A Narrated Walk around Historic Swanage in Dorset - Part 1

Where is "Old London by the Sea"? How did it get its name? Keep watching!
A narrated walk around Historic Swanage in Dorset - Episode 1
5 things you missed last time you visited Swanage! #jurassiccoast
Things to see in Swanage, all year round.
#swanage #historicswanage #purbeck #purbeckstone #GeorgeBurt #JohnWesley

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Historic Swanage Episode 1:    • A Narrated Walk around Historic Swanage in...  
Historic Swanage Episode 2:    • Part 2 of a Narrated Walk around Historic ...  
Historic Swanage Episode 3:    • A narrated walk around Durlston Country Pa...  

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:35 Swanage
0:50 Swanage History
1:10 Stone Quay
1:30 Purbeck Stone
2:20 Swanage Old View
3:15 Swanage Library
3:40 Swanage Town Hall
3:50 Christopher Wren design frontage
4:40 Swanage Lockup
5:20 London Bollards
5:50 John Wesley
6:20 Edgar Taffy Evans
7:05 Two Hoots Cottage Swanage
7:30 Swanage United Reform Church
8:10 Swanage Mill Pond

Attributions:

Old Swanage View
Thanks to Swanage Museum https://swanagemuseum.org.uk/

Salisbury Cathedral
Hugh Llewelyn from Keynsham, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

Temple Church
Michel wal, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

Swanage is a fascinating coastal town in Dorset with a rich history stretching back thousands of years. Here's an overview of its historic journey:

Ancient Origins
Evidence of human activity in the area dates back to around 6,000 BC Swanage, with ancient burial mounds found nearby. The town was first mentioned in written records in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle of 877, which described a Danish naval disaster off the coast where King Alfred the Great defeated a Danish fleet.

The Stone Trade
The defining industry of historic Swanage was quarrying. During Roman occupation, the distinctive Purbeck marble was used for decorative purposes in buildings as far away as London. When the Romans departed, quarrying largely stopped until the 12th century when demand for Purbeck stone revived, particularly for building churches and cathedrals. The Great Fire of London in the 17th century created enormous demand for Purbeck stone, transforming how the town operated.

Victorian Transformation
For centuries, Swanage remained a modest fishing and quarrying village, but the 19th century brought dramatic change. Two local men, John Mowlem (born 1788) and his nephew George Burt, became hugely influential. Mowlem left Swanage at age 17 to seek work in London, eventually founding a successful construction company that paved famous streets like Fleet Street and The Strand.

George Burt built the Town Hall, Durlston Castle, improved roads and shops, and brought gas lighting, pure water supply, and drainage to the town. Crucially, he brought the railway to Swanage in 1885, which opened the floodgates for tourism.

An amusing quirk: ships carrying Purbeck stone to London returned with architectural salvage from demolished buildings as ballast. This gave Swanage the nickname "Old London by the Sea," with various London monuments and facades now decorating the town, including the 17th century facade of London's Mercers' Hall which is now the facade of the Town Hall.

Seaside Resort Era
The construction of the second pier in 1895 provided the greatest boost to visitor numbers, designed for pleasure steamers. By this time, Swanage had become popular with wealthy Victorians seeking clean air and pleasant weather.

Today, Swanage preserves this Victorian character while serving as a gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, with the heritage steam railway (restored by volunteers since 1976) remaining a beloved attraction.