | The old bell and ancient stone on display in Kinson Primary School`s museum.
This photograph shows the National School Stone which dates to 1836. It is on permanent loan to the popular school in School Lane.
Also on display, is the original school bell which was very kindly renovated by Mr. W.Magowan, Chairman of the Governing Body.
Kinson Primary School remains, by tradition, the oldest school in Bournemouth with over 172 years of fascinating history.
Since starting our website, we have introduced a variety of pages and these have created considerable interest. |
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Kinson Wild Flowers Botany & Blooms picture diary
 | The ever changing magical world of botany is all around us and our own Kinson area would be all the poorer without the constantly changing natural displays which come and go with each passing season.
Our Kinson Wild Flower Botany & Blooms picture diary is intended to stir an interest for everyone to look more closely at their local landscape when out and about on local walks.
Our own botanical highlight of 2008 was the discovery of bee orchids, drawn to our attention by Mrs. Gwen Drayton.
It would be difficult to include every botanical species found locally on our website. We have tried to show a representative selection, and will continue doing so in 2009. |
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Old Maps of Kinson and the surrounding district
 | We are delighted with and thank everyone for their continued interest shown in our section devoted to maps. This section has gradually evolved and we will continue to strive to improve the maps we feature.
We have always found local maps to be a useful tool when researching local history, especially when combined with researched knowledge about people who lived here in the past and the original names that each field or strip of land was given.
Researching original land usage also reveals that much of the remaining open space we walk upon now was once either arable, meadowland, woodland or heath.
Although our part of north Bournemouth has been considerably developed over many centuries and much land was covered by housing during the recent past, if one looks carefully, it is still possible to find ancient fields still intact, or perhaps small remnants of them today.
History is still waiting to be rediscovered. Sometimes, all we have to do is to look a little more closely and pay a little more attention to detail.
Our featured map covers Cudnell.
In 2009 we hope to be able to feature more local areas which we have not had enough time to devote to in 2008. |
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Moonfleet Wild Birds Photo Gallery
 | We continue to enjoy recording and photographing wild birds of the Kinson area. We also try to update regularly this section devoted to wild birds and we will continue with this theme in 2009.
We also regularly updated many other sections including: Monthly Nature Diary for Kinson, Kinson Common, Local Nature Reserve, SSSI, SACs site and Natural history files for Kinson, Longham, Millhams and Turbary.
All these were originally introduced to add diversity and depth to this website, also to illustrate what Kinson has to offer to the local and wider community of Dorset. We have also not forgotten the fact that we must try harder and feature other areas within north Bournemouth.
Archibald, our home-based hedgehog continued to occasionally pop in and out of our garden when time permitted him to do so. During the past year common bats have flown around and a fox visited our back garden at night. Even in Kinson urban gardens, it always pays to be prepared for the unexpected! |
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Archibald
 | Archibald continued to explore our garden searching for juicy morsels on an occasional basis. Even our "Home guards" Kips, Raps and Snowy and neighbours` cats were not quick enough to stop him!
Despite the weather in 2008 Archibald still loved the Kinson climate. His pet hate as always was Bonfire night. Much to his annoyance, this event appears to start earlier each year. |
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Butterflies
 | Over 20 species were recorded in the Kinson area during 2008. Millhams and Longham proved to be good locations to record the marbled white and more common species.
Kinson Common provided the best opportunities to record the most species locally, around 20 in 2008. The top species was the speckled wood, just as it was 20 year`s earlier. Sadly, we were unable to record the clouded yellow on this site.
Admittedly, the summer of 2008 was not as expected and the uncertain weather probably affected many species. There may well be other factors in the future to consider such as how well favourable habits are conserved locally.
In 2009, we intend to monitor closely all factors affecting the commoner species and to do our very best to locate, record and photograph the rarer species which we know exist in the Kinson area. |
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Exploring with Moonfleet of Kinson
 | We enjoyed assisting in a number of walks for organised groups and walking with friends during 2008.
In 2009, we intend to continue exploring the Kinson area, not only to increase our own knowledge of where we live, but to also pass on this information to others as well.
If your organisation would like assitance with a guided walk and you have your own public liability insurance, we would be pleased to hear from you.
During 2008, we also devoted some time to astronomy and hope to do so again in 2009. |
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Adders
 | | We were pleased to have recorded a number of them in the Kinson region during 2008. Again, we also recorded grass snakes. |
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Overview of 2008
 | Kinson overview of 2008
Winter
We enjoyed many opportunities to look around the area during the Winter period. There were times when we thought that we might not be able to capture the spirit or the mood of this season. And then, something always came up and was quickly photographed. Our multi-photograph and those on the following pages, give a good indication of what can be observed in Kinson. |
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Spring 2008
 | Spring
We again enjoyed free access to interesting places locally. As always, there were highs and lows when recording nature. |
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Summer 2008
 | Summer
We are fortunate to have a river, streams, woods, meadowlands, heath and boglands, so close to us locally. Despite the weather, all these wonderful areas ensured that the Summer of 2008 in the Kinson area was memorable.
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Autumn 2008
 | Autumn
It was an excellent Autumn and there were many good opportunities to photograph and to record a whole host of interesting subjects locally.
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Shetland cattle grazing on the Kinson Common
 | Grazing on the Kinson Common
Bournemouth Borough Council continued its grazing programme and up to five Shetland cattle were present on site. During 2008, we were very concerned to learn of reports about an alleged savage attack by a canine on the Shetland cattle who were subsequently removed from the site for treatment and recuperation and then returned.
For very good reasons there did appear to be safety in numbers. Talking of safety, even one of our own animals was subjected to an unprovoked and savage attack during November 2008 when visiting Kinson Common. |
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Dog attack on Kinson Common in 2008
 | WE feature Snowy who required immediate veterinary treatment after he was savagely attacked by an unleaded and large unsupervised dog on Kinson Common on Sunday morning, 2nd November, 2008.
Lucky for us that we did not have him on a lead being led by one of our young grand children with whom he has enjoyed many a morning scamper locally.
One also has to ask the question whether Kinson Common really is a safe place to walk, especially with a dog these days? Judging by the events of 2008, Kinson Common is not going to be our first choice of a dog-walking venue in 2009.
Thankfully, Snowy made good progress in the recovery process but it will certainly take some considerable time for him to feel that all aspects of the Promote, Protect and Preserve theme of Kinson Common fully apply to him.
Let`s hope that 2009 on Kinson Common is a safer year for everyone. |
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There were many special moments in 2008
 | We chose this Kinson one, the finding of a superb pyramidal orchid. The last time we saw one in the Kinson region was over two decades ago.
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