Dip your toe in the water with a brief history of the island below. And why not plan your own island adventure to discover more about the characters that have shaped Brownsea?
Brownsea in the Iron Age
Brownsea is the largest of the islands in Poole Harbour, which is the second largest natural harbour in the world.
Humans have been active in the local area since at least the Iron Age (750BC – AD43). In 1964 two sections of a 33-foot Iron Age log boat were discovered just off Brownsea. Carbon-dating revealed that the log boat had been preserved by the marine silts for almost 3,000 years. It is now on display in Poole Museum.
Early medieval Brownsea: hermitage and sea-faring spirituality
In the 7th century Brownsea was owned by Cerne Abbey. It is believed that a hermit monk lived on Brownsea. His role was to guide boats into the harbour with lit beacons, and provide spiritual welfare for sailors. Gradually the population grew and by the 9th century a chapel belonging to the abbey stood on the island.
In the 1970's, seven bodies were unearthed near Church Field while renovation work was being carried out at the nearby farm cottages. Analysis revealed that they were thought to have died between 1030 and 1350. This coincides with the period when the abbey was active and suggests that the chapel may have stood nearby
Brownsea was not recorded in the Domesday Book (1086), which suggests that there was little of value on the island at this time. However, records show that the monks were granted rights to keep any items washed ashore from shipwrecks.
Henry VIII and the dissolution of the monasteries
In 1534 Henry VIII (1491-1547) passed an Act of Parliament ordering the closure of every monastery and nunnery in England and Wales. During this process, known as the dissolution of the monasteries, control of Brownsea passed from Cerne Abbey to the crown.
It was Henry who first recognised the strategic importance of Brownsea in guarding the entrance to Poole Harbour and protecting the thriving port of Poole.
He built a defensive blockhouse on Brownsea to defend Poole Harbour from French attack. Two of the blockhouse’s original walls form part of the historic core of Brownsea Castle.
The blockhouse was converted from a defensive structure to a domestic residence in the early 18th century by William Benson (1682-1754), then owner of Brownsea Island. The building was extended and remodelled into the castle you see today by the island's successive owners.
16th century pirates
Perhaps the most famous local pirate was Harry Paye, or ‘ ‘arry Paye’ in local dialect. A pirate and adventurer, Paye was thought to have been born around 1360, and he died in 1419. Some people believe that he is the namesake for Old Harry Rocks in nearby Studland Bay.
Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) granted the castle to one of her favourites, Sir Christopher Hatton. Hatton was also prominent in nearby Purbeck, acquiring lands and titles, including that of Vice Admiral of Purbeck and Constable of Corfe Castle. He left many of his duties in the hands of his deputy, Francis Hawley, who was known for striking deals with local pirates.
Captains of the castle were also rumoured to have given protection to some of the era’s leading pirates in return for a share of the booty.
Civil war and the restoration
Brownsea Castle was refortified during the English Civil War (1642–1651) when Poole sided with the Parliamentarians, also known as Roundheads. They were supporters of the Parliament of England and fought against King Charles I and his Royalist supporters.
The castle had a strong military presence throughout the conflict. When Charles II (1630 – 1685) returned from exile in 1660 the castle was owned by Robert Clayton, who later became Mayor of London. By the end of the century the castle had fallen out of use again.
Brownsea in the 18th century
In 1726 Brownsea was bought for £300 by William Benson. He rebuilt the castle as a residence, planted a variety of trees, and preserved hundreds of rare plants on the island.
Improvements continued under Sir Humphrey Sturt of More, who owned the island from 1765. He added wings to the castle, increased its height to four storeys and built the first farm on the island.
The island in the 19th century: William and Mary Waugh
In 1853 Brownsea was purchased by Colonel William Petrie Waugh and his wife, Mary. The couple had grand industrial plans for the island, including building a pottery in the south-west corner of the island.
The Waughs purchased the island and invested heavily, expecting to make their fortune. They constructed a three-storey pottery on the south shore, complete with engines and brickworks. A horse-drawn tram brought clay from the north of the island.
Colonel Waugh built a village for the pottery workers. It was called Maryland, after his wife. He also built the Church of St. Mary that remains open today.
Unfortunately, the island's clay turned out to be unsuitable for making fine china, so The Branksea Clay and Pottery Company made terracotta chimney pots and pipes instead. The business didn’t make enough money to cover the Waugh’s investment and the money they had spent on elaborate renovations to the castle. After just five years the Waughs were forced to declare bankruptcy. They fled to Spain and the island was put up for auction.
Agriculture, art and disaster
The MP George Cavendish-Bentinck owned Brownsea in the 1870s. He turned his attention to improving agriculture on the island and introduced Guernsey and Jersey cows. A collection of farming tools and carts from this period are displayed outside the visitor centre.
An avid art collector, Cavendish-Bentinck also furnished the castle grounds with Renaissance sculpture, including Venetian wellheads (decorative stone carvings on the barrel of a well). Some of the sculpture collection can still be seen in the churchyard and on the quayside.
When Cavendish-Bentinck died in 1891, the island was bought by Major Kenneth Balfour. He introduced the Japanese sika deer to the island. You might spot them on a visit to the island. Major Balfour also established a peat-cutting industry and sent large quantities to London.
In 1896 Brownsea Castle caught fire. There wasn't a fire engine on Brownsea, and despite a 'human bucket chain' being formed by the islanders to try and put the fire out, the castle was destroyed. Balfour rebuilt the castle following the fire, complete with fire hydrants, before putting the island up for sale in 1901.
The Van Raaltes
The Van Raalte family
In 1901 Brownsea was bought by the wealthy and well-connected couple Charles and Florence Van Raalte. They made the island their country retreat, building a 9-hole golf course and establishing country sports, such as shooting.
Brownsea was known for its grandeur in the early 20century and the period is regarded as the island’s ‘heyday’. The castle was filled with musical instruments, including a piano that played Gilbert and Sullivan pieces. Music heavily influenced Charles and Florence van Raalte's tenure: most new male employees had to be musicians and were required to play in the estate band.
During this time, Mr Van Raalte employed 71 servants and workers, including a professional golfer and 12 crew members for his steam yachts that would bring wealthy and titled guests from across Europe to their summer island parties.
Ordinary life
During the van Raalte's ownership, Brownsea was largely self-supporting with a kitchen garden and dairy herd. Many pottery workers had stayed on after the pottery closed, working and farming for various island owners. The community at this time was a small, but tight one. Although many who lived on the island referred to it as idyllic, the era was tinged by great sadness too. Of the 30 islanders that went to war in 1914, only six returned.
Brownsea daffodil industry
Daffodils were grown on Brownsea in the 1920s and sold to the Covent Garden flower market. You can still see the undulating trenches where the daffodils were grown in Daffodil Field. You might even see daffodils in spring if the deer haven’t already nibbled them!
1907
The birthplace of Scouting and Guiding
On 1 August 1907, 20 boys pitched their tents on Brownsea Island, little realising how important and far-reaching their week would be. Lord Baden-Powell’s (1857-1941) experimental camp, based on scouting skills observed during the Second Boer War (1899-1902), set the foundation for today’s worldwide Scouting and Guiding movements.
The first camp
The Siege of Mafeking (October 1899- May 1902) turned Lieutenant General Robert Baden-Powell into a household name in Britain. During the siege, Baden-Powell had been impressed by the courage and resourcefulness of the Mafeking Cadet Corps – a group of boys who supported the troops by carrying messages and helping in the hospital. Baden-Powell wanted to introduce some of the scouting and military skills he had seen in South Africa to boys back in Britain. He was keen to hold an experimental camp to test out some of his ideas. When Charles van Raalte invited him to hold the camp on Brownsea, he agreed.
Baden-Powell valued the outdoors, nature, ethics and practical skills. He planned his eight-day camp to reflect this. The boys who attended were from mixed backgrounds: ten were from the Boys Brigades in Poole and Bournemouth and ten were from public schools.
The activities the boys took part in included:
During the week-long camp, the boys learnt how to cook, look after themselves and work together as part of a team. Adventure, learning by doing and self-reliance were at the heart of the Brownsea Island camp. In the evenings, Baden-Powell inspired the boys with campfire ‘yarns’. The camp was a great success and its legacy lives on today. It is recognised by Scouts worldwide as the official start of the Scouting Movement.
After the camp
Soon after the camp, Baden-Powell published his book ‘Scouting for Boys’ (1908). Intended as advice for existing groups, such as the Boys’ Brigade, it quickly became the handbook for a new movement that spread worldwide to become Scouting and Guiding that we know today.
In 1910, with the help of sister Agnes, Girl Guiding was launched to meet the increasing demand from girls who wanted to join in. By the time Baden-Powell died in 1941, the Scout Movement had grown into an international organisation. In 1908 it had 108,000 members. Today there are over 40 million Scouts and 10 million Guides across the world.
Overnight adventures on Brownsea today
Brownsea continues to welcome people from all over the world who come to celebrate the island’s heritage as the birthplace of Scouting and Guiding. Some come for a day, while others walk in the footsteps of the early boy Scouts and camp overnight.
Visitors can explore the site of the experimental camp and see the commemorative Scout stone at the Outdoor Centre. You can also buy woggles, neckers and badges at the Trading Post and share Scouting stories with the team.
The island is supported by volunteers from the Scouting and Guiding community and we continue to work in partnership.
Brownsea 1927-1961
In 1927 Mrs Mary Bonham Christie bought Brownsea at auction for £125,000. She moved into Agent's House on the quay and lived a very reclusive life.
Mary had a great empathy for animals. Under her tenure she banished fishing and allowed the farm animals to roam free. She also changed the way Brownsea was managed. Shooting and dairy farming ceased and the orchards and daffodil fields were left untended. The island gradually reverted to woodland and heathland, providing a wild and natural sanctuary for wildlife. However, invasive rhododendron also began to take over. It is a lasting legacy that our countryside team are still tackling.
Most of the estate workers were made redundant and returned to the mainland. As Poole and the surrounding areas continued to expand, Brownsea's role as a wildlife refuge in the middle of the harbour became increasingly important.
World War II decoy
In 1940 Brownsea provided a brief refuge to exhausted Dutch and Belgian refugees. In early 1941 a night decoy was established at the western end of Brownsea Island, with flares lit to draw German bombers away from Poole and Bournemouth. The decoy was successful, but as a result the estate cottages at Maryland, which had mostly been lying empty since 1927, were damaged. They were later demolished. The remains of Maryland village can still be seen on a walk around the island.
1960s
Mary Bonham Christie died at the age of 96 in 1961. The island was put up for sale by her family.
Rumours circulated about Brownsea’s fate and the threat of its development. These included an application for permission to build 400 luxury homes on the island.
Local conservationists led by Helen Brotherton mobilised to oppose the plans. They formed the Dorset Naturalists' Trust (now Dorset Wildlife Trust) and launched a national campaign to save the island.
It was agreed that Brownsea would be jointly managed by the National Trust and the Dorset Naturalists’ Trust. But £100,000 was still needed to fund the scheme. Once again, Helen Brotherton was key. She raised money from the local community and got the support of John Lewis & Partners and the Scouting Association.
Businesses, individuals and charities all contributed to the effort to save Brownsea. In 1962 the National Trust acquired the island, with Dorset Wildlife Trust leasing and managing the northern part of the island and John Lewis & Partners leasing the castle as a hotel for their staff. The partnership between the National Trust, Dorset Wildlife Trust, John Lewis & Partners and Scouting and Guiding associations continues to this day.
