The Square, Bournemouth

The Square is indeed a public square in the heart of Bournemouth separating the Central Gardens from the Lower Gardens. Underneath the square flows the river Bourne. Back in the 18th century this was a spot where the Decoy Pond House stood, operating a plank using which travelers crossed the river en route from Poole to Christchurch. In 1848 The Square made history as the birthplace of the composer Hubert Parry who was born practically next door to it, attesting to which fact is a blue memorial plaque. Another notable sight here is the clock tower, nicknamed the Leaning Tower of Bournemouth, a former tram shelter built in 1925 with a clock on the top, donated by Captain HB Norton, a magistrate and former Councillor. In 2000 the square was made almost fully pedestrian. It houses many shops, and has the Obscura café in the middle, renowned for and named after the built-in camera obscura which is no longer in use.