Westover, Hampshire

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Westover, Hampshire, was the ancient manor, now in Dorset, over which much of modern Bournemouth has developed. This area of land marked a historic boundary between Celtic and Saxon civilisations, which found expression as the county boundary between Hampshire to the east and Dorset to the west. It is likely that the Dorset Stour marked the boundary at one time, and that the name Westover derived from the term west-bank.

Westover was a 'liberty' which meant that whoever owned it gained certain extra rights by dint of their possession. The owner of the Liberty of Westover, for instance, was permitted to salvage from any shipwrecks on the shore. The name survived to be used in an Act of Parliament in 1802 when the heathland of Westover was enclosed. Just over 30 years later, the name was used for one of the proposed new roads as holiday villas were built. Westover Road remains one of the principal commercial streets of modern Bournemouth.

For most of its history, until 1791, it was co-owned with the manor of Christchurch.