The Waterfront Museum

The Waterfront Museum, formerly a corn warehouse, dates to the early 19th century, with extensions and heightening in the late 19th century and further alterations in the early 21st century. It is constructed of English bond brickwork with a slate roof. The building is rectangular in plan, with a five-story range from the late 19th century enclosing the east end of an earlier, three- and four-story section.

The south-east front, facing onto Paradise Street, has a near-symmetrical seven-window range angled at the central bay. The ground and first floors have blind windows with cambered heads and boarded shutters. Hoist bays are located in the third and sixth bays, featuring ashlar pillows for the strap hinges and double doors. The left-hand gable has two centrally-placed openings. The north-west front, along Sarum Street, has a 2:2:6-window range with segmental-arched openings, the second bay from the left including a hoist bay with a gabled lucarne. A glass and steel atrium has been added to the north-east gable end in the early 21st century to create a new entrance.

The internal floors are supported by timber beams and posts. The Waterfront Museum stands close to The Quay and its construction reflects Poole’s prosperity between the 12th and 14th centuries, driven by overseas trade. A Royal Charter of 1433 established Poole as a staple port, controlling customs duties. Strong trade links with Europe, the Baltic, and North America flourished from the late 17th century until the mid-19th century, and this warehouse was likely used for storing corn or grain.

The building is designated at Grade II for its architecture, retaining original features such as loading doors, shutters, and lucarnes. It is also significant historically as a survival reflecting the importance of warehousing and trade to Poole in the 19th century, and for its group value as part of a collection of listed buildings along the harbour.