Town Crier Longham Lakes Ferndown Past & Present The origin of the name of Ferndown is rather obscure but it is suggested that it is from the Anglo Saxon word "Fiergen" meaning wooded hill. Fiergen became Fyrne then Ferne and finally Fern, related perhaps to the prolific growth of ferns in the area. Early maps record the settlement here as Fern Down as did the Ordnance Survey up until 1925. Popular usage, derived from the Stewarts Seed and Plant catalogue, ran the two words together and Ferndown came into regular usage. Much of the growth in the late C19th and early C20th was due to the influence of the Stewart business in horticultural goods, plants and shrubs. David Stewart as a man of action had seen the need for better transport in the area and was influential in the coming of the railway to West Moors in 1867. The countryside around Ferndown was mainly heathland, both wet and dry and whilst much of this has disappeared under development there are still tracts of open land. These include Ferndown Common, which was recently registered as a Town Green, and Slop Bog which is a Local Nature Reserve. Today Ferndown is one of the largest towns in Dorset with a population of over 20,000. It is primarily a retirement area, situated as it is within easy reach of the sea at Bournemouth, the New Forest at Ringwood and Burley and the Ancient Boroughs of Poole and Christchurch. It is served by good transport routes in all directions and Bournemouth International Airport is a short distance away. It also has a lively social and community life with an excellent shopping centre, four Village Halls and a Community Centre. The young people in the town are well served too, with a most successful pyramid of schools, recreation facilities and youth services. The civic life of the Town is based on a flourishing Town Council and Town Mayor. The religious community have many Churches and places of worship with their own social and community activities. Secular interests are catered for in a host of local community groups, football and cricket clubs, plus one of the best bowling greens in Dorset. The town is twinned with Segre in France and regular exchange visits are arranged. As for the future, it would seem that further growth is limited by the lack of building land and the growing scarcity of affordable housing. Ferndown is a very popular place to live and has seen a rise in property prices in excess of the national average. Ferndown Industrial Estate is one of the largest in Dorset and offers opportunities for employment and provides many retail outlets.