Christchurch, Dorset
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| Borough of Christchurch | |
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 Shown within Dorset | |
| Geography | |
| Status: | Borough |
| Region: | South West England |
| Admin. County: | Dorset |
| Area: - Total | Ranked 300th 50.38 km² |
| Admin. HQ: | Christchurch |
| ONS code: | 19UC |
| Demographics | |
| Population: - Total (2003 est.) - Density | Ranked 344th 45,063 894 / km² |
| Ethnicity: | 98.9% White |
| Politics | |
| Missing image Arms-christchurch.jpg Arms of Christchurch Borough Council Christchurch Borough Council http://www.christchurch.gov.uk/ | |
| Leadership: | Alternative - Sec.31 |
| Control: | Conservative |
| MP: | Christopher Chope |
Template:GBdot Christchurch is a town in the county of Dorset in southern England on the English Channel coast. The town has a population of 44,869 (according to 2001 figures), of whom a significant proportion are comfortably off senior citizens (approximately 40% are retired). Indeed, the area of Highcliffe on the town's eastern boundary possesses the highest percentage of elderly residents in the entire United Kingdom (65%).
It was originally a Saxon settlement called Twyneham (which gives the town's central school its name), which meant the settlement between two rivers. The Avon and the Stour both enter the sea in Christchurch Harbour. This medium-sized priory and market town is generally regarded as a conservative, slow-paced and popular tourist and retirement destination "where time is pleasant" (according to the town's official description).
The town centre is dominated by the Priory church and the High Street with its squares and parades containing shopping facilities. Christchurch forms part of the south east Dorset conurbation along with Bournemouth, Poole and the districts of Wimborne and other areas of East Dorset.
The current local government district and borough was formed in April 1, 1974 by the merger of the old borough of Christchurch with part of Ringwood and Fordingbridge Rural District. It was previously in Hampshire.
The Member of Parliament for Christchurch is Christopher Chope, who holds a considerable vote majority of 15,559 and a percentage vote of 54.7% following the 2005 general election, making Christchurch one of the safest Conservative constituencies in the country.
External links
- Census data (http://www1.dorsetcc.gov.uk/LIVING/FACTS/Census2001.nsf/6cadf4da179fc19500256663004afece/2a0cae1ff4660cbc80256d41002e1e95?OpenDocument)
- Xchurch.co.uk - Unofficial Community web site for Christchurch (http://www.xchurch.co.uk)
- SaxonSquare.com - Community Forum for Christchurch (http://www.saxonsquare.com)
| Districts of England - South West England | 
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Bath and North East Somerset | Bournemouth | Bristol | Caradon | Carrick | Cheltenham | Christchurch | Cotswold | East Devon | East Dorset | Exeter | Forest of Dean | Gloucester | Isles of Scilly | Kennet | Kerrier | Mendip | Mid Devon | North Cornwall | North Devon | North Dorset | North Somerset | North Wiltshire | Penwith | Plymouth | Poole | Purbeck | Restormel | Salisbury | Sedgemoor | South Gloucestershire | South Hams | South Somerset | Stroud | Swindon | Taunton Deane | Teignbridge | Tewkesbury | Torbay | Torridge | West Devon | West Dorset | West Somerset | West Wiltshire | Weymouth and Portland | |
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Administrative counties with multiple districts: Cornwall - Devon - Dorset - Gloucestershire - Somerset - Wiltshire |