POOLE, a town, and county of itself, in England, and within the county of Dorset, It derives its name from the bay or pool on which it stands, and it is situated on a peninsula, three-fourths of a mile long, and half a mile broad, joined to the main-land with a narrow isthmus. The town consists of three or four considerable streets, run ning nearly N. E. and S. NV. consisting chiefly of mean and irregular buildings, and these arc crossed by a street parallel to the quay, at the cast end of which is the Cus tom-house, the revenue of which has in some years amounted to 10,0001. The church is an ancient building, with an elegant altar-piece, and consists of a body, two aisles, and a tower; and there are in the town, meeting houses for Presbyterians, Quakers, and Anabaptists. The other public buildings are, the market-house, rebuilt in 1761 ; the town-hall, in Fish-street, Twith the prison under it, built in 1572 ; the great cellar, King's Hall, or Wool house, an ancient edifice, lately rebuilt in part; and the town-house, erected in 1717, by a company of merchants. There are also several schools, and a flourishing Sunday school. The trade of the place is limited chiefly to New foundland. The articles of export are provisions, nets, cordage, sail-cloth, wearing apparel, &c ; and the imports are cod, salmon, oil, seal-skins, furs, and cranberries.
About 230 vessels belong to the port, amounting in bur den to 21,801 tons, and employing 1500 men. The depth of water in Poole hat bout. is sufficient for a ship that does not draw more than fourteen feet of water, There is a considerable oyster-fishery here, which supplies London for two months with oysters. No less than forty sloops arc employed; and the annual receipts are from 60001. to 70001. The sea ebbs and flows four times in twenty-four hours here, when the moon is at south-east and north west, and more when she is at south by east and north by Poole is governed by a mayor, recorder, four alder men, a sheriff, two coroners, two bailiffs, and eighteen common council-men. It sends two members to Parlia ment, w ho are elected by 96 burgesses. The population of the town and county', in 1821, was 1103 houses, 1378 families, 1311 employed in trade and manufactures, 3014 males, 3376 and a total population of 9390. East Long. 1° 58 55", North Lat. 50' 42' 50". See the Beauties of England and Woks, vol. iv. p. 409,