Berkeleys launches heritage property exhibition in Canford Cliffs, Poole, Dorset

May 22, 2012 - PRLog -- The exhibition entitled, “Local History, Local Heritage: Canford Cliffs, Branksome Park, Sandbanks,” is hosted at Berkeleys offices. Historical imagery and photographs are on display, many dating back to the early 1900s. The main theme connecting the pieces is the celebration of local natural history and residential property architecture.  The exhibition reflects on the lasting legacy left by these heritage assets today. Some photographs are revealed to the public for the first time. Properties with a historical story to tell are being featured in the exhibition. These were selected from the 1500 plus properties that Berkeleys has sold in the area over the past 21 years.

“Looking back through the history of this beautiful area, we realised that the heritage assets that drew home buyers to Canford Cliffs a century ago, hold very much the same allure today,” says Berkeleys Director, Adrian Black. “The chines, the pines, the gardens, the coastal landscape and the outstanding architecture – in particular 1930s Modernist and Art Deco buildings - all contribute to what makes this area so attractive and enduring.”

Berkeleys has teamed up with local historian Iris Morris and the Andrew Hawkes Poole Photographic Archive to provide these valuable insights into the local area. Iris Morris has published books on the history of Canford Cliffs and Sandbanks. Andrew Hawkes has amassed an exceptional archive of photography of old Poole and regularly publishes local area titles. Additional insights have been given by the Canford Cliffs Land Society, local Residents Associations and local residents.


“The Berkeleys team has a fantastic knowledge of the local area and looking through our own archives, we have been able to trace many of today’s well-known residential buildings back to their original plots and architecture.” continued Adrian Black, “The exhibition begins with an insight into the sale of the first land plots for development in the late 1880s.”

The presentation of Berkeleys heritage exhibition is particularly poignant as it opens at a time when Poole Council seeks to develop a 25 year strategic plan for the future of the beaches considering leisure facilities and existing assets. The council has asked for ideas to increase income and private investment whilst conserving the natural beauty of the cliffs and seashore.

The exhibition, located at 1-3 Haven Road, Canford Cliffs, Poole, Dorset, UK, is open to the public and will run until mid-July, 2012.