Hilsea
Encyclopedia
Hilsea is a district of the city of Portsmouth
in the English
county of Hampshire
. Hilsea is home to one of Portsmouth's main sports and leisure facilities - the Mountbatten centre. The City of Portsmouth Boys' School is also in Hilsea. It is also the home of Portsmouth rugby football club
Located at the northern end of Portsea Island
, for most of its history Hilsea was a small hamlet on the Portsmouth to London
road. The boundaries of Portsmouth were not extended to encompass the hamlet until 1832. The last working farm
in Portsmouth, Green Farm, was located in the area up to the 1990s. This area is now a residential estate and is marked by a pub and hotel known as the Green Farm.
Hilsea barracks were built in 1756. Over the decades they underwent various rebuildings and changes of use before being knocked down to allow for housing development in the 1960s.
In the years after 1926 Hilsea expanded with the building of the Hilsea Crescent Estate which was constructed on former allotments.
The north of the district composes the Hilsea Lines
, former defensive fortifications that are now a nature reserve. In the 1930s western end of the line's moat
became known as the Hilsea lagoon and in the mid 1930s work was done on the banks and it was turned into a boating lake. In the same period the land around the eastern end of the boating lake was converted into Hilsea bastion gardens. Most of the gardens were destroyed as the result of road widening in 1968-70. The terraces that formed part of the gardens were demolished in 2000.
In 1938 a bridge was built across the boating lake section of the moat. It was demolished in 1999 and later replaced by the current structure.
The area is home to the Coach & horses pub. This was originally the first public house reached when arriving on Portsea island from the mainland. It was damaged in a fire in 1870 and had to be rebuilt. It was again rebuilt between 1929 and 1931 to a design by A.E. Cogswell and this is the building that stands today.
Another facility in the area was the Hilsea Lido
which opened in July 1935. It closed in 2008 although attempts are being made to reopen it.
The north east of Hilsea is protected from the sea by Stamshaw Esplanade
which was built between 1936 and 1938. The Esplanade also serves to connect site of Hilsea lido with Alexandra Park
Modern Hilsea is a mixture of residential and industrial areas. One of the major routes into Portsmouth still runs through the area. In addition, a small station
serves the area.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. Hilsea is home to one of Portsmouth's main sports and leisure facilities - the Mountbatten centre. The City of Portsmouth Boys' School is also in Hilsea. It is also the home of Portsmouth rugby football club
Portsmouth rugby football club
Portsmouth Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club located in Portsmouth, England.- History :PRFC was formed in 1886 from an amalgamation of two of the leading seven local clubs in the Portsmouth area. The club grew strongly over the next 15 years with a crowd of 7000 attending their match with...
Located at the northern end of Portsea Island
Portsea Island
Portsea Island is a small, flat and low lying island just off the south coast of England. The island is totally within, and contains a large proportion of, the city of Portsmouth. It has the third-largest population of any island in the British Isles, after the mainlands of Great Britain and...
, for most of its history Hilsea was a small hamlet on the Portsmouth to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
road. The boundaries of Portsmouth were not extended to encompass the hamlet until 1832. The last working farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
in Portsmouth, Green Farm, was located in the area up to the 1990s. This area is now a residential estate and is marked by a pub and hotel known as the Green Farm.
Hilsea barracks were built in 1756. Over the decades they underwent various rebuildings and changes of use before being knocked down to allow for housing development in the 1960s.
In the years after 1926 Hilsea expanded with the building of the Hilsea Crescent Estate which was constructed on former allotments.
The north of the district composes the Hilsea Lines
Hilsea Lines
The Hilsea Lines are a line of 18th- and 19th-century fortifications built to protect the Northern approach to Portsea, an island of the coast of England which is part of the city of Portsmouth and its key naval base. They are now used as a greenspace and leisure area.-Natural defences:The island...
, former defensive fortifications that are now a nature reserve. In the 1930s western end of the line's moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
became known as the Hilsea lagoon and in the mid 1930s work was done on the banks and it was turned into a boating lake. In the same period the land around the eastern end of the boating lake was converted into Hilsea bastion gardens. Most of the gardens were destroyed as the result of road widening in 1968-70. The terraces that formed part of the gardens were demolished in 2000.
In 1938 a bridge was built across the boating lake section of the moat. It was demolished in 1999 and later replaced by the current structure.
The area is home to the Coach & horses pub. This was originally the first public house reached when arriving on Portsea island from the mainland. It was damaged in a fire in 1870 and had to be rebuilt. It was again rebuilt between 1929 and 1931 to a design by A.E. Cogswell and this is the building that stands today.
Another facility in the area was the Hilsea Lido
Hilsea Lido
Hilsea Lido is a fresh water lido at Hilsea, Portsmouth. The lido is undergoing refurbishment and plans to re-open in 2011.-Description:The Hilsea Lido is a leisure facility featuring a Main Pool and a large Splash Pool designed for younger swimmers...
which opened in July 1935. It closed in 2008 although attempts are being made to reopen it.
The north east of Hilsea is protected from the sea by Stamshaw Esplanade
Esplanade
An esplanade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The original meaning of esplanade was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide clear fields of fire for the fortress' guns...
which was built between 1936 and 1938. The Esplanade also serves to connect site of Hilsea lido with Alexandra Park
Alexandra Park, Portsmouth
Alexandra Park, Portsmouth, was opened in 1907 and was a place of recreation for the people of Portsea Island. It provided lawns, flowers beds, paths and seats; it was an area to escape the toils of inner city life in the early twentieth century. The park was named after Queen Alexandra...
Modern Hilsea is a mixture of residential and industrial areas. One of the major routes into Portsmouth still runs through the area. In addition, a small station
Hilsea railway station
Hilsea railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England with a limited service. It serves the northern end of Portsea Island, including a large industrial estate nearby....
serves the area.