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South Hampshire - Castles, Cathedrals,
Monuments,
Stately Homes & Palaces
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Since the stone age, man has been
creating majestic structures that we still marvel at
today.
Whether you are interested in ancient monuments,
battlefield sites,
re-enactments,
Roman and Norman forts and castles, Stately Homes, Country Houses, Historic
Cathedrals, Ruined Abbeys etc, this is the page that
should give you the information you need.
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Here we try to list properties in
private ownership but open to the public (even if only
occasionally) as well as those in the care of the
National Trust or English/Scottish Heritage.
We know that not all the
properties in South Hampshire are listed.
Please help us
make this guide comprehensive by giving details of
missing attractions
here
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STAUNTON COUNTRY PARK
Middle Park Way,
Havant,
Hampshire, PO9
5HB
Tel: 023 9245 3405
E-mail:
staunton.park@hants.gov.uk
Web:
www.hants.gov.uk
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1000 acres of
landscaped parkland with ornamental lake,
woodland & follies.
Further attractions
include:
The Victorian Coach House - This was once
part of the Gothic Mansion and has been fully
restored, and is now a hub for all things
active.
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The Beacon - A small ionic temple built in
1830 from materials from the demolished Purbrook
House.
Shell House - Built in 1828 of finely
patterned flint, Shell House was based on the
design of the Chichester Cross.
The Chinese Bridge - Constructed in 1831,
the bridge with three arches originally had
Chinese gateways at either end.
For further information on this country park in
Havant, Hampshire see our website.
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SOUTHSEA CASTLE
Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, PO5 3PA
Tel: 023 9282 7261 Fax: 023 9287
5276
E-mail:
david.evans@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Web:
www.southseacastle.co.uk
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Southsea Castle was one in a series of
forts constructed for King Henry VIII, in
what was the most ambitious scheme of
coastal defence since Roman times. The castle was built in great haste in
1544, prompted by Henry VIII's fears of a
French attack on Portsmouth. It was not long finished when on 18 July
1545, a French invasion fleet did
approach Portsmouth and landed on the
Isle of White. Henry VIII was at Southsea
Castle when the Mary Rose sank next day. |
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The castle was to be an active military base for
over 400 years. Not until 1960 was the castle
finally withdrawn from active service and
purchased by Portsmouth City Council.
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D-DAY
MUSEUM and Overlord Embroidery
Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Hants. PO5 3NT
Tel: 023 9282 7261 Fax:
023 9287 5276
E-mail:
david.evans@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Web:
www.ddaymuseum.co.uk
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The D-Day Museum was
opened in 1984 to commemorate the 40th
Anniversary of D-Day.
Its centrepiece is the
magnificent Overlord Embroidery commissioned as
a tribute to the sacrifice and heroism of those
men and women who took part in Operation
Overlord.
The embroidery measures 272 feet and is the
largest work of its kind in the world. |
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Visit
to Normandy by King George VI Winston
Churchill, General Eisenhower, General
Montgomery and Field Marshal Brooke.
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the Museum's other displays, visitors experience the sights and sounds of
Britain at War - the air raid warden's living
room in the Blitz, the factory resounding to the
strains of 'Music while you work', and troops
preparing for D-Day in their forest camp.
The climax of the displays is a dawn to dusk
reconstruction of the Allied landings by sea and
air on D-Day itself - World War II's 'longest
day'. |
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Calshot Castle
Calshot, Fawley, Southampton, Hampshire
Tel: 02380 892077
E-mail:
calshot.ac@hants.gov.uk
Web:
www.calshot.com
An artillery fort built as part of Henry VIII's
chain of coastal defences to control the sea
passage to Southampton.
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Catholic Cathedral of St.
John
Edinburgh Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3HG
Tel: 02392 826613
E-mail:
stjcath@portsmouth-dio.org.uk
Web:
www.PortsmouthCatholicCathedral.org
St John's is the Mother Church of the Diocese of
Portsmouth, formed in 1882. On this site
is the Cathedral Discovery Centre. Within
the centre you will find a bookshop, resource
centre, gift shop, restaurant, coffee-shop,
meeting point, card shop and information centre.
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Portsmouth Cathedral
Cathedral Office, St. Thomas' Street, Old
Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2HH
Tel: 02392 825500 Fax:
02392 295480
E-mail:
rosemary.fairfax@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
Web:
www.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
The Mother Church of the Diocese of Portsmouth,
from its origins as a chapel in the 1180's, to
parish church in the 14th century and a
cathedral in the 20th century, has grown in
tandem with the town of Portsmouth itself.
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MOTTISFONT ABBEY GARDEN,
HOUSE & ESTATE
Mottisfont, nr Romsey, SO51 0LP
Tel: 01794 340757 Fax:
01794 341492
E-mail:
mottisfontabbey@nationaltrust.org.uk
Web:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
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Historic and
atmospheric riverside estate.
Set amidst glorious countryside along the
River Test, this 12th-century Augustinian
priory was converted into a private house
after the Dissolution of the Monasteries,
and still retains the spring or ‘font’
from which its name is derived. |
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Mottisfont Abbey -
Photo:
Kate Jewell
CCL |
The abbey contains a drawing room decorated by Rex
Whistler and Derek Hill’s 20th-century picture
collection, but the key attraction is the grounds
with magnificent trees, walled gardens and
National Collection of Old-fashioned Roses. The
estate includes Mottisfont village and surrounding
farmland and woods.
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CHARLES DICKENS BIRTHPLACE
393 Old Commercial Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire,
PO1 4QL
Tel: 023 9282 7261 Fax:
023 9287 5276
E-mail:
david.evans@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Web:
www.charlesdickensbirthplace.co.uk
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The famous Victorian
writer Charles Dickens, was born in this modest
house in 1812
during the time of the Napoleonic Wars.
The house has miraculously survived and is now
preserved as a museum
dedicated to the life of this important literary
figure.
It is furnished in the style of 1809 which is when
his parents set up the
first home of their married life there.
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Beaulieu and the National
Motor Museum
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Palace House Beaulieu - Photo:
Darren Hill
CCL |
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Forests can be uncannily
beautiful places and England's New Forest is
no exception.
A little over two hour's drive south from
London and a few miles before reaching the
coast, it's one of the oldest woodland areas
in the country.
For over 900 years the forest has been
treasured and was formerly the hunting ground
of kings.
Hardly surprising then, that like all good
forests, it's full of unexpected things.
More... |
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Broadlands
Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 9ZD
Tel: 01794 505010 Fax:
01794 518605
E-mail:
admin@broadlands.net
Web:
www.broadlands.net
The home of the late Lord Mountbatten,
Broadlands is one of the finest examples of
mid-Georgian architecture in England, and has
been a part of English history for centuries.
The House is now closed and will re-open for
guided tours only, towards the end of June 2007.
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Exbury Gardens & Steam
Railway
The Estate Office, Exbury, Southampton,
Hampshire, SO45 1AZ
Tel: 02380 891203 Fax:
02380 899940
E-mail:
nigel.philpott@exbury.co.uk
Web:
www.exbury.co.uk
A spectacular 200-acre woodland garden, created
in the 1920’s by Lionel de Rothschild, and
developed by his family over the following
years. Tour the gardens on the estates
very own Steam Railway.
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Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
Jermyns Lane, Ampfield, Romsey, Hampshire SO51
0QA
Tel: 01794 368787 Fax:
01794 368027www.exbury.co.uk
E-mail:
info@hilliergardens.org.uk
Web:
www.hillier.hants.gov.uk
A unique collection of around 42,000 plants
(12,000 different types) which now bloom over a
180 acre area. Displays include the largest
Winter Garden of its kind in Europe and the
gardens are open all year round, except
Christmas and Boxing Day.
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Stansted Park
Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, PO9 6DX
Tel: 02392 412265 Fax:
02392 413773
E-mail:
enquiry@stanstedpark.co.uk
Web:
www.stanstedpark.co.uk
Home of the Bessborough family treasures,
experience the social history of an English
Country House in its Edwardian splendour.
Further attractions include the ancient Chapel,
Arboretum, and Walled Gardens.
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