POOLE , west of Bournemouth, is an ancient seaport on a huge, almost landlocked harbour. The town developed in the thirteenth century and was successively colonized by pirates, fishermen and timber traders, more recently replaced by companies prospecting for oil in the shallow waters - the harbour's environmental significance ensures that the extraction process is carefully disguised. The old quarter by the quayside is worth exploring, containing over a hundred historic buildings of ... [More]