We're still trying to establish the full history of the building, but from information gathered from the Poole Museum, the majority of the building dates from 3 periods, the oldest, consisting of the left-hand (SW) wall in the Tea room itself, along with most of the flagstone flooring which dates from around the second half of the 16th century, which is the original outer wall of No 48 (Go next door to see the original stone arches in their back wall and the remainder of the older part of the building).
The majority of the remainder of the Tea rooms appear to be of 18th century origin, and really form part of No 50 High Street (Tandoori nights today) (ie the Northern walls, ceilings and 1st and 2nd floors). The kitchen area and garden room (snug) is 20th century other than the back walls, which form part of the Courtyard wall, which is of uncertain age, probably originally 16th century, but look like having been at least partially rebuilt at a later time. (In any case, very old). The right hand kitchen wall is a continuation of the 18th century Tea Room wall.
In the early decades of the 20th Century, the premises were used for a number of purposes and on and off formed part of the business which occupied the two halves of No 48 (Which, for the most part seem to have been seperate). Of particular interest, there was a landerette here in the 1960s and early 1970s, for which our current snug / garden room appears to have been built. In the early 1970s the premises became a Tea-rooms (Flagstone Tea-rooms, of which there is a 1973 picture in the museum). Later in the 1970s No48 became an antique shop (Butterchurn Antiques) and the Tea rooms were semi-attached to it and known as Butterchurn Courtyard. At some point in the late 1970s or early 80s the antique shop closed and became the Guildhall florists and the Tea rooms continued to operate on its own until about 1999 when it closed and lay derelict for about 9 years until late in 2008 when, following the closure of the Guildhall florists they were re-discovered, renovated and re-opened by the current owners.
We are still trying to establish what went on in the years from 1610 (The first definite appearance on any map), and the early 20th century.