148-763: Basingstoke ( / ˈ b eɪ z ɪ ŋ s t oʊ k / BAY -zing-stohk ) is a town in Hampshire , situated in south-central England across a valley at the source of the River Loddon on the western edge of the North Downs . It is the largest settlement in Hampshire without city status . It is located 30 miles (48 km) north-east of Southampton , 48 miles (77 km) south-west of London , 27 miles (43 km) west of Guildford , 22 miles (35 km) south of Reading and 20 miles (32 km) north-east of
296-488: A United States Army Air Forces Consolidated B-24 Liberator crashed in the city, killing three, injuring 38, and damaging hundreds of local buildings. A new West Sussex county library was built in Tower Street in 1967, designed by county architect FR Steele. This was listed at Grade II in 2015. In December 1993 and January 1994, Chichester was affected by the 1993–94 West Sussex floods . On 21 November 2017,
444-596: A calcareous grassland habitat, important for wild flowers and insects. A large area of the downs is now protected from further agricultural damage by the East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The River Test has a growing number of otters as, increasingly, does the Itchen, although other areas of the county have quite low numbers. There are wild boar kept for meat in the New Forest , which
592-428: A long barrow near Down Grange. The site of Winklebury camp was home to Fort Hill Community School (this school has shutdown). Nearby, to the west, Roman Road marks the course of a Roman road that ran from Winchester to Silchester . Further to the east, another Roman road ran from Chichester through the outlying villages of Upton Grey and Mapledurwell . The Harrow Way is an Iron-age ancient route that runs to
740-467: A maritime climate . With its position in southern England, Chichester has mild winters and cool summers. West Sussex has high sunshine levels compared with other parts of the UK with around 1,900 hours annually. The 2011 census recorded a population of 26,795 for the city of Chichester, forming 12,316 households. The 2021 census recorded an increase in population to 29,407, forming 13,263 households. There
888-505: A winterbourne , runs to the south of the city walls; it is hidden mostly in culverts when close to the city centre. There is no recorded evidence that Chichester was a settlement of any size before the coming of the Romans . The area around Chichester is believed to have played a significant part during the Roman invasion of AD 43 , as confirmed by evidence of military storage structures in
1036-658: A 1992 episode of A Bit of Fry and Laurie , the 2003 film Bright Young Things directed by Stephen Fry , the 2005 film Stoned about Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones , and also in the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes . The city is periodically referred to in Call the Midwife , as the seat of the Order of Saint Raymond Nonnatus , the mother house's exterior being depicted in episode 1.6. The West Sussex Record Office
1184-551: A buffer zone to the south of the town, and the South West Main Line constrains the western expansion, with a green belt to the north and north-east. The villages of Cliddesden , Dummer , Sherborne St John and Oakley , although being very close to the town limits, are distinct parishes. Popley, Hatch Warren and Beggarwood saw rapid growth in housing in the mid to late 2000s. The population of Basingstoke increased from around 2,500 in 1801 to over 52,000 in 1971;
1332-645: A central geographical feature. Various place-names identify locations as Jutish, including Bishopstoke ( Ytingstoc ), the River Itchen ( Ytene ) and the Meon Valley ( Ytedene ). There in fact appear to be at least two Jutish folklands in Hampshire: one established along the River Itchen and one along the River Meon . Evidence of an early Germanic settlement has been found at Clausentum , dated to
1480-500: A changing programme of exhibitions. Chichester is home to the South Downs Planetarium & Science Centre , which opened in 2001 and features a program of public star shows in its 100-seat theatre. The Sloe Fair , a funfair that dates back to the 12th Century, is held annually on 20 October in the city's Northgate car park. Chichester Cinema at New Park is the city's first and only arthouse cinema. It shows
1628-962: A network of streets and buildings based on the history of Hampshire . Basingstoke has a football club, Basingstoke Town F.C. , the Basingstoke Rugby Football Club and the Basingstoke Bison ice hockey team. Basingstoke also has a swimming team, known as the Basingstoke Bluefins and an American Flag Football Team known as the Basingstoke Zombie Horde. Further sporting organisations in the area include Basingstoke & Mid Hants Athletic Club, Basingstoke Demons Floorball Club, Basingstoke Volleyball Club, Basingstoke Bulls Korfball Club and Lasham Gliding Society . The home ground of Basingstoke & North Hants Cricket Club, Mays Bounty,
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#17327725786231776-488: A new car park was underway. A museum, The Novium , preserving the baths was opened on 8 July 2012. An amphitheatre was built outside the city walls, close to the East Gate, in around 80 AD. The area is now a park, but the site of the amphitheatre is discernible as a gentle bank approximately oval in shape; a notice board in the park gives more information. In January 2017, archaeologists using underground radar reported
1924-610: A piece of open space that was about to be sold for housing and let it at a low rent to the Basingstoke Cricket Club. This cricket ground is still in use and is called "May's Bounty". Ordinary citizens were said to be shocked by the emotive, evangelical tactics of the Salvation Army when they arrived in the town in 1880, but the reaction from those employed by the breweries or within the licensed trade quickly grew more openly hostile. Violent clashes became
2072-412: A population of 1,547,000. Cities and towns by population size: (2001 census) The table below shows the population change up to the 2011 census, contrasting the previous census. It also shows the proportion of residents in each district reliant upon lowest income and/or joblessness benefits, the national average proportion of which was 4.5 per cent (August 2012). The most populous district of Hampshire
2220-581: A reference from the late 11th century. ) shares the same root as the River Erne , suggesting the name refers to the Iverni . Hillforts largely declined in importance in the second half of the second century BCE, with many being abandoned. Probably around that period the first recorded invasion of Britain took place, as southern Britain was largely conquered by warrior-elites from Belgic tribes of northeastern Gaul, but whether those two events were linked to
2368-482: A regular market, but is now larger than Hampshire County Council's definition of a market town. Basingstoke became an important economic centre during the second half of the 20th century and houses the locations of the UK headquarters of Motorola , The Automobile Association , De La Rue , Sun Life Financial , ST Ericsson , GAME , Barracuda Networks , Eli Lilly and Company , FCB Halesway part of FCB , BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions (the leasing arm of BNP Paribas in
2516-613: A regular occurrence. On Sunday 27 March 1881 troops were called upon to break up the conflict after the Mayor had read the Riot Act . The riot and its causes led to questions in Parliament and a period of notoriety for the town. The town was described as 'Barbarous Basingstoke' by one London newspaper in 1882 but by March 1882 the disturbances were dying down. In 1898 John Isaac Thornycroft began production of steam-powered lorries in
2664-692: A selection of mainstream, small-budget and older films 7 days a week. It hosts an annual 18-day International Film Festival in August/September. Vice-presidents are Maggie Smith and Kenneth Branagh . There is a larger, multiplex cinema located at Chichester Gate. Chichester's previous cinemas were the Olympia Electric on Northgate (1911–1922), the Plaza Cinema on South Street (1920–1960, the Odeon from 1945 and now Iceland supermarket),
2812-742: A series of castles and forts was constructed along the coast of the Solent to defend the harbours at Southampton and Portsmouth. These include the Roman Portchester Castle which overlooks Portsmouth Harbour , and a series of forts built by Henry VIII including Hurst Castle , situated on a sand spit at the mouth of the Solent, Calshot Castle on another spit at the mouth of Southampton Water, and Netley Castle . Southampton and Portsmouth remained important harbours when rivals, such as Poole and Bristol , declined, as they are amongst
2960-466: A village 2 miles (3 km) to the east, is thought to have the same etymology, and was the original Anglo-Saxon settlement of the people – Basingas – led by a tribal chief called Basa . Basing remained the main settlement until changes in the local church moved the religious base from St Marys Church, Basing, to the church in Basingstoke. A Neolithic campsite of around 3000 BC beside a spring on
3108-726: A well documented practice of deliberately settling Germanic tribes to strengthen Roman defences. Portus Adurni was a Roman fort situated at the north end of Portsmouth Harbour . It was part of the Saxon Shore , and is the best-preserved Roman fort north of the Alps. Around an eighth of the fort has been excavated. A Norman keep was added in the Middle Ages , now known as Portchester Castle . The Romans withdrew from Britain in 410. Two major Roman roads, Ermin Way and Port Way , cross
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#17327725786233256-415: A wide diversity for musical groups ranging from brass bands to symphony orchestras . The Basingstoke Concert Band is a traditional wind band which has now been in existence for more than 35 years. The band was started in 1977 by Lawrie Shaw when Brighton Hill Community School opened, where he was the first headteacher. Shaw formed the band as an evening class for amateur wind players and it was then known as
3404-551: A year it was extended to Winchester and Southampton . In 1848 a rival company, sponsored by the Great Western Railway built a branch from Reading . In 1854 a line was built to Salisbury by the London and South Western. In the 19th century Basingstoke began to move into industrial manufacture, Wallis and Haslam (later Wallis & Steevens ), began producing agricultural equipment including threshing machines in
3552-536: Is Festival Place , which opened in October 2002. Festival Place gave a huge boost to the town centre, transforming and replacing what was the former The Walks Shopping Centre and the New Market Square. Aside from a wide range of shops, there is also a range of cafés and restaurants as well as a large multiscreen Vue cinema (formerly Ster Century from Festival Place's opening until their takeover in 2005;
3700-571: Is New Forest District . At the 2011 census, about 89 per cent of residents were white British, falling to 85.87 per cent in Southampton. The significant ethnic minorities were Asian at 2.6 per cent and mixed race at 1.4 per cent; 10 per cent of residents were born outside the UK. 59.7 per cent stated their religion as Christian and 29.5 per cent as not religious. Significant minority religions were Islam (1.46 per cent) and Hinduism (0.73 per cent). The Church of England Diocese of Winchester
3848-523: Is a ceremonial county in South East England . It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, Dorset to the west, and Wiltshire to the north-west. The city of Southampton is the largest settlement. The county has an area of 3,769 km (1,455 sq mi) and a population of 1,844,245, making it
3996-466: Is a nature reserve; there is water in the canal and the canal towpath can be walked. A permissive footpath at the western entrance to the tunnel allows walkers to access public footpaths to get to the eastern entrance of the tunnel. The limit of navigation is about 500m east of the Greywell Tunnel. The renovated sections of the canal can then be navigated east towards West Byfleet where it joins
4144-477: Is a small imbalance in the sex ratio , with 15,701, female residents (53.3%) and 13,706 male residents (46.7%). 26,622 residents (91%) listed their ethnic group as white. Chichester has one of the highest rates of empty homes in England, with 1 in every 17 houses vacant. In October 2020, 3,444 houses were vacant, of which 3,302 were second homes. The city has a tourist industry. Several marinas are situated in
4292-628: Is available in the town. The town has coverage from digital radio ; the BBC , Independent National and Now Reading multiplexes can be received in the town, and the outskirts can receive London and South Hampshire stations as well. The BBC national stations and DAB coverage is enhanced by a small relay just south of the town centre. The local radio Station is HHCR - Basingstoke's Community Radio, an internet-based broadcaster opened on 3 June 2019 by Cllr Diane Taylor Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane. The Holy Ghost School (subsequently Queen Mary's School for Boys )
4440-600: Is in Orchard Street and contains the county archives. On 21 April 2017 it was announced that a second parchment manuscript copy of the United States Declaration of Independence , now termed The Sussex Declaration , had been discovered in the archives. Chichester has one of the highest rates of empty homes in England, with 1 in every 17 houses vacant. In October 2020, 3,444 houses were vacant, of which 3,302 were second homes. Founded in 1881,
4588-494: Is known for its ponies and herds of fallow deer , red deer , roe deer , and sika deer as well as a small number of muntjac deer . The deer had been hunted for some 900 years until 1997. An unwelcome relative newcomer is the mink population, descended from animals that escaped or were deliberately released from fur farms since the 1950s, which cause havoc amongst native wildlife. Farlington Marshes , 125 ha (310 acres) of flower-rich grazing marsh and saline lagoon at
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4736-572: Is not recorded, but evidence of burning is seen in Winchester dated to around that period. For most of the next three centuries southern Britain enjoyed relative peace. During the later part of the Roman period most towns built defensive walls; a pottery industry based in the New Forest exported items widely across southern Britain. A fortification near Southampton was called Clausentum , part of
4884-649: Is one of the United Kingdom's flagship producing and touring theatres, whose annual summer season attracts actors, writers and directors from the West End theatre and the USA. Pallant House Gallery , winner of the 2007 gallery of the year Gulbenkian Prize , has a major collection of chiefly modern British art and in 2006 opened a new extension that houses the collection of Sir Colin St John Wilson . It has
5032-639: Is the only city in West Sussex and is its county town . It was a Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlement and a major market town from those times through Norman and medieval times to the present day. It is the seat of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester and is home to a 12th-century cathedral. The city has two main watercourses: the Chichester Canal and the River Lavant . The Lavant,
5180-528: The 5th-most populous in England. The South Hampshire built-up area in the south-east of the county has a population of 855,569 and contains the cities of Southampton (269,781) and Portsmouth (208,100). In the north-east, the Farnborough / Aldershot conurbation extends into Berkshire and Surrey and has a population of 252,937. The next-largest settlements are Basingstoke (113,776), Andover (50,887), and Winchester (45,184). The centre and south-west of
5328-589: The Army , Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force respectively. The county also includes several market towns : Alresford , Alton , Andover , Bishop's Waltham , Lymington , New Milton , Petersfield , Ringwood , Romsey and Whitchurch . At the 2001 census the ceremonial county recorded a population of 1,644,249, of which 1,240,103 were in the administrative county, 217,445 were in the unitary authority of Southampton, and 186,701 were in Portsmouth. The population of
5476-675: The Battle of Alton in 1643, where the commander of the Royalist forces was killed in the pulpit of the parish church, and the Siege of Portsmouth in 1642. By the mid-19th century, with the county's population at 219,210 (double that at the beginning of the century) in more than 86,000 dwellings, agriculture was the principal industry (10 per cent of the county was still forest) with cereals, peas, hops, honey, sheep and hogs important. Due to Hampshire's long association with pigs and boars, natives of
5624-463: The Domesday Book of 1086 which are in present-day Hampshire and part of Sussex. From the 12th century, the ports grew in importance, fuelled by trade with the continent, wool and cloth manufacture in the county, and the fishing industry, and a shipbuilding industry was established. By 1523 at the latest, the population of Southampton had outstripped that of Winchester. Over several centuries,
5772-661: The English Channel and the Solent , facing the Isle of Wight . It is the largest county in South East England and remains the third largest shire county in the United Kingdom despite losing more land than any other English county in all contemporary boundary changes. At its greatest size in 1890, Hampshire was the fifth-largest county in England. It now has an overall area of 3,700 km (1,400 sq mi), and measures about 86 km (53 mi) east–west and 76 km (47 mi) north–south. Hampshire's geology falls into two categories. The north and centre are
5920-464: The European mainland resulting from the wool and cloth, fishing, and shipbuilding industries. This meant by the 16th century, Southampton had become more populous than Winchester. In 20th century conflicts, including World War One and Two , Hampshire played a crucial military role due to its ports. The Saxon settlement at Southampton was known as Hamtun , while the surrounding area or scīr
6068-545: The Hamble , Meon , Beaulieu and Lymington rivers. The Hampshire Avon , which links Stonehenge to the sea, passes through Fordingbridge and Ringwood and then forms the modern border between Hampshire and Dorset. The northern branch of the River Wey has its source near Alton and flows east past Bentley . The River Loddon rises at West Ham Farm and flows north through Basingstoke. Hampshire's downland supports
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6216-694: The Hampshire Downs , to south-east, where it is part of the South Downs . The county's major rivers rise in these hills; the Loddon and Wey drain north, into the Thames , and the Itchen and Test flow south into Southampton Water , a large estuary. In the south-east are Portsmouth Harbour , Langstone Harbour , and the western edge of Chichester Harbour , three large rias . The south-west contains
6364-450: The Isle of Wight has at times been part of Hampshire, it has been administratively independent for over a century, obtaining a county council of its own in 1890. The Isle of Wight became a full ceremonial county in 1974. Apart from a shared police force , no formal administrative links now exist between the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, though many organisations still combine Hampshire and
6512-454: The Lambeth , Thames and Bracklesham Groups . In the south, along the coast is the " Hampshire Basin ", an area of relatively non-resistant Eocene and Oligocene clays and gravels which are protected from sea erosion by the Isle of Purbeck , Dorset , and the Isle of Wight . These low, flat lands support heathland and woodland habitats , a large area of which forms part of
6660-437: The New Forest , which includes pasture, heath , and forest and is of the largest expanses of ancient woodland remaining in England. Settled about 14,000 years ago, Hampshire's recorded history dates to Roman Britain , when its chief town was Venta Belgarum (now Winchester). The county was recorded in Domesday Book as divided into 44 hundreds . From the 12th century, the ports settlements grew due to increasing trade with
6808-471: The New Forest . The New Forest has a mosaic of heathland, grassland , coniferous and deciduous woodland habitats that host diverse wildlife . The forest is protected as a national park , limiting development and agricultural use to protect the landscape and wildlife. Large areas of the New Forest are open common lands kept as a grassland plagioclimax by grazing animals, including domesticated cattle, pigs and horses, and several wild deer species. Erosion of
6956-638: The Norman Conquest in 1066, the cathedral that had been founded in 681 at Selsey was moved to Chichester after the Council of London of 1075 decreed that Sees should be centred in cities. When the Domesday Book of 1086 was compiled, Cicestre in the Hundred of Stockbridge (comprising 102 households across the five areas outside the city) comprised 300 dwellings which held a population of 1,500 people, and had an annual value of 25 pounds. There
7104-522: The North Hampshire Hospital . The hospital only caters for midwifery students. Basingstoke is situated close to junctions 6, 7 and 8 of the M3 motorway , which skirts the town's south-eastern edge, linking the town to London, and to Southampton and the south-west. The central area of the town is encircled by The Ringway, a ring road constructed in the 1960s, and is bisected east to west by
7252-694: The Roussillon Barracks in 1958. The military presence had mostly ceased by 2014 and the site was being developed for housing. with the former Guardroom known as The Keep playing host to a detachment of the Army Cadet Force . At the beginning of the 19th-century, Chichester's livestock market was recorded as the second largest in the country. Chichester was bombed by the Luftwaffe during World War II , but fared relatively well compared to larger English cities. On 11 May 1944,
7400-449: The Saxon Shore forts, traditionally seen as either defences against maritime raids by Germanic tribes, or as a settlement area of Germanic tribes, which receives support from archaeological finds. Artefacts of a Germanic style have been found in burials, while there is also evidence of the presence of early Saxon settlement in southern England and the northern coasts of Gaul around Boulogne-sur-Mer and Bayeux . This, in turn, could mirror
7548-422: The South Downs . This winterbourne for part of its course now runs through the city in underground culverts. The city's site made it an ideal place for settlement, with many ancient routeways converging here. The oldest section lies within the medieval walls of the city, which are built on Roman foundations. The Chichester conservation area , designated for its architectural and historic interest, encompasses
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#17327725786237696-485: The Stagecoach Group through their Stagecoach in Hampshire sub-division. Basingstoke Community Transport and Communities First Wessex run some smaller routes. A peak-time service is provided by Thames Valley Buses between Chineham Business Park and the railway station. National Express offers direct coach services to London and Southampton from the bus station. Separating cyclists from other road traffic
7844-616: The University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University (formerly Southampton Institute), Portsmouth to the University of Portsmouth , and Winchester to the University of Winchester (formerly known as University College Winchester; King Alfred's College). The northeast of the county houses the Blackwater Valley conurbation, which includes the towns of Farnborough , Aldershot , Blackwater and Yateley and borders both Berkshire and Surrey. Hampshire lies outside
7992-728: The Wey Navigation , which itself can be navigated to the River Thames at Weybridge . Aims to reconnect Basingstoke with the surviving sections of the Basingstoke Canal have been beset with difficulties, and actual restoration of a canal link is impossible. The Basingstoke Canal Society aspire to re-establish the route of the lost section of the canal as closely as possible with a footpath and cycleway. Hampshire Hampshire ( / ˈ h æ m p ʃ ər / , /- ʃ ɪər / ; abbreviated to Hants. )
8140-407: The county town and former capital Winchester . According to the 2016 population estimate, the town had a population of 113,776. It is part of the borough of Basingstoke and Deane and part of the parliamentary constituency of Basingstoke . Basingstoke is an old market town expanded in the mid-1960s, as a result of an agreement between London County Council and Hampshire County Council . It
8288-419: The green belt area of restricted development around London, but has good railway and motorway links to the capital, and in common with the rest of the south-east has seen the growth of dormitory towns since the 1960s. Basingstoke , in the northern part of the county, has grown from a country town into a business and financial centre. Aldershot, Portsmouth, and Farnborough have strong military associations with
8436-468: The 1850s, moving into the production of stationary steam engines in the 1860s and then traction engines in the 1870s. Two traders who opened their first shops within a year of each other in the town, went on to become household names nationally: Thomas Burberry in 1856 and Alfred Milward in 1857. Burberry became famous after he invented Gabardine and Milward founded the Milwards chain of shoe shops, which could be found on almost every high street until
8584-410: The 1980s. John May, a member of the brewery family, was several times mayor of the town. A benefactor to the town, he paid for the building of a drill hall in Sarum Hill for the use of the Hampshire Volunteers (later used as a cinema and then a furniture shop) and a wing for the Cottage Hospital in Hackwood Road. The drill hall was opened in 1885 and also used for concerts and exhibitions. He also bought
8732-507: The A3010 (Churchill Way). The A33 runs north-east to Reading and the M4 motorway , and south-west to Winchester. The A30 runs east to Hook and west to Salisbury. The A303 to Wiltshire and the West Country begins a few miles south-west of Basingstoke, sharing the first few miles with the A30. On the M3, there is a flyover, which passes over the slip road to A303, near Junction 8. The A339 runs south-east to Alton and north-west to Newbury. The South West Main Line runs east and west through
8880-583: The Brighton Hill Centre Band. There are two local newspapers – the Basingstoke Gazette , and the Basingstoke Observer . The town is also covered by the broadsheet newspaper Hampshire Chronicle . Local TV coverage is provided by BBC South and ITV Meridian , with BBC London and ITV London also received in the town. Basingstoke is served by two regional radio stations. Greatest Hits Radio Berkshire & North Hampshire , serving North Hampshire and parts of Surrey and Sussex , and Heart South , previously broadcast from Reading . BBC Radio Berkshire
9028-411: The Chichester District Council adopted a 'Southern Gateway' plan to redevelop an area from the law courts to the canal basin, including the two railway level crossings. Historically, Chichester was a city and liberty , thereby largely self-governing. Although it has retained its city status, in 1888 it became a municipal borough , transferring some powers to West Sussex administrative county. In 1974
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#17327725786239176-443: The Chichester Symphony Orchestra has both amateur and professional players. Three concerts are given each year with the summer concert being part of the Chichester Festivities while the autumn concert is included in the Chichester Cathedral Lunchtime Series. The Chichester Singers, under musical director Jonathan Willcocks, perform classical and contemporary works in concert. The Chichester RAJF (From "Real Ale and Jazz Festival"),
9324-411: The City Corporation, had met in Chichester Guildhall . In addition to its own council offices, those of the Chichester District and the West Sussex County Council are located in the city. The City Council consists of eighteen elected members serving five wards of the city – North, South, East, West, and Central. Elections to the City Council last took place on Thursday 5 May 2023. The current makeup of
9472-408: The City Council is shown below - those marked * are also Chichester District Councillors. Chichester is represented in the House of Commons by the Chichester constituency , held since the 2024 General Election by Jess Brown-Fuller . From 1660 to 1868, Chichester returned two members of Parliament , this was reduced to one member by the Reform Act 1867 . The Conservative Party is dominant, with
9620-486: The English People in the early eighth century: Those who came over were of the three most powerful nations of Germany—Saxons, Angles, and Jutes. From the Jutes are descended the people of Kent, and of the Isle of Wight, and those also in the province of the West Saxons who are to this day called Jutes, seated opposite to the Isle of Wight. They initially settled Hampshire under Visigothic authority sometime after 476 AD, forming several distinct folklands organized around
9768-481: The Granada Exchange at the Corn Exchange (1922–1980) and the Gaumont on Eastgate Square (1937–1961, later the swimming baths). The Chichester Open Mic has supported regular programmes of readings by contemporary poets in the city since 2010. It also hosts a high-profile annual event under the banner Poetry and All That Jazz which included performances by Don Paterson in 2010, Sam Willetts in 2011, and David Harsent in 2012. In 2012 The Novium , Chichester's museum,
9916-399: The Isle of Wight. In the 1970s, local government reorganisation led to a reduction in Hampshire's size; in 1974, the towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch were transferred to Dorset . Hampshire is bordered by Dorset to the west, Wiltshire to the north-west, Berkshire to the north, Surrey to the north-east, and West Sussex to the east. The southern boundary is the coastline of
10064-456: The New Forest was the site of several group B finishing schools for agents operated by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) between 1941 and 1945. (One of the trainers was Kim Philby who was later found to be part of a spy ring passing information to the Soviets.) In 2005, a special exhibition was established at the Estate, with a video showing photographs from that era as well as voice recordings of former SOE trainers and agents. Although
10212-464: The North, South, East and West shopping streets radiate from the central market cross dating from medieval times. The original Roman city wall was over 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 feet (2.0 m) thick with a steep ditch (which was later used to divert the River Lavant ). The lower parts of the existing city walls are Roman, but most of the above-ground work is later. The city was also home to some Roman baths, found down Tower Street when preparation for
10360-410: The UK average at 9.8 to 12 °C (49.6 to 53.6 °F), average rainfall at 640–1,060 mm (25–42 in) per year, and holds higher than average sunshine totals of around 1,750 hours of sunshine per year. For the complete list of settlements see List of places in Hampshire and List of settlements in Hampshire by population . Hampshire's county town is Winchester, a historic city that
10508-423: The UK) and Sony Professional Solutions. It is also the location of the European headquarters of the TaylorMade Golf Company. Other industries include IT , telecommunications, insurance and electronics. The name Basingstoke (A.D 990; Embasinga stocæ, Domesday ; Basingestoches) is believed to have been derived from the town's position as the outlying, western settlement of Basa's people. Basing, now Old Basing ,
10656-467: The Viking threat. This included old Roman settlements where the walls could be rebuilt and strengthened. Chichester was one of these and was rebuilt probably between 878 and 879. The Burghal Hidage is an Anglo-Saxon document that provides a list of over thirty burhs, mainly in the ancient Kingdom of Wessex , and the taxes (recorded as numbers of hides ) assigned for their maintenance. For each five hides
10804-659: The Vikings and stabilised the region in the 9th century. A scholar as well as a soldier, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , a powerful tool in the development of the English identity, was commissioned in his reign. King Alfred proclaimed himself "King of England" in 886 AD; but Athelstan of Wessex did not officially control the whole of England until 927 AD. By the Norman conquest, London had overtaken Winchester as
10952-494: The actress Elizabeth Hurley . Many office blocks and large estates were built, as well as a ring road . The shopping centre was built in phases. The first phase was completed by the 1970s and was later covered in the 1980s, and was known as The Walks. The second phase was completed by the early 1980s, and became The Malls . The third phase was abandoned and the site was later used to build the Anvil concert hall. The central part of
11100-529: The administrative county grew 5.6 per cent from the 1991 census and Southampton grew 6.2 per cent (Portsmouth remained unchanged), compared with 2.6 per cent for England and Wales as a whole. Eastleigh and Winchester grew fastest at 9 per cent each. Southampton and Portsmouth are the main settlements within the South Hampshire conurbation, which is home to about half of the ceremonial county's population. The larger South Hampshire metropolitan area has
11248-415: The administrative region of "Hampshire" seems to appear - the name is attested as Hamwic and "Hamtunscir" in 755 AD - and suggests that control over the Solent was the motivating factor for establishment of the settlement. Wessex, with its capital at Winchester, gradually expanded westwards into Brythonic Dorset and Somerset . A statue in Winchester celebrates the powerful King Alfred , who repulsed
11396-491: The area is required to achieve these objectives, which has been opposed by environmental groups. Natural England identifies a number of national character areas that lie wholly or partially in Hampshire: the Hampshire Downs , New Forest , South Hampshire Lowlands , South Coast Plain , South Downs , Low Weald and Thames Basin Heaths Hampshire contains all its green belt in the New Forest district, in
11544-648: The area of the nearby Fishbourne Roman Palace . The city centre stands on the foundations of the Romano-British city of Noviomagus Reginorum , capital of the Civitas Reginorum . The Roman road of Stane Street , connecting the city with London, started at the east gate, while the Chichester to Silchester road started from the north gate. The plan of the city is inherited from the Romans:
11692-591: The area together with related industries. A recent government study suggested that the area has a lot of employment with the public sector (as well as within the tourism and leisure industries), with a growing number of self-employed people in the area. The city holds an annual four-week arts and music festival ("Festival of Chichester") held in June and July. Chichester Cathedral has a year-round programme of music, talks and other events, including free lunchtime concerts of classical music. Chichester Festival Theatre ,
11840-423: The areas contiguous to its development. The unparished area of the town represents its bulk, but several areas popularly considered part of the town are separate parishes, namely Chineham , Rooksdown , and parts of Old Basing and Lychpit . The unparished area includes Worting which was previously a separate village and parish, extending beyond Roman Road and Old Kempshott Lane, which might otherwise be considered
11988-655: The army training ranges on Salisbury Plain and the Isle of Purbeck . Supermarine , the designers of the Spitfire and other military aircraft, were based in Southampton, which led to severe bombing of the city in World War II . Aldershot remains one of the British Army 's main permanent camps. Farnborough is a major centre for the aviation industry. During World War II, the Beaulieu estate of Lord Montagu in
12136-602: The castle as its administrative centre. In about 1400 Bishop Robert Reed erected a cross in the Market Place. At Christmas 1642 during the First English Civil War , the city was besieged and St Pancras church was destroyed by gunfire. A military presence was established in the city in 1795 with the construction of a depot on land where the Hawkhurst Gang had been hanged. It was named
12284-452: The centre of the town and Basingstoke railway station , linking Basingstoke to London Waterloo , Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth. The West of England line links Basingstoke to Salisbury and to Exeter. The Reading–Basingstoke line runs north-east to Reading and is part of an important through route for longer distance services to Birmingham and the North. The town was
12432-414: The cities of Southampton and Portsmouth attained unitary authority status in 1998, Basingstoke became the largest settlement in the county administered by the county council. Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is the lower-tier local authority for the town, and has its offices in the town centre. Elections to the council take place in 3 out of every 4 years. Under the town twinning scheme,
12580-425: The clays to the south. The hills dip steeply forming a scarp onto the Thames valley to the north, and dip gently to the south. The highest village in Hampshire at about 240 m (790 ft) above sea level is Ashmansworth , located between Andover and Newbury . The Itchen and Test are trout rivers that flow from the chalk through wooded valleys into Southampton Water. Other important watercourses are
12728-655: The constituency returning a Conservative member at every election since 1868, with the exception of the Liberal Charles Rudkin in 1923 . Between 1812 and 1894 the constituency was represented exclusively by members of the Lennox family . The following people and organisations have received the Freedom of the City of Chichester. The City of Chichester is located on the River Lavant south of its gap through
12876-441: The county are rural. For local government purposes Hampshire comprises a non-metropolitan county , with eleven districts, and two unitary authority areas: Portsmouth and Southampton. The county historically contained the towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch , which are now part of Dorset, and the Isle of Wight. Undulating hills characterise much of the county. A belt of chalk crosses the county from north-west, where it forms
13024-717: The county have been known as Hampshire hogs since the 18th century. In the eastern part of the county the principal port was Portsmouth (with its naval base, population 95,000), while several ports (including Southampton, with its steam docks, population 47,000) in the western part were significant. In 1868, the number of people employed in manufacture exceeded those in agriculture, engaged in silk, paper, sugar and lace industries, ship building and salt works. Coastal towns engaged in fishing and exporting agricultural produce. Several places were popular for seasonal sea bathing. The ports employed large numbers of workers, both land-based and seagoing; Titanic , lost on her maiden voyage in 1912,
13172-533: The county's downlands : a gently folded succession of sedimentary rocks dating from the Cretaceous and Palaeogene periods. The lower (early) Cretaceous rocks are sandstones and mudstones whilst those of the upper (late) Cretaceous are the various formations that comprise the Chalk Group . Overlying these rocks in some areas are less consolidated Palaeogene clays , sands , gravels and silts of
13320-629: The county, and the South Downs National Park embraces parts of Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex; they are each overseen by a national park authority . Hampshire has a milder climate than most areas of the British Isles , being in the far south with the climate stabilising effect of the sea, but protected against the more extreme weather of the Atlantic coast. Hampshire has a higher average annual temperature than
13468-749: The decline of hillforts is unknown. By the time of the Roman conquest the oppidum at Venta Belgarum , modern-day Winchester, was the de facto regional administrative centre; Winchester was, however, of secondary importance to the Roman-style town of Calleva Atrebatum , modern Silchester , built further north by a dominant Belgic polity known as the Atrebates in the 50s BCE. Julius Caesar invaded south-eastern England briefly in 55 and again in 54 BCE, but he never reached Hampshire. Notable sites from this period include Hengistbury Head (now in Dorset), which
13616-526: The discovery of the relatively untouched ground floor of a Roman townhouse and outbuilding. The exceptional preservation is due to the fact the site, Priory Park , belonged to a monastery and has never been built upon since Roman times. The legendary foundation of Anglo-Saxon Chichester is described by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle that says that the area was annexed towards the close of the fifth century, by Ælle and his three sons. The city
13764-453: The early and middle Iron Age ; many of them are still visible in the landscape today and can be visited, notably Danebury Rings , the subject of a major study by archaeologist Barry Cunliffe . By that period the people of Britain predominantly spoke a Celtic language , and their culture shared much in common with the Celts described by classical writers. The town of Bitterne ( Byterne in
13912-586: The east coast of North America during the 17th century, and many inhabitants of Hampshire settled there, naming the land New Hampshire in honour of their original homeland. The region is believed to have been continuously occupied since the end of the last Ice Age about 12,000 BCE. At that time sea levels were lower and Britain was still attached by a land bridge to the European continent and predominantly covered with deciduous woodland. The first inhabitants were Mesolithic hunter-gatherers . The majority of
14060-689: The end of the siege of Basing House, and wrote a letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons addressed from Basingstoke. The cloth industry appears to have been important in the development of the town until the 17th century along with malting . Brewing became important during the 18th and 19th centuries, and the oldest and most successful brewery was May's Brewery, established by Thomas and William May in 1750 in Brook Street. The London and South Western Railway arrived in 1839 from London, and within
14208-531: The expanding museum continued for forty years. The museum's central location today is where, once upon a time, Jane Austen and her sister used to go to dances, and a statue of Jane Austen was installed outside the museum in 2017, on the 200th anniversary of her death. Although ostensibly set in Hertford, Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice , written in 1797, is thought to have been based on her view of Basingstoke society two centuries ago. The major shopping area
14356-586: The few locations that combine shelter with deep water. Mayflower and Speedwell set sail for America from Southampton in 1620. During the English Civil War (1642–1651) there were several skirmishes in Hampshire between the Royalist and Parliamentarian forces. Principal engagements were the Siege of Basing House between 1643 and 1645, and the Battle of Cheriton in 1644; both were significant Parliamentarian victories. Other clashes included
14504-470: The fifth century and likely the Visigothic center of power in the area, either independently or in conjunction with powerful Romano-British trading ports. Nevertheless, Visigothic authority waned after 517 A.D and the settlements were gradually encroached upon by South Saxons . The West Saxons moved south in the late seventh century and incorporated Hampshire into their kingdom. Around this period,
14652-478: The former Corn Exchange , and The Anvil , which is near the railway station. The Willis Museum was founded and directed by Alderman George W. Willis, a local clocksmith, who served as Mayor of Basingstoke in 1923–24. Willis established the museum in 1931 with much public support, and built its holdings up into a major collection on local history, with a particularly extensive collection of prehistoric implements and of antique clocks and watches. His association with
14800-498: The good agricultural land hereabouts, account for the many "Roman" villas in the area, mostly put up by Romanized native nobility ( Roman villa ). Even more ancient was the Harrow Way, a Neolithic trackway, possibly associated with the ancient tin trade, that crossed all of southern England from west to east, from Cornwall to Kent, passing right through Andover and Basingstoke. Basingstoke has no single boundary that encompasses all
14948-481: The largest city in England and after the Norman Conquest, King William I made London his capital. While the centre of political power moved away from Hampshire, Winchester remained an important city; the proximity of the New Forest to Winchester made it a prized royal hunting forest; King William Rufus was killed while hunting there in 1100. There were 44 hundreds , covering 483 named places, recorded in
15096-602: The leisure park are an ice rink, a bowling alley, an indoor sky-diving centre with ski and surf machines, a Bingo club and a ten-screen Odeon (formerly Vue prior to the takeover of the Ster Century cinema in Festival Place, and before that, Warner-Village) cinema , as well as a restaurant and fast food outlets. The leisure park is home to the Milestones Museum , a living history museum which contains
15244-694: The local council have twinned Basingstoke with Alençon in France, Braine-l'Alleud in Belgium, and Euskirchen in Germany. The Top of Town is the historic heart of Basingstoke, housing the Willis Museum in the former Town Hall building (rebuilt 1832) as well as several locally run shops and the market place . Basingstoke is home to two theatrical organisations: the Haymarket, which is situated in
15392-402: The majority of the county, parish councils or town councils at the local level. Chichester 50°50′11″N 0°46′45″W / 50.8365°N 0.7792°W / 50.8365; -0.7792 Chichester ( / ˈ tʃ ɪ tʃ ɪ s t ər / CHITCH -ist-ər ) is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex , England . It
15540-548: The most significant growth occurring during the latter half of the 20th century. The borough of Basingstoke was merged with other local districts in 1974 to form the borough of Basingstoke and Deane , and census data from that point covers the whole borough. Figures published for the UK census in 2011 for the Borough of Basingstoke and Deane give a population of 167,799 and a population density of 2.7 persons per hectare—only about half
15688-531: The municipal borough became part of the much larger Chichester District . The City Council was retained but it only has the powers of a parish council ; control of services is largely in the hands of Chichester District Council and West Sussex County Council . The City Council meets in the Council House on North Street, which dates from 1731. Prior to this the City Council, and its predecessor
15836-431: The national average). Amongst the working population, 64.2 per cent travelled less than 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to work. The biggest percentage of employees, 17.67 per cent, worked in real estate, renting and business activities. Basingstoke is part of a two-tier local government structure and returns county councillors to Hampshire County Council . It is the third largest settlement in the ceremonial county , but when
15984-447: The national figure. The number of women slightly exceeded that of men, and a slight increase in the percentage of residents over 65 was also noted. Among other findings in 2001 were that 74.33 per cent felt they were in good health, 50.98 per cent were economically active full-time employees (over 10 per cent higher than the national average) and 48.73 per cent were buying their property with a mortgage or loan (almost 10 per cent higher than
16132-469: The north end of Langstone Harbour , is a nature reserve and an internationally important overwintering site for wildfowl. In a valley on the downs is Selborne ; the countryside surrounding the village was the location of Gilbert White 's pioneering observations on natural history . Hampshire's county flower is the Dog Rose . Hampshire contains two national parks ; the New Forest is wholly within
16280-652: The north of the county connecting Calleva Atrebatum with Corinium Dobunnorum , modern Cirencester , and Old Sarum respectively. Other roads connected Venta Belgarum with Old Sarum, Wickham and Clausentum. A road presumed to diverge from the Chichester to Silchester Way at Wickham connected Noviomagus Reginorum , modern Chichester , with Clausentum. Records are sparse for the next 300 years, but later chroniclers speak of an influx of Jutes – an amalgam of Cimbri , Teutons , Gutones and Charudes called Eudoses , Eotenas , Iutae or Euthiones in other sources - and recorded by Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of
16428-632: The north part of Basing . To the north of this line, encompassing the areas of Chineham and Pyotts Hill, is London clay , which has in the past allowed excavation for high quality brick and tile manufacture. Basingstoke's expansion has absorbed much surrounding farmland and scattered housing, transforming it into housing estates or local districts. Many of these new estates are designed as almost self-contained communities, such as Lychpit, Chineham, Popley, Winklebury , Oakridge , Kempshott , Brighton Hill , Viables , South Ham , Black Dam, Buckskin and South Ham Extension and Hatch Warren . The M3 acts as
16576-487: The northwest corner of the county, bordering Berkshire, and there are some 20 other hills exceeding 200 m (660 ft). Butser Hill , at 271 m (889 ft), where the A3 crosses the South Downs , is probably the best known. In the north and centre of the county the substrate is the rocks of the Chalk Group , which form the Hampshire Downs and the South Downs . These are high hills with steep slopes where they border
16724-538: The population would have been concentrated around the river valleys. Over several thousand years the climate became progressively warmer and sea levels rose; the English Channel, which started out as a river, was a major inlet by 8000 BCE, although Britain was still connected to Europe by a land bridge across the North Sea until 6500 BCE. Notable sites from this period include Bouldnor Cliff . Agriculture
16872-674: The pre-existing Vue in the Leisure Park was sold to Odeon ). The Malls is a shopping area linked by a gateway entrance to the rail station. It had declined since the opening of Festival Place and the closure of its Allders department store. The leasehold was purchased in 2004 by the St Modwen development group in partnership with the Kuwait property investment company Salhia Real Estate, with provision for redevelopment The redevelopment of The Malls started in late 2010. A clear roof canopy
17020-463: The redevelopment of Basing View. A John Lewis at home store which was part of the same redevelopment closed down in 2021. The town's nightlife is split between the new Festival Square, and the traditional hostelries at the Top of Town, with a few local community pubs outside the central area. The town has four nightclubs, two in the town itself, one on the east side and one 2 miles (3.2 km) out to
17168-589: The route goes around the ruins of Basing House and then through and around the eastern edge of Old Basing. It followed another loop to go over small streams near the Hatch public house (a lot of this section was built over when constructing the M3) and headed across fields on an embankment towards Mapledurwell . The section of the canal from Up Nately to the western entrance of the Greywell Tunnel still exists and
17316-497: The route was extended south to Alton and Alresford in April 2006. The Basingstoke Canal started at a canal basin, roughly where the cinema in Festival Place is located. From there the canal ran alongside the River Loddon following the line of Eastrop Way. The old canal route passes under the perimeter ring road and then follows a long loop partly on an embankment to pass over small streams and water meadows towards Old Basing , where
17464-408: The shopping centre was rebuilt in 2002 and reopened as Festival Place . This has brought a dramatic improvement to shoppers' opinions of the town centre. Situated in a valley through the Hampshire Downs at an average elevation of 88 metres (289 ft) Basingstoke is a major interchange between Reading , Newbury , Andover , Winchester , and Alton , and lies on the natural trade route between
17612-659: The south of the town. The first recorded historical event in the area was the defeat of King Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred the Great at Old Basing by the Danes in 871. Basingstoke is recorded as a weekly market site in the Domesday Book , in 1086, and has held a regular Wednesday market since 1214. During the Civil War , and the siege of Basing House between 1643 and 1645, the town played host to large numbers of Parliamentarians . During this time, St. Michael's Church
17760-401: The southwest of England and London . The area had been something of an interchange even in ancient times. It had been cut by a Roman roadway that ran from northeast to southwest, from Silchester towards Salisbury (Sorbiodunum), and by another Roman road that linked Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum) in the north with Winchester (Venta Belgarum) to the south. These cross-cutting highways, along with
17908-569: The southwest of the county, from the boundary with Dorset along the coastline to Lymington and northwards to Ringwood . Its boundary is contiguous with the New Forest National Park . The Hampshire portion was first created in 1958. Its function is to control expansion in the South East Dorset conurbation and outlying towns and villages. The highest point in Hampshire is Pilot Hill at 286 m (938 ft), in
18056-413: The terminus of the defunct Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway . Current rail services from Basingstoke are operated by South Western Railway , CrossCountry and Great Western Railway . The Reading-Basingstoke Line runs parallel to Chineham Business Park, Vyne Park, the suburb of Chineham and Taylors Farm. Most bus services in the town operate from Basingstoke bus station. The majority are provided by
18204-584: The title Earl of Arundel (also known as the Earl of Sussex until that title fell out of use) was created and became the dominant local landowner. In 1216, Chichester Castle, along with Reigate Castle , was captured by the French , but regained the following year, when the castle was ordered to be destroyed by the king. Between 1250 and 1262, the Rape of Chichester was created from the western half of Arundel rape, with
18352-595: The town and Thornycroft 's quickly grew to become the town's largest employer. Basingstoke suffered very little bomb damage during the Second World War . A stick of German bombs did fall in the Church Square area on 16 August 1940. The same day bombs destroyed part of a row of houses in Burgess Road. Six people were killed in the raid. Overall, 13 civilians died from enemy action during the war in
18500-602: The town on larger campuses. Basingstoke has two large further education colleges: a sixth form college , Queen Mary's College (QMC) and Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT). The University of Winchester had a campus in Basingstoke (Chute House Campus) which closed in July 2011; it had offered full-time and part-time university courses in subjects including childhood studies, various management pathways, community development and creative industries. Bournemouth University 's health and social care students can work on placement at
18648-475: The town was expected to provide one fully armed soldier in the king's service, and one man from every hide was to be liable to do garrison duty for the burhs and to help in their initial construction and upkeep. Chichester was one of the larger burhs and was rated at 1500 hides. The system was supported by a communication network based on hilltop beacons to provide early warning. It has been suggested that one such link ran from Chichester to London . Following
18796-448: The town's 'natural' western extremity. Basingstoke is situated on a bed of cretaceous upper chalk with small areas of clayey and loamy soil, inset with combined clay and flint patches. Loam and alluvium recent and pleistocene sediments line the bed of the river Loddon. A narrow line of tertiary Reading beds run diagonally from the northwest to the southeast along a line from Sherborne St John through Popley, Daneshill and
18944-466: The town. After the war, the town had a population of 25,000. As part of the London Overspill plan, along with places such as Ashford and Swindon , Basingstoke was rapidly developed in the late 1960s as an 'expanded town', in similar fashion to Milton Keynes . As the population increased, the town produced more figures of national importance, such as the art critic Waldemar Januszczak and
19092-671: The weak rock and sea level change flooding the low land has carved several large estuaries and rias , notably the 16 km (9.9 mi) long Southampton Water and the large convoluted Portsmouth Harbour . The Isle of Wight lies off the coast of Hampshire where the non-resistant rock has been eroded away, forming the Solent . A 2014 study found that Hampshire shares significant reserves of shale oil with other neighbouring counties, totalling 4.4 billion barrels of oil , which then Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon said "will bring jobs and business opportunities" and significantly help with UK energy self-sufficiency. Fracking in
19240-466: The west of the town is the earliest known human settlement here, but the Willis Museum has flint implements and axes from nearby fields that date back to Palæolithic times. The hillfort at Winklebury ( 2 miles (3 km) west of the town centre), known locally as Winklebury Camp or Winklebury Ring dates from the Iron Age and there are remains of several other earthworks around Basingstoke, including
19388-587: The west. The Basingstoke Sports Centre is located in Portchester Square. The sports centre has a subterranean swimming pool, sauna , jacuzzi and steam room. Above ground there is a gym, aerobics studios, squash courts and main hall. There is also an Ofsted-registered crèche. Outside the town centre there is a leisure park featuring the Aquadrome swimming pool, which opened in May 2002. Also located at
19536-574: The whole of the Roman town, and includes many Grade I and II listed buildings . Further to the north lies the separate conservation area around the former Graylingwell Hospital , and to the south, the Chichester Conservation Area has been extended recently to include the newly restored canal basin and part of Chichester Canal itself. The Conservation Area has been split into eight 'character' areas, based on historic development, building type, uses and activities. Chichester has
19684-573: Was a four-day festival of music and real ale held each July in tents beside the 13th century Guildhall in Priory Park. Founded in 1980 by members of Chichester Hockey Club as a fund-raising event, the festival's early years focused on traditional jazz and featured performers such as Kenny Ball , Humphrey Lyttelton and Kenny Baker . In the 1990s blues and R&B were introduced and acts including Status Quo , Blondie , Boney M , Howard Jones , Go West , The Pretenders and Simple Minds played
19832-578: Was a major port. The Romans invaded Britain again in 43 CE and Hampshire was incorporated into the Roman province of Britannia very quickly. It is generally believed their political leaders allowed themselves to be incorporated peacefully. Venta became the capital of the administrative polity of the Belgae, which included most of Hampshire and Wiltshire and reached as far as Bath. Whether the people of Hampshire played any role in Boudicca's rebellion of 60–61
19980-409: Was a mill named Kings Mill that would have been rented to local slaves and villeins . After the Battle of Hastings the township of Chichester was handed to Roger de Mongomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury , for courageous efforts in the battle, but it was forfeited in 1104 by the 3rd Earl. Shortly after 1066 Chichester Castle was built by Roger de Mongomerie to consolidate Norman power. In around 1143
20128-475: Was a state funded grammar school operating in Basingstoke for four centuries, from 1556 until 1970, producing nationally recognised alumni such as Revd. Gilbert White (1720–1793), a pioneer naturalist, and the famed cricket commentator, John Arlott (1914–1991). In modern times education in Basingstoke has been co-ordinated by Hampshire County Council . Each neighbourhood in the town has at least one primary school, while secondary schools are distributed around
20276-648: Was being practised in southern Britain by 4000 BCE and with it a neolithic culture. Some deforestation took place at that time, although during the Bronze Age , beginning in 2200 BCE, it became more widespread and systematic. Hampshire has few monuments to show from those early periods, although nearby Stonehenge was built in several phases at some time between 3100 and 2200 BCE. In the very late Bronze Age fortified hilltop settlements known as hillforts began to appear in large numbers in many parts of Britain including Hampshire, and they became more and more important in
20424-514: Was called Hamtunscīr . The old name was recorded in the Domesday book as Hantescire , and it is from this spelling that the modern abbreviation "Hants" derives. From 1889 until 1959, the administrative county was named the County of Southampton . It has also been called Southamptonshire . Hampshire was a departure point for several groups of colonists who left England to settle on
20572-580: Was crewed largely by residents of Southampton. On 16 October 1908, Samuel Franklin Cody made the first powered flight of 400 yd (370 m) in the United Kingdom at Farnborough , then home to the Army Balloon Factory. Hampshire played a crucial role in both World Wars due to the large Royal Navy naval base at Portsmouth, the army camp at Aldershot , and the military Netley Hospital on Southampton Water, as well as its proximity to
20720-586: Was damaged whilst being used as an explosive store and lead was stripped from the roof of the Chapel of the Holy Ghost, Basingstoke leading to its eventual ruin. It had been incorporated in 1524, but was effectively out of use after the Civil War. The 17th century saw serious damage to much of the town and its churches, because of the great fires of 1601 and 1656. Cromwell is thought to have stayed here towards
20868-623: Was developed rapidly after the Second World War, along with various other towns in the United Kingdom, in order to accommodate part of the London 'overspill' as perceived under the Greater London Plan in 1944. Basingstoke market was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and it remained a small market town until the early 1960s. At the start of the Second World War , the population was little more than 13,000. It still has
21016-535: Was founded in 676AD and covers about two thirds of Hampshire and extends into Dorset. Smaller parts of Hampshire are covered by the dioceses of Portsmouth , Guildford and Oxford . The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth covers Hampshire as well as the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands . With the exceptions of the unitary authorities of Portsmouth and Southampton, Hampshire is governed by Hampshire County Council based at Castle Hill in Winchester, with eleven non-metropolitan districts beneath it and, for
21164-410: Was installed to protect the Malls from bad weather while still allowing natural light and air in. The Malls has been repaved and new street furniture installed. The redevelopment was completed in the last quarter of 2011. The redevelopment work was carried out by Wates Group using a variety of subcontractors. A large Waitrose store is located near the station. It was built in November 2015 as part of
21312-417: Was not part of the remit of the 1960s town redevelopment and, in 1996, the perception of provision for cyclists was very poor. Following the Basingstoke Area Cycling Strategy in 1999 an extensive cycle network was developed, mainly utilising on-road routes or off-road routes that run parallel with and directly alongside roads. Basingstoke was linked to Reading on the National Cycle Network route 23 in May 2003;
21460-482: Was once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Wessex and of England until the Norman conquest of England . The port cities of Southampton and Portsmouth were split off as independent unitary authorities in 1997, although they are still included in Hampshire for ceremonial purposes. Fareham , Gosport and Havant have grown into a conurbation that stretches along the coast between the two main cities. The three cities are all university cities, Southampton being home to
21608-410: Was opened by author Kate Mosse . Designed by the architect Keith Williams , is approximately 2.4 times the size of the previous museum in Little London. Key highlights are Roman Bath House, Jupiter Stone and Chilgrove Mosaic. In May 2013 Chichester hosted the Chichester Street Art Festival week where international street artists created colourful murals around the city. Chichester is mentioned in
21756-433: Was supposedly renamed after his son, Cissa . It also says that it was the principal city of the Kingdom of Sussex . However, the foundation story is regarded as a myth by historians as there is no archaeological evidence that Chichester was reoccupied after the Romans left until the 9th century. In the 9th century Alfred the Great set about building a system of fortified towns or forts, known as burhs , in response to
21904-434: Was until 2000 used once a season by Hampshire County Cricket Club . As of 2011, Basingstoke has a roller derby league and team, the Basingstoke Bullets. Due to difficulty finding a suitable venue, the team practice in nearby Whitchurch . Basingstoke is also the home of Rising Phoenix Cheer, a successful competitive Allstar Cheerleading programme for athletes from age 5 upwards, training at Aldworth school. Basingstoke has
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