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Lee-on-the-Solent

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Gelignite ( / ˈ dʒ ɛ l ɪ ɡ n aɪ t / ), also known as blasting gelatin or simply " jelly ", is an explosive material consisting of collodion - cotton (a type of nitrocellulose or guncotton) dissolved in either nitroglycerine or nitroglycol and mixed with wood pulp and saltpetre ( sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate ).

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77-678: Lee-on-the-Solent , often referred to as Lee-on-Solent , is a seaside district of the borough of Gosport in Hampshire , England, about five miles (8 km) west of Portsmouth . The area is located on the coast of the Solent . It is primarily a residential area, with an upsurge of mostly local visitors in summer, but was also the former home to the Royal Naval Air Station HMS Daedalus (renamed as HMS Ariel from 1959 to 1965). The district gained its name in

154-463: A 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (5.6 km) perimeter and is the largest of the Royal Navy's training establishments, with around 3,000 service and civilian personnel when working at full capacity. The Borough of Gosport has the following schools and colleges: There are public libraries at Bridgemary, Elson, and at Gosport Discovery Centre. In 2020, Hampshire County Council announced plans to close

231-694: A booster . In the 1970s, Irish Industrial Explosives Limited produced 6,000 tonnes annually of Frangex, a commercial gelignite intended for use in mines and quarries. It was produced at Ireland's largest explosives factory in Enfield, County Meath . The Gardaí and the Irish Army patrolled the area, preventing the IRA from gaining direct access. However, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) indirectly acquired amounts of

308-540: A detonator , so it can be stored safely. In the United Kingdom, an explosives certificate, issued by the local Chief Officer of Police, is required for possession of gelignite. Due to its widespread civilian use in quarries and mining , it has historically been used by rebel groups such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army and the Ulster Volunteer Force who often used gelignite as

385-659: A 1960s construction in HMS ; Sultan included a hoard of axe heads and torcs. A three-celled dwelling unearthed during construction of the Rowner naval Estate in the 1970s points to a settled landscape. Next to the River Alver which passes the southern and western edge of Rowner is a Norman motte and bailey, the first fortification of the peninsula, giving a vantage point over the Solent, Stokes Bay , Lee-on-the-Solent and

462-501: A Ladies team and Junior teams. Gosport Borough Cricket Club was formed in 1966 following the merger of Gosport Amateurs & Gosport C.C., and also play at Privett Park. They reached the ECB National Club Cricket Championship final at Lord's in 1980. Future England players Trevor Jesty and Phil Newport played for the club before moving on to first-class careers. In 2008 18 year old Chris Lynn

539-409: A cinema, ballroom and restaurant, as well as a viewing platform at the tower's peak. The complex was demolished in 1971 by Gosport Borough Council, with its land now used for the promenade, remembrance gardens and a car park. On 1 April 1930 Lee on the Solent became a civil parish , it was formed from Crofton and Rowner . On 1 April 1932 the parish was abolished and merged with Alverstoke . In 1931

616-436: A civil airfield. Aircraft, helicopters, microlight and motorgliders are operated at what is now the principal HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter base on the south coast. The airfield is operated by Regional & City Airports Management (RCA) on behalf of the owners, Fareham Borough Council. More information about the airfield is available on the website of Daedalus Aviation & Heritage Group. A planning application

693-521: A fly-on-the-wall Dispatches documentary Keep them out in 2004 dealing with both sides of the argument. In early May 2006, 20 unexploded Canadian pipe mines were found under HMS Daedalus during site clearance prior to disposal by the Ministry of Defence. 60 feet (20 metres) long, they were left over from 265, packed with a total of 2,400 lb of gelignite , planted in World War II to make

770-632: A gym, six squash courts (two glass-backed), six tennis courts and a sports therapist. Lee's pubs include The Old Ship, The Bun Penny, The Wyvern and The Inn by the Sea. Some pubs have been demolished to make way for housing and retirement developments, including the Belle Vue Hotel and The Swordfish, which was located on the border between Lee-on-the-Solent and Hill Head, Fareham . In 2020, Hampshire County Council announced plans to close Lee library. Lee-on-the-Solent, like many towns and cities along

847-472: A third ferry called Solent Enterprise joined the fleet. She was a slightly larger, more luxurious version of the "Queens". The company now operates two new modern ferries along with the two 1966 veterans. The first was built in 2001 and is named Spirit of Gosport . After the retirement of the Solent Enterprise in 2003, a second modern and slightly larger ferry was added to the fleet and was named

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924-772: A tourist attraction. The tiles were produced by Poole Pottery . The International Festival of the Sea drew over 250,000 tourists to the Portsmouth Harbour area in 1998, 2001 and 2005. The most recent festival was held in 2007. The Royal Navy maintains a presence in Gosport at HMS Sultan , which is the home of the Defence School of Marine Engineering (DSMarE) and the Royal Naval Air Engineering and Survival School (RNAESS). The Sultan site occupies 179 acres (72 ha) of land within

1001-408: Is Browndown, where the River Alver flows into The Solent at Stokes Bay. Further west from Browndown point is the district of Lee-on-the-Solent with the former RNAS Daedalus which is now home to a hovercraft museum and several marine related businesses, and CEMAST College (Fareham College). It is also used as a base for glider clubs, light aeroplanes, HM Coastguard heliport and police aircraft. In

1078-489: Is a town and non-metropolitan district with borough status , on the south coast of Hampshire , England. At the 2021 Census , the town had a population of 70,131 and the district had a population was 81,952. Gosport is situated on a peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour , opposite the city of Portsmouth , to which it is linked by the Gosport Ferry . Gosport lies south-east of Fareham , to which it

1155-526: Is believed to be a 19th-century invention. This is, however, the slogan of Gosport as demonstrated on its emblem. The Town area of the Borough, including Newtown, consists of the High Street, Stoke Road shopping area, Walpole Park, Royal Clarence Yard and three modern marinas: Royal Clarence, Gosport Marina and Haslar Marina. South of the centre is Haslar Creek, which flows into Portsmouth Harbour near

1232-484: Is linked by a Bus Rapid Transit route and the A32 . Until the last quarter of the 20th century, Gosport was a major naval town associated with the defence and supply infrastructure of His Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth . As such over the years extensive fortifications were created. Gosport is still home to HMS  Sultan and a Naval Armament Supply Facility , as well as a helicopter repair base. The Town area of

1309-493: Is very long, and the town has several buildings of historic interest as well as connections with many people who became famous. Most of the former naval and military installations have closed since the Second World War , leaving empty sites and buildings. In response to this, museums have opened, and many of the fortifications and installations (such as Fort Brockhurst , Priddy's Hard (formerly an Armament Depot , now

1386-552: The Anglo Saxon Chronicle as Rughenor ("rough bank or slope"). Both Rowner and Alverstoke , the name coming from the point where the River Alver entered the Solent at Stokes Bay , were included in the Domesday Book . Rowner was the earliest known settlement of the peninsula, with many Mesolithic finds and a hunting camp being found, and tumuli on the peninsula investigated. Bronze Age items found in

1463-682: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission 's Lee-on-Solent Memorial . This was erected to commemorate the 1,926 men of the Fleet Air Arm who died in various parts of the world in World War II and have no known grave. Lee-on-the-Solent is the home to the Hovercraft Museum which houses the world's largest collection of rare hovercraft including some of the earliest and largest. It can be found on

1540-963: The Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower ) and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Haslar Road) have been opened to the public as tourism and heritage sites. One of the more recent additions is the Diving Museum at No 2 Battery at Stokes Bay which is bidding to become the National Diving Museum for the British Isles. Several sites have also been redeveloped to provide housing, including the New Barracks (opened 1859, renamed St George Barracks in 1947, having served as HMS St George during

1617-494: The Gosport War Memorial Hospital in town. The town is served by these local newspapers The town of Gosport has many sports clubs and organisations including boxing , judo , angling , rugby , cricket , football , model yachting , sailing , and ice hockey . Gosport Borough F.C. play their home games at Privett Park and cater for players of either sex from age six upwards. The club play in

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1694-459: The Isle of Wight . Gosport Town Hall , designed by W. H. Saunders and Sons, was completed in 1964. The former Rowner naval married quarters estate, now mostly demolished, and HMS Sultan were built on a former military airfield, known first as RAF Gosport and later as HMS Siskin , which gives its name to the local infant and junior schools. The barracks at Browndown (Stokes Bay) were used in

1771-510: The NHS withdrew in 2009 and the hospital closed). Forton Barracks (opened 1811, closed 1923, re-opened as HMS  St Vincent in 1923, closed 1969) was part-demolished and is now St Vincent College . There has also been extensive redevelopment of the harbour area as a marina. In November 1850, two ships of the Ottoman Navy, Mirat-ı Zafer and Sürağ-ı Bahri Briki , anchored off

1848-616: The Southern Football League and represent the town at a national level in the FA Cup and FA Trophy . The area also has another Non-League football club Fleetlands F.C. who play at Lederle Lane Stadium. RMLI Gosport F.C. were a former team to represent the town winning the 1910 FA Amateur Cup . Gosport and Fareham Rugby Football Club has six senior sides, a Ladies team, and 10 youth sides. Gosport Borough Hockey Club, based at St Vincent College, has three Men's teams,

1925-533: The Spirit of Portsmouth . All ferries have been able to carry cycles and motorcycles. Gosport received its railway before Portsmouth, but it closed to passengers in 1953. In 1841 a railway opened between the London and Southampton Railway at Eastleigh via Fareham to Gosport, where a terminus was built to an Italianate design of Sir William Tite . Gosport railway station was intended to serve Portsmouth across

2002-409: The 19th century, during attempts to develop the area into a seaside resort. The area had been referenced long before this, referred to as Lee and numerous variations, including Lebritan. Early impetus for the district's development came from Charles Edmund Newton Robinson , who persuaded his father, John Charles Robinson, art curator and collector, to fund the buying of land. Over the period 1884 to 1894

2079-592: The Borough, including Newtown, consists of the town centre, Stoke Road shopping area, Walpole Park, Royal Clarence Yard and three modern marinas: Royal Clarence, Gosport Marina and Haslar Marina. As part of the Renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour Millennium project, a large sundial, known as the Millennium Timespace, was installed on the harbour front in 2000. Alongside this sundial, a long meandering path of designed paving stones can be found, known as

2156-600: The French invasion threat of 1779. By 1860, the Gosport Lines had 58 guns. No.1 Bastion, for example, had mounted 14 guns in brick lined emplacements firing over the parapet. The 1859 Royal Commission on the Defences of the United Kingdom proposed the completion of a line of forts to protect the outer approach to Gosport town, making the earlier defences redundant. However, they were retained to constrain any expansion of

2233-490: The Gosport Gallery and reference library. The museum is run by Hampshire Cultural Trust. It is part of the council's urban regeneration plans. One of the aims of Hampshire Cultural Trust is to get "the community back in. We want to get the building back into use and the public back into the High Street ... [and to attract people] who do not normally go to museums". The town has a theatre, Thorngate Hall, which

2310-528: The Gosport waterfront. There, the M4 Sherman tanks were backed into position in preparation for the Channel crossing. The initial plan was for the invasion to begin on 5 June, but bad weather, with the various vessels riding at anchor off Calshot in the Solent, delayed the plans by one day. Gosport has no railway station. However, it may be considered that the town does not require a railway station due to

2387-471: The Hardway near Gosport. The visit lasted several months and during this time some of the members of the crew contracted cholera and were admitted to Haslar Hospital for treatment, where most of them died. In addition, some other sailors died because of training accidents. In total 26 died and were laid to rest in the grounds of Haslar. At the turn of the 20th century the bodies were exhumed and transferred to

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2464-579: The ITV series Bad Lads' Army . The borough is administered by Gosport Borough Council . In the House of Commons , Gosport has been represented by Caroline Dinenage of the Conservative Party since 2010. Until the last quarter of the 20th century, Gosport was a major naval town associated with the defence and supply infrastructure of Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth . As such over

2541-537: The Millennium Path; this can also be seen across the Solent in Portsmouth. Though there are multiple theories which point towards the etymology of Gosport, it is widely purported to derive its name from "goose". An alternative etymology of "gorse" (from the bushes growing on local heathland) is not supported by the regional name for the plant, "furze". A third theory, claiming a derivation from "God's Port"

2618-551: The R.N. Military Cemetery, Clayhall Road, in Alverstoke . In the first week of June 1944, tanks, scout cars and wheeled vehicles of the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment , Canadian Army loaded Landing craft tanks in Gosport. Convoys of vehicles had been carefully concealed from German discovery in the areas further inland, and in daylight on 3 June moved through Titchfield and Stubbington to G3 Hard on

2695-657: The Second World War; closed 1991), the Royal Clarence Victualling Yard (opened 1828 on the site of an earlier victualling facility, closed 1992) and Royal Hospital Haslar (formerly the last military hospital of the UK: opened as a Royal Naval Hospital in 1753, later served other armed forces personnel and latterly the wider community of Gosport; closed as a military hospital in March 2007,

2772-743: The Tara mines in County Tipperary , enabling the organisation to intensify its bombing campaign. The INLA carried out its deadliest attack in December 1982 with the bombing of the Droppin' Well disco in Ballykelly , County Londonderry , which catered to British military personnel, in which 11 soldiers on leave and six civilians were killed. A bomb, estimated to be 2.5 to 4.5 kg (5 to 10 lb) of Frangex explosive, small enough to fit into

2849-688: The UK. The average maximum temperature in January is 8C with the average minimum being 3C. The average maximum temperature in July is 21C, with the average minimum being 14C. The record high temperature is 32C and record low is -9C. The Met Office has a weather station at the M.R.S.C. in Lee-on-the-Solent. The Rowner area of the peninsula was settled by the Anglo-Saxons , and is mentioned in

2926-651: The Vane A class, Vane 36, 1 meter, multihull, dragon force and laser. Model yachting used to be one of the most popular sports in Britain. Now it is one of only a few lakes in the world that still races vane steered boats, the more traditional kind without remote control or electricity. A greyhound racing track called the Gosport Greyhound and Whippet Track existed from April 1930 until June 1936 and held racing every Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. The racing

3003-407: The airfield unusable in the event of an enemy invasion. The subsequent removal, thought to be the largest of its kind in peacetime Britain , led to the evacuation of some 900 homes staggered over a five-week period. The district still has a shopping centre, with a selection of independent shops and restaurants and is a popular destination for jet-skiers and kite surfers. A bypass was built around

3080-603: The backdrop of the Isle of Wight . On the seafront on Marine Parade East is the club house of the Lee on the Solent Sailing Club (LOSSC). At the signal station, where the racing starts and finishes, is a smaller galley that can provide light snacks and soft drinks for the people involved in racing or training at the weekend. It is a RYA accredited Sailing School and is open to visitors and day sailors alike. Boats can be hired. On Marine Parade West main sea front stands

3157-514: The boundary with the Borough of Fareham . The climate of Gosport is milder than that of the surrounding areas, winter frosts being light and short-lived and snow quite rare. Temperatures rarely drop much below freezing, because the peninsula has water to the south and east. Portsdown Hill also protects the town from the cold northerly winds during the winter months. Located on the south coast, Gosport also receives more sunshine per annum than most of

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3234-705: The connection to Fareham was closed for passenger services in 1953 and to freight traffic in 1969, although trains to the armament depot in Frater ran until the late 1970s. The trackbed of the former Gosport – Fareham railway is now an exclusive fast bus route and cycle lane. Tite's station building has been retained for its historical and architectural value and has been converted into a small number of residential properties and offices. The main gate in Spring Garden Lane has been opened up for vehicle access. A further development of six terraced homes has been built at

3311-494: The council-run Elson library. Following this, a bid was made to save the library from closure, following consultations with the community. The library reopened on 12 May 2021, operating as Elson Community Library and Hub, registered as a charity. In November 2022 the Gosport Museum and Art Gallery opened in the old Gosport Grammar School building. The building had previously been the Gosport Museum from 1975, and then

3388-463: The district was established with the setting out of Marine Parade, a pier, railway connection along with a number of impressive red brick villas. The railway service was discontinued in the 1930s and the pier, unrepaired after breaching in aid of coastal defence in World War II , was demolished in 1958. Lee-on-the-Solent has had a long association with aviation. Seaplane trials took place at Lee-on-the-Solent as early as 1915. A base for seaplane training

3465-590: The ferry connection to Portsmouth Harbour . The Gosport Ferry provides quick access to Portsmouth Harbour railway station , terminus of the Portsmouth Direct Line to London . Due to heavy traffic (see below) this ferry is very well used. At one time the Gosport Ferry Company operated steam ferries, until the arrival in 1966 of two identical (and then very modern) diesel ferries, named Gosport Queen and Portsmouth Queen . In 1971

3542-632: The first six months of 1973 alone. PIRA volunteer, later informer, Sean O'Callaghan estimated that planting 11 kg (25 lb) of Frangex would kill everyone within an 18-metre (60 ft) radius. The Real IRA (RIRA) also acquired Frangex, and, in December 2000, eighty sticks were discovered on a farm in Kilmacow, County Kilkenny , near Waterford . In early 1982 the Irish National Liberation Army stole 450 kg (1,000 lb) of Frangex commercial explosives from

3619-599: The former base which forms a large area of the resort. At once, the Daedalus Action Group was formed under the chairmanship of John Beavis to oppose the scheme with the support of a large number of local residents. After a U-turn in government policy, the Home Office decided in February 2004 to abandon the asylum centre plan and the action group celebrated with a rally on the seafront. Channel 4 produced

3696-682: The government announced that the Daedalus airfield would host an enterprise zone named the Solent Enterprise Zone. The CEMAST (Centre of Excellence in Engineering & Manufacturing Advanced Skills Training) campus on the airfield is now open to students. The centre caters for full and part-time students undertaking apprenticeship programmes for companies such as BAE systems and Virgin Atlantic. In July 2015 parkrun came to

3773-405: The harbour mouth. The lowest part of Haslar Creek is called Haslar Lake; at its western end, the creek splits into two branches. These are called Workhouse Lake (the northern branch) and Stoke Lake (the southern branch). South East of Stoke Lake and along Gilkicker Point is the area of Clayhall. West, Northwest and South of Stoke Lake is the district and village of Alverstoke . To the west of which

3850-415: The harbour to construct, and would alleviate traffic congestion in Gosport and the surrounding area. The tunnel was intended for construction in 2002, but financial problems delayed the project. The government declined to fund the initiative in 2005. The 2001 Census recorded 54,854 people in Gosport of working age between the ages of 16 and 74. The economic activity of the residents in the Gosport Borough

3927-410: The league and playoffs in 2022/23. The women's team, Solent Amazons play in the WNIHL structure. Gosport has two Synchronised Ice Skating teams who compete in national level competitions, including the British Synchronised Skating Championships. The club uses Planet Ice Gosport to train. Gosport has a model yachting lake which has had national and international events held there. Boats sailed include

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4004-425: The main road along the seafront and hosts an open day every summer. From 2024 it is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. Further towards Gosport is the area known as Browndown. It is a former army firing range and could be considered an interesting walk in summer. There are many old relics to explore, and it is not unknown to find large jellyfish washed up on the shore. Browndown army camp

4081-413: The material. At the time of Patrick Magee 's arrest on 22 June 1985, 3.5 kilograms (8 lb) was found in his possession, while 300 kilograms (660 lb) was discovered in a hijacked road tanker in January 1976. Gelignite material stolen by the IRA from quarries, farms and construction sites in the Republic was among the 48,000 lb (22,000 kg) of explosives detonated in Northern Ireland in

4158-417: The new route avoiding lengthy queues on the A32 and speeding up commuting time between the towns for bus passengers. Gosport bus station serves the town. In 1999, a study was undertaken by the Light Rail Transit Association in regard to a proposed tunnel connecting Gosport to Portsmouth, crossing under Portsmouth Harbour . The study proposed a 670m Immersed tube which would not require long closures of

4235-420: The north western end of the site linking with George Street. Being a peninsula town without a railway system, Gosport relies heavily upon the major A32 road in and out of the town. Plans existed in the 1970s to widen the road to accommodate expected increases in traffic flow, but this did not take place. In the early 1990s a computerised system controlling traffic lights along the route was installed to improve

4312-469: The parish had a population of 2715. New developments in the 1980s and 1990s increased the population. In c. 2000-2007 1,050 new homes were built at the Cherque farm area of Lee, and further development will take place over the next few years. Elsewhere along Marine Parade, the seafront has lost many of the original villas and hotels to developers. The Royal Naval Air Station HMS Daedalus closed in 1996 but Daedalus Airfield itself remains active as

4389-414: The promenade section of Lee on the Solent. The inaugural run had a total of 430 finishers, with around 25 marshals and support people. In the first year there were just over 3,300 runners and 15,000 completed runs. Last year's inaugural of 430 was topped in April of this year with a running attendance of 485. On the last day of July 2018, a 'possibly deactivated' bomb was discovered '250 metres south west of

4466-475: The rate of flow of traffic but this failed to work and had to be switched off since it could not cope with the traffic volumes. Now, in the 21st century, the A32 is much the same as it was thirty years ago and the traffic using it has increased to such an extent that the journey time to the nearby M27, about 5 miles (8 km), can routinely take anything from 45 minutes and often longer at peak times between 07:30 & 09:00 and 16:00 & 18:30. The station site

4543-409: The same building. Many of the buildings in the High Street pre-date this. The High Street has seen a resurgence in recent years due to a number of popular events in the High Street organised by the Lee Business Association, such as Summer in Lee, Lee Victory Festival and Christmas in Lee light switch on. A short walk from the High Street in Lee is the Lee-on-the-Solent Tennis Club. It has a small bar,

4620-438: The slip way in Lee-on-Solent'. By August 1, the beach was taped off and The Royal Navy had been called in, alongside the Solent Coastguard, to try to defuse the bomb. The views out to sea from the seafront at Marine Parade are forever changing. From a vantage point on the grassy banks, it is possible to see shipping movements of large container ships and cruisers into Southampton and Portsmouth, sailing boats, ferries and of course

4697-423: The south coast, has a milder climate than the rest of the UK, though it is slightly cooler than the nearby City of Portsmouth. The record high temperature is 31.7 °C (89 °F) in August 2003 and the record low is −9.2 °C (15 °F) in January 1987 Lee-on-the-Solent has a Met Office weather station situated at the MRSC base. Gosport Gosport ( / ˈ ɡ ɒ s p ɔːr t / GOS -port )

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4774-441: The time of the Cherque Farm development to link up the B3385 and the B3333 and forms a bypass to Lee-on-the-Solent. The train has long since gone from the seafront, clearing the seafront for walking, leisure and parking. The seafront is interrupted by the former railway station buildings, the war memorial and the seafront bus stop/parking area opposite the end of Pier Street. This is where the Lee Tower used to stand. In August 2011

4851-405: The town towards the new line of forts. From the 1890s road widening meant some parts of the ramparts and gates were demolished. Further sections were demolished in the 1920s and 1960s. Today, the little that remain are protected ancient monuments. The town is still home to HMS  Sultan and a Naval Armament Supply Facility as well as a Helicopter Repair base; however, Gosport's naval history

4928-485: The water, but was sited at Gosport away from the harbour because the railway company was not allowed to breach either the Hilsea Lines , defences at the northern end of Portsea Island protecting Portsmouth , or the Gosport Lines protecting depots such as Royal Clarence Yard. An extension to Royal Clarence Yard was opened in 1846, and branch lines to Stokes Bay (open from 1863 to 1915), and to Lee-on-the-Solent (open to passengers 1894 to 1931). Due to declining traffic,

5005-453: The west of Gosport is the naval base HMS Sultan . West of Sultan is the district of Rowner, which includes Alver Village. There are several districts north, northwest and west of the town centre. These include areas that extend to the inland areas of the peninsula, Hardway (including Priddy's Hard and Forton Lake ) Elson, Brockhurst, Bridgemary and Rowner. Hoeford (A32 Gosport Road) is the most northwesterly area within Gosport, and ends at

5082-401: The years extensive fortifications were created. The first fortifications were in 1678 during the reign on Charles II. These consisted of two forts, Fort James and Fort Charles, and a series of bastions and double ditches to encircle the town, known as the Gosport Lines. During the Georgian period in 1751 and 1752 they were rebuilt, enlarged and extended. Further additions were made in response to

5159-417: Was 46.7% were in full-time employment, 12.9% were in part-time employment, 6.1% were self-employed, 2.7% were unemployed, 2.5% were students with jobs, 2.5% were students without jobs, 14% were retired, 6.2% were looking after the home or family and 3.8% were permanently sick or disabled. As part of the Renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour Millennium project, a large sundial, known as the Millennium Timespace,

5236-494: Was approved in February 2008 for the construction of a Multi-Purpose Driving Test Centre with Motorcycle Manoeuvring Area (MPTC) from the Driving Standards Agency, inside a part of the Daedalus site. The Daedalus site has had housing developments built in recent years, with more re-development planned. In 2003, the community of Lee-on-the-Solent received nationwide attention for probably the first time in its 120-year existence. The government had proposed to house asylum-seekers at

5313-404: Was built in the late 19th century. The Gosport peninsula has 17 miles (27 km) of waterfront on Portsmouth Harbour and The Solent . The pebble beach at Stokes Bay slopes steeply into the sea and offers views of the shipping going in and out of Portsmouth and Southampton and the many pleasure craft from the many marinas along The Solent and the Isle of Wight . Gelignite It

5390-403: Was established in 1917 on the former RNAS Lee-on-Solent , later HMS Daedalus , site. The new church of St Faith's was built in 1933. In 1935 the Lee Tower complex was built on the seafront next to the old pier and railway station. It was designed by architects Yates, Cook & Derbyshire, and comprised a white V-shaped Art Deco building with a 120-foot (37 m) tower. The complex housed

5467-405: Was independent (not affiliated to the sports governing body the National Greyhound Racing Club ) and was known as a flapping track, which was the nickname given to independent tracks. The stadium was located on the Forton Road and distances raced were mainly over 400 yards. Gosport and Stokes Bay Golf Club is located on the Southern tip of the Gosport peninsula. The original 9-hole golf course

5544-428: Was installed on the harbour front in 2000. Its timekeeping is partially restricted each day by shadowing caused by large tower blocks either side of the 'timespace'. These towers, Seaward Tower and Harbour Tower, were built in 1963. Their surfaces are covered in mosaic murals designed by Kenneth Barden that rise the full height of the buildings and are illuminated at night. They were controversial initially but are now

5621-410: Was invented in 1875 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel , who also invented dynamite . It is more stable than dynamite, but can still suffer from "sweating" or leaching out nitroglycerine. Its composition makes it easily moldable and safe to handle without protection, as long as it is not near anything capable of detonating it. One of the cheapest explosives, it burns slowly and cannot explode without

5698-629: Was linked with the South Hampshire Rapid Transit scheme, which would have made use of the former railway route. However, due to Government refusal to fund the scheme, it was formally abandoned in November 2006. During 2010, construction started on the same route to provide a rapid bus route between the Holbrook area of Gosport and the town of Fareham. Now completed, regular service buses between Gosport and Fareham divert onto

5775-927: Was opened in 1960. It is named after an earlier Thorngate Hall, on a different site in South Street, which was destroyed by bombing in the Second World War. The earlier hall was built in 1885 and funded by the Thorngate Trust. The town had an earlier theatre, opened in 1923. Regional TV news is provided by BBC South and ITV Meridian . Television signals are received from the Rowridge TV transmitter. Local radio stations are BBC Radio Solent on 96.1 FM, Heart South on 97.5 FM, Capital South on 103.2 FM, Easy Radio South Coast on 107.4 FM, Nation Radio South Coast on 106.0 FM, Radio Victory on 95.8 FM, Angel Radio on 98.6 FM and Gosport Hospital Radio that broadcast local programming to patients from

5852-457: Was the setting for the ITV television series Bad Lads Army . Browndown army camp is also used as a summer activity camp for young cadets from all over the country. Beyond Browndown eastwards, is the more affluent district and village of Alverstoke and seafront known as Stokes Bay . The High Street is unique as it is home to over 70 independent shops and businesses, the oldest of which is The Book Shop established in 1933 and still operates in

5929-564: Was their overseas player, later going on to represent Australia in ODI & T20I matches. They currently run four adult league sides, and colts teams from Under 9 to Under 15. Gosport is known for its ice hockey. Solent Devils , the top level men's team are based out of Planet Ice Gosport and play in the NIHL South 1 with the club's second team playing in South 2. The Devils were runners up in

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