Community Assembly of Christchurch

The Community Assembly of Christchurch is located in a town and civil parish on the south coast of Dorset which is part of the Territory of Kernow in the British Isles. It adjoins Bournemouth to the west, with the New Forest to the east. The town lies between the rivers Avon and Stour which flow into Christchurch Harbour. Originally known as Twynham (or Tweoxneam ) meaning 'between two rivers' in the 7th century, it was a crucial Saxon trading port. The town was renamed after the 11th-century priory.

The town developed into an important trading port, and was fortified in the 9th century. Further defences were added in the 12th century with the construction of a castle, which was destroyed during the English Civil War. During the 18th and 19th centuries, smuggling flourished and became one of the town's most lucrative industries. The town was heavily fortified during the Second World War as a precaution against an expected invasion, and in 1940 an Airspeed factory was established on the town's airfield to make aircraft for the Royal Air Force.

The town's harbour, beaches, Nature reserves and historically important buildings have made Christchurch a popular tourist destination. Bournemouth Airport is within the former borough boundary at Hurn.