Southsea
Encyclopedia
Southsea is a seaside resort
located in Portsmouth
at the southern end of Portsea Island
in the county of Hampshire
in England
. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre.
Southsea has a thriving commercial area which includes two national department stores and many other well known high street chains. It combines these large stores with numerous independent traders which includes charity shops, food retailers and furniture/household goods shops.
Southsea also has a vibrant social scene with numerous bars and eateries which cater for a range of budgets and tastes.
built the fort which became known as Southsea Castle
. Although it would not have been called that at the time it is recorded as "Southsea Castle" in a map of 1724.
In 1809 a new suburb began to grow. It became known as Southsea after the castle. The first houses were built for skilled workers in the 'mineral' streets (Silver Street, Nickel Street etc). These mineral streets were the most bombed areas of Portsmouth in the Second World War.
Around 1810 Hampshire Terrace, Landport Terrace, King’s Terrace, Jubilee Terrace and Bellevue Terrace were built adjacent to the town walls. Nowadays they form an almost continuous road between the City Centre and the beach.
Southsea remained small until 1835. The area between Castle Road and Victoria Road South was built up between 1835 and 1860 as housing for middle class families. A prominent architect during this period was Thomas Ellis Owen
who built properties in Kent Road, Queen’s Terrace, Sussex Terrace, Grove Road South, Clarendon Road, Osborne Road and Portland Terrace.
By the 1860s the suburb of Southsea had grown along Clarendon Road as far as Granada Road. In 1857 Southsea gained its own Improvement Commissioners responsible for paving, cleaning and lighting the streets.
After the 1870s, east of Victoria Road, there was new building in the Campbell Road / Outram Road area..
As building proceeded most was put up in the cramped manner typical of much of Portsmouth, a city where space is at a premium.
Southsea suffered badly from bombing in World War II
. In particular the main shopping centre, Palmerston Road, was almost completely destroyed.
. The service was attended by all the heads of the states which had participated in the allied landings, notably US President
Bill Clinton
, HM Queen Elizabeth II
and most notably, several members of the American Secret Service. The service was also witnessed by over 100,000 members of the public. Historically, a blessing before battle was offered during a drumhead service which is conducted in the field with the drums forming the altar and the colours serving as the altar cloth.
In 15 September 2000 parts of Southsea were flooded when the pumping station which pumps surface water out to sea was itself flooded during a particularly heavy storm.
On 28 June 2005 Southsea Common was used as a venue for the Trafalgar 200
celebrations. Southsea seafront was an ideal point from which to witness the International Fleet Review
and evening fire work display.
On 9 August 2011 a fire broke out at the old Joanna's nightclub, a derelict building situated opposite South Parade Pier. Police sectioned off most of the area and guests at the nearby Queen's Hotel were evacuated due to heavy smoke. Despite rumours circulating on social network sites, the incident was reportedly not linked to the riots
taking place.
. Although some of his buildings were destroyed in World War 2
and some have since been unsympathetically modernised, his work still shapes the architecture of modern Southsea. The majority of Owen's Southsea is now protected by a number of Conservation Area
s or by being Listed Buildings. Queens Hotel
is a good example of the Edwardian baroque style, built in 1903.
Southsea Common is a large expanse of mown grassland parallel to the shore from Clarence Pier to Southsea Castle. The Common owes its existence to the demands of the military in the early nineteenth century for a clear range of fire from the harbour defences at any enemy ships which dared to approach Portsmouth and its dockyard.
The Common is a popular recreation ground, and also serves as the venue for a number of annual events, including the Southsea Show, Para Spectacular, Military Vehicle Show, Kite Festival and a variety of circuses including the Moscow State Circus
and Chinese State Circus
. It was also the place where fans of Portsmouth F.C gathered to celebrate their victory in the 2008 FA Cup Final
.
In August 2010, a life-size (52 ft high) model of an ultrasaurus
dinosaur was erected on the common in conjunction with the local Aspex gallery. The sculpture was destroyed by a fire, probably caused by an electrical fault, on 1 October.
The Common is home to a remarkable collection of mature elm
trees, believed to be the oldest and largest surviving in Hampshire, which have escaped Dutch elm disease
owing to their isolation. The majority of the larger trees are Huntingdon Elm
s planted in the 1920s, but nearer the entrance to the Skate Park there is a fine example of the 'Den Haag'
hybrid elm, the TROBI
Champion and one of only two known in the UK.
Huntingdon Elms once lined the Ladies' Mile avenue through the centre of the Common, but many were lost to the Great Storm of 1987
and replaced by the Dutch elm cultivar 'Lobel', itself now gradually succumbing to Dutch elm disease.
The Ladies' Mile is also home to several semi-mature Canary Island Date Palms Phoenix canariensis. Planted in 1996, these palms are now some of the largest in the UK and for the last few years have fruited and produced viable seed, the first time this species of palm has been recorded doing so in the UK. Other palms growing close to the common include Trachycarpus fortunei
, (Ladies Mile, Rock Gardens & Rose Garden), Chamaerops humilis (in front of the Pyramids Centre), Butia capitata
(in Burguoyne Gardens) and Brahea armata
, (Canoe Lake & D-Day Island). Many Cordyline australis are also planted in the area, though these are not true palms, but more closely related to Yuccas and Agaves.
and Clarence Pier
; both house amusement arcades. South Parade Pier also contains a ballroom and a bar area. Clarence Pier is adjacent to a permanent funfair.
A prominent sight out to sea is the four large forts created in the 1860s as part of an attempt to fortify the city against the threat of invasion. From the shore they look oval but are, in fact, round. They were part of defences which included land-based forts all around the city but as they were never used in action, they became known as Palmerston
’s Folly, after the Prime Minister who initiated them.
To commemorate the millennium, a scenic walk was created extending to Gunwharf Quays from Southsea seafront. The route is marked on the pavement, and is lined by distinctive blue street lanterns.
There are a number of miniature golf courses, a skateboard park and public grass and clay tennis courts. During winter 2008 three beach volleyball
courts were added to these attractions.
The D-Day museum
(which holds the Overlord embroidery
) is located on the seafront in Southsea, very close to Southsea castle
.
At the end of Palmerston Road where it joins the Ladies Mile a plaque on a house records that it was once the home of Fred Jane, the creator of the standard naval reference book Jane’s Fighting Ships.
Cumberland House is a natural history museum, butterfly house and aquarium located close to Canoe Lake just off Southsea seafront.
The Blue Reef Aquarium is also situated on the seafront.
Throughout the summer, there are regular open air concerts and events at the bandstand and on Castle Field.
Just off the seafront is Southsea Model Village which is a 1/12 scale model village with forty miniature buildings, houses, forts, castles and a miniature railway. It was opened in 1956 on the site of a Victorian fort. Another part of the fort has been converted into Southsea Rose Garden.
Canoe Lake
is the last remnant of an area of marsh and open water known as the Great Morass, drained in 1886, on which much of Southsea now sits. The lake is topped up from the sea by opening a sluice at high tide. Crabs and fish find their way in, and attract children fishing equipped with a piece of bacon on a string.
When undisturbed there are regularly swan
and mallard
, with less frequent visits from tufted duck
, mediterranean gull
, cormorant
, little Grebe
and occasionally a lone black swan
. In summer pedalos can be rented on the lake.
Since 2006 Canoe Lake has been used as a venue for the annual Lake of Lights Memorial Service. This happens in December where thousands of lights are floated on the lake to commemorate loved ones in the local community who have been lost to cancer.
Towards the eastern end of the seafront is the Royal Marines Museum
. Based in the lavishly decorated former Officers' Mess of Eastney Barracks (built in the 1860s for the Royal Marine Artillery), the Museum includes The Making of the Royal Marines Commando exhibition, opened in 2008, and a refurbished Medal Room with over 8,000 medals earned by Royal Marines - including all 10 Victoria Crosses won by them.
The Kings Theatre
, situated in Albert Road, is a venue that hosts a variety of performances, including productions by the local amateur group the Southsea Shakespeare Actors
.
A recently created attraction has been the now annual "Love Albert Road Day" which is held along one of Southsea's main roads. The event features live music, street art and theatre, stalls, food from around the world, an outdoor cinema
, competitions and skate demos. All the businesses from the road remain open for the day.
This event was first held in 2007 when it was expected 2,000 visitors would attend and 20,000 turned up on the day. The second "Love Albert Road Day" was held on 28 September 2008 when 40,000 visitors attended.
The existence of the town council has been controversial from the outset. The initial creation of the town council was opposed by Portsmouth City Council. There has been a long-standing campaign to disband the town council. In a poll of local residents in February 2005, 56% voted to abolish it. Southsea Town Council was abolished on 23 April 2010.
The town council had limited powers and a small budget funded by the local precept. It campaigned on local issues, seeking to influence the unitary authority Portsmouth City Council; awarded funds to local causes; and funded infrastructure improvements in the local area. Until 2007 it had a small office open to the public in Southsea town centre, but this was subsequently closed.
operate a regular hovercraft
service to Ryde
on the Isle of Wight
which runs from Southsea seafront.
In 1898 a railway branch called the Southsea Railway
was opened from Fratton Station, terminating at East Southsea Station (near to The Strand). Two unstaffed halts were added at Albert Road and Jessie Road/Devonshire Avenue. The line was not able to compete with the Portsmouth corporation tram services. It was closed in 1914 and never re-opened. The line itself and the station have since been demolished and replaced with houses; however it is possible to walk the approximate route. Southsea is now served by stations at Fratton
and Portsmouth and Southsea station
and on to Portsmouth Harbour
(also called The Hard), with regular trains to London Waterloo
.
There is currently a ferry service Hayling Island Ferry linking Eastney
and Ferry Point, on Hayling Island
. Owing to minimal use, the service has to be subsidised by the local authorities, leaving it under constant threat of closure.
establishments, also known as Guest Houses. In the early 21st century, many were sold off to developers who converted them to residential accommodation.
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
located in Portsmouth
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...
at the southern 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...
in the 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...
in England
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...
. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre.
Southsea has a thriving commercial area which includes two national department stores and many other well known high street chains. It combines these large stores with numerous independent traders which includes charity shops, food retailers and furniture/household goods shops.
Southsea also has a vibrant social scene with numerous bars and eateries which cater for a range of budgets and tastes.
History
In 1544 Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
built the fort which became known as Southsea Castle
Southsea Castle
Southsea Castle is one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, also known as Henrician Castles, built in 1544 on the waterfront at the southern end of Portsea Island . The castle was built to guard the eastern entrance to the Solent and entrance to Portsmouth Harbour...
. Although it would not have been called that at the time it is recorded as "Southsea Castle" in a map of 1724.
In 1809 a new suburb began to grow. It became known as Southsea after the castle. The first houses were built for skilled workers in the 'mineral' streets (Silver Street, Nickel Street etc). These mineral streets were the most bombed areas of Portsmouth in the Second World War.
Around 1810 Hampshire Terrace, Landport Terrace, King’s Terrace, Jubilee Terrace and Bellevue Terrace were built adjacent to the town walls. Nowadays they form an almost continuous road between the City Centre and the beach.
Southsea remained small until 1835. The area between Castle Road and Victoria Road South was built up between 1835 and 1860 as housing for middle class families. A prominent architect during this period was Thomas Ellis Owen
Thomas Ellis Owen
Thomas Ellis Owen was an English architect and developer responsible for many of the buildings that still exist in Southsea and Gosport...
who built properties in Kent Road, Queen’s Terrace, Sussex Terrace, Grove Road South, Clarendon Road, Osborne Road and Portland Terrace.
By the 1860s the suburb of Southsea had grown along Clarendon Road as far as Granada Road. In 1857 Southsea gained its own Improvement Commissioners responsible for paving, cleaning and lighting the streets.
After the 1870s, east of Victoria Road, there was new building in the Campbell Road / Outram Road area..
As building proceeded most was put up in the cramped manner typical of much of Portsmouth, a city where space is at a premium.
Southsea suffered badly from bombing in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In particular the main shopping centre, Palmerston Road, was almost completely destroyed.
Recent history
On June 5, 1994 a drumhead service was held on Southsea Common in front of the War Memorial to commemorate the 50th anniversary of D-DayD-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. The service was attended by all the heads of the states which had participated in the allied landings, notably US President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, HM Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
and most notably, several members of the American Secret Service. The service was also witnessed by over 100,000 members of the public. Historically, a blessing before battle was offered during a drumhead service which is conducted in the field with the drums forming the altar and the colours serving as the altar cloth.
In 15 September 2000 parts of Southsea were flooded when the pumping station which pumps surface water out to sea was itself flooded during a particularly heavy storm.
On 28 June 2005 Southsea Common was used as a venue for the Trafalgar 200
Trafalgar 200
Trafalgar 200 was a series of events in 2005 held mostly in the United Kingdom to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, where a British fleet led by Admiral Nelson defeated a joint Franco-Spanish fleet during the Napoleonic Wars. During the summer of 2005 there was an...
celebrations. Southsea seafront was an ideal point from which to witness the International Fleet Review
International Fleet Review
For a full list of ships present, see List of ships present at International Fleet Review, 2005The International Fleet Review took place on 28 June 2005, as part of the Trafalgar 200 celebrations to commemorate the 200th year after the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.- 2005 Review Line-up :During the...
and evening fire work display.
On 9 August 2011 a fire broke out at the old Joanna's nightclub, a derelict building situated opposite South Parade Pier. Police sectioned off most of the area and guests at the nearby Queen's Hotel were evacuated due to heavy smoke. Despite rumours circulating on social network sites, the incident was reportedly not linked to the riots
2011 England riots
Between 6 and 10 August 2011, several London boroughs and districts of cities and towns across England suffered widespread rioting, looting and arson....
taking place.
Architecture
Much of Southsea was designed by the architect Thomas Ellis OwenThomas Ellis Owen
Thomas Ellis Owen was an English architect and developer responsible for many of the buildings that still exist in Southsea and Gosport...
. Although some of his buildings were destroyed in World War 2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and some have since been unsympathetically modernised, his work still shapes the architecture of modern Southsea. The majority of Owen's Southsea is now protected by a number of Conservation Area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
s or by being Listed Buildings. Queens Hotel
Queens Hotel (Southsea)
Queens Hotel is a luxury hotel in Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire. The current hotel was built in 1903 by the architect T.W. Cutler in the Edwardian baroque style in brown terracotta. It replaced the original Southsea House which had been built by the architect Augustus Livesay in 1861 and gutted...
is a good example of the Edwardian baroque style, built in 1903.
Southsea Common
The Common is a popular recreation ground, and also serves as the venue for a number of annual events, including the Southsea Show, Para Spectacular, Military Vehicle Show, Kite Festival and a variety of circuses including the Moscow State Circus
Moscow State Circus
The title “Moscow State Circus” is used for a variety of circuses. Most commonly, it refers to one of the two circus buildings in Moscow, the “” and the “Bolshoi Circus” , or to traveling shows which may or may not be directly related to Russia.The Russian Circus rose to world acclaim during the...
and Chinese State Circus
Chinese State Circus
To say the Chinese State Circus is merely a show is grossly to underestimate it; it is the embodiment of a traditional art form which can trace its history back over 2000 years. The presentation lives and breathes with the enthusiasm of its acrobatic artistes whose whole lives centre in the...
. It was also the place where fans of Portsmouth F.C gathered to celebrate their victory in the 2008 FA Cup Final
2008 FA Cup Final
The 2008 FA Cup Final was a football match held at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2008 and was the final match of the 2007–08 FA Cup competition. The match was the 127th FA Cup Final, and the second to be held at the new Wembley Stadium since its redevelopment. The match was contested by Portsmouth and...
.
In August 2010, a life-size (52 ft high) model of an ultrasaurus
Ultrasaurus
Ultrasaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur discovered by Haang Mook Kim in South Korea. However, the name was first used unofficially in 1979 by Jim Jensen to describe a set of giant dinosaur bones he discovered in the United States...
dinosaur was erected on the common in conjunction with the local Aspex gallery. The sculpture was destroyed by a fire, probably caused by an electrical fault, on 1 October.
Trees
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
trees, believed to be the oldest and largest surviving in Hampshire, which have escaped Dutch elm disease
Dutch elm disease
Dutch elm disease is a disease caused by a member of the sac fungi category, affecting elm trees which is spread by the elm bark beetle. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease has been accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it has devastated native...
owing to their isolation. The majority of the larger trees are Huntingdon Elm
Huntingdon Elm
Ulmus × hollandica Mill. Vegeta Lindley , sometimes known as the Huntingdon Elm, is an old English cultivar raised at Brampton, near Huntingdon by nurserymen Wood & Ingram in 1746, allegedly from seed collected from an Ulmus × hollandica hybrid at nearby Hinchingbrooke Park...
s planted in the 1920s, but nearer the entrance to the Skate Park there is a fine example of the 'Den Haag'
Ulmus 'Den Haag'
The hybrid cultivar Ulmus Den Haag is a Dutch development derived from a crossing of the Siberian Elm Ulmus pumila and the Belgian Elm Ulmus × hollandica 'Belgica' in 1936 by S. G. A. Doorenbos , Director of Public Parks in The Hague...
hybrid elm, the TROBI
The Tree Register
The Tree Register, or more fully, the Tree Register of the British Isles , is a registered charity collating and updating a database of notable trees throughout Britain and Ireland...
Champion and one of only two known in the UK.
Huntingdon Elms once lined the Ladies' Mile avenue through the centre of the Common, but many were lost to the Great Storm of 1987
Great Storm of 1987
The Great Storm of 1987 occurred on the night of 15/16 October 1987, when an unusually strong weather system caused winds to hit much of southern England and northern France...
and replaced by the Dutch elm cultivar 'Lobel', itself now gradually succumbing to Dutch elm disease.
The Ladies' Mile is also home to several semi-mature Canary Island Date Palms Phoenix canariensis. Planted in 1996, these palms are now some of the largest in the UK and for the last few years have fruited and produced viable seed, the first time this species of palm has been recorded doing so in the UK. Other palms growing close to the common include Trachycarpus fortunei
Trachycarpus fortunei
Trachycarpus fortunei is a palm native to central China , south to northern Burma. It is a fan palm Trachycarpus fortunei (Chusan Palm, Windmill Palm or Chinese Windmill Palm; syn. Chamaerops fortunei Hook., T. wagnerianus Becc.) is a palm native to central China (Hubei southwards), south to...
, (Ladies Mile, Rock Gardens & Rose Garden), Chamaerops humilis (in front of the Pyramids Centre), Butia capitata
Butia capitata
Butia capitata, also known as Pindo Palm or Jelly Palm, is a palm native to Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.This palm grows up to 6m in a slow but steady manner...
(in Burguoyne Gardens) and Brahea armata
Brahea armata
Brahea armata, commonly known as Mexican blue palm or "blue hesper palm", is a palm is native to Baja California. It is widely planted as an ornamental....
, (Canoe Lake & D-Day Island). Many Cordyline australis are also planted in the area, though these are not true palms, but more closely related to Yuccas and Agaves.
Tourist attractions
Southsea beach is mostly flint gravel, but with sand exposed at low tide. There are two piers: South Parade PierSouth Parade Pier
The South Parade Pier is a pier in Portsmouth, England. It is one of two piers in the city, the other being Clarence Pier. The pier has a long hall down its centre which houses a seating area and a small restaurant...
and Clarence Pier
Clarence Pier
Clarence Pier is an amusement pier in Portsmouth, Hampshire. It is located by the Portsmouth Hovercraft terminal. Unlike most seaside piers in the UK, the pier does not extend very far out to sea, instead goes along the coast....
; both house amusement arcades. South Parade Pier also contains a ballroom and a bar area. Clarence Pier is adjacent to a permanent funfair.
A prominent sight out to sea is the four large forts created in the 1860s as part of an attempt to fortify the city against the threat of invasion. From the shore they look oval but are, in fact, round. They were part of defences which included land-based forts all around the city but as they were never used in action, they became known as Palmerston
Palmerston
-People:* Several prominent people have borne the title of Viscount Palmerston, and most or all the below places are named for one of them - especially for the third, most prominent of them. They include:** Henry Temple, 1st Viscount Palmerston -People:* Several prominent people have borne the...
’s Folly, after the Prime Minister who initiated them.
To commemorate the millennium, a scenic walk was created extending to Gunwharf Quays from Southsea seafront. The route is marked on the pavement, and is lined by distinctive blue street lanterns.
There are a number of miniature golf courses, a skateboard park and public grass and clay tennis courts. During winter 2008 three beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
courts were added to these attractions.
The D-Day museum
D-Day museum
The D-Day Museum is located in Southsea, near Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. Opened in 1984 by HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, it tells the story of Operation Overlord during the Normandy D-Day landings...
(which holds the Overlord embroidery
Overlord embroidery
The Overlord embroidery was commissioned by Lord Dulverton in 1968 and made by the Royal School of Needlework from designs by artist Sandra Lawrence. It commemorates the D-Day invasion of France during World War II....
) is located on the seafront in Southsea, very close to Southsea castle
Southsea Castle
Southsea Castle is one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, also known as Henrician Castles, built in 1544 on the waterfront at the southern end of Portsea Island . The castle was built to guard the eastern entrance to the Solent and entrance to Portsmouth Harbour...
.
At the end of Palmerston Road where it joins the Ladies Mile a plaque on a house records that it was once the home of Fred Jane, the creator of the standard naval reference book Jane’s Fighting Ships.
Cumberland House is a natural history museum, butterfly house and aquarium located close to Canoe Lake just off Southsea seafront.
The Blue Reef Aquarium is also situated on the seafront.
Throughout the summer, there are regular open air concerts and events at the bandstand and on Castle Field.
Just off the seafront is Southsea Model Village which is a 1/12 scale model village with forty miniature buildings, houses, forts, castles and a miniature railway. It was opened in 1956 on the site of a Victorian fort. Another part of the fort has been converted into Southsea Rose Garden.
Canoe Lake
Canoe Lake
-In Canada:* Canoe Lake * Canoe Lake , a lake in northeastern Saskatchewan* Canoe Lake in Algoma District, Ontario**Canoe Lake **Canoe Lake * Canoe Lake...
is the last remnant of an area of marsh and open water known as the Great Morass, drained in 1886, on which much of Southsea now sits. The lake is topped up from the sea by opening a sluice at high tide. Crabs and fish find their way in, and attract children fishing equipped with a piece of bacon on a string.
When undisturbed there are regularly swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
and mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
, with less frequent visits from tufted duck
Tufted Duck
The Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, is a medium-sized diving duck with a population of close to one million birds.- Description :The adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill. It has an obvious head tuft that gives the species its name.The adult female is brown with paler...
, mediterranean gull
Mediterranean Gull
The Mediterranean Gull, Ichthyaetus melanocephalus, is a small gull which breeds almost entirely in Europe, mainly in the south east, especially around the Black Sea, and in central Turkey. There are colonies elsewhere in southern Europe, and this species has undergone a dramatic range expansion in...
, cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
, little Grebe
Little Grebe
The Little Grebe , also known as Dabchick, member of the grebe family of water birds. At 23 to 29 cm in length it is the smallest European member of its family. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range.-Description:The Little Grebe is a small water bird with a pointed...
and occasionally a lone black swan
Black Swan
The Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
. In summer pedalos can be rented on the lake.
Since 2006 Canoe Lake has been used as a venue for the annual Lake of Lights Memorial Service. This happens in December where thousands of lights are floated on the lake to commemorate loved ones in the local community who have been lost to cancer.
Towards the eastern end of the seafront is the Royal Marines Museum
Royal Marines Museum
The Royal Marines Museum is located in Eastney , England, and is open to the public every day of the week throughout the year apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day...
. Based in the lavishly decorated former Officers' Mess of Eastney Barracks (built in the 1860s for the Royal Marine Artillery), the Museum includes The Making of the Royal Marines Commando exhibition, opened in 2008, and a refurbished Medal Room with over 8,000 medals earned by Royal Marines - including all 10 Victoria Crosses won by them.
The Kings Theatre
Kings Theatre, Southsea
Kings Theatre is a theatre in Southsea, Portsmouth which opened in 1907. It is operated by the charity Kings Theatre Trust Ltd.-History:The theatre opened on 30 September 1907 with a production of Charles 1 followed by 2 further of Sir Henry Irving's Works...
, situated in Albert Road, is a venue that hosts a variety of performances, including productions by the local amateur group the Southsea Shakespeare Actors
Southsea Shakespeare Actors
The Southsea Shakespeare Actors are an amateur theatrical group in Southsea. It has produced nearly 200 plays, of which around two-thirds have been by William Shakespeare. It is notable as the first amateur group in the world to perform the entire Shakespearean canon of plays, during the 1960s, for...
.
A recently created attraction has been the now annual "Love Albert Road Day" which is held along one of Southsea's main roads. The event features live music, street art and theatre, stalls, food from around the world, an outdoor cinema
Outdoor cinema
An outdoor cinema consists of a digital or analog movie projector, scaffolded construction or inflatable projection screen, and sound system....
, competitions and skate demos. All the businesses from the road remain open for the day.
This event was first held in 2007 when it was expected 2,000 visitors would attend and 20,000 turned up on the day. The second "Love Albert Road Day" was held on 28 September 2008 when 40,000 visitors attended.
Southsea Town Council
Southsea Parish Council was created in 1999 following a successful submission to the UK Government under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997. The parish council later became the Southsea Town Council.The existence of the town council has been controversial from the outset. The initial creation of the town council was opposed by Portsmouth City Council. There has been a long-standing campaign to disband the town council. In a poll of local residents in February 2005, 56% voted to abolish it. Southsea Town Council was abolished on 23 April 2010.
The town council had limited powers and a small budget funded by the local precept. It campaigned on local issues, seeking to influence the unitary authority Portsmouth City Council; awarded funds to local causes; and funded infrastructure improvements in the local area. Until 2007 it had a small office open to the public in Southsea town centre, but this was subsequently closed.
Transport links
HovertravelHovertravel
Hovertravel is a ferry company operating from Southsea, Portsmouth to Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK. They are the only company operating in Britain with passenger hovercraft, after Hoverspeed stopped using their craft in favour of catamarans...
operate a regular hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
service to Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
which runs from Southsea seafront.
In 1898 a railway branch called the Southsea Railway
Southsea Railway
The Southsea Railway was a branch of the Portsmouth Direct Line.It was opened in 1885 from Fratton Station, terminating at East Southsea Station . It was 1.25 miles long and almost completely level. Two unstaffed halts were added in 1904 at Albert Road and Jessie Road/Devonshire Avenue...
was opened from Fratton Station, terminating at East Southsea Station (near to The Strand). Two unstaffed halts were added at Albert Road and Jessie Road/Devonshire Avenue. The line was not able to compete with the Portsmouth corporation tram services. It was closed in 1914 and never re-opened. The line itself and the station have since been demolished and replaced with houses; however it is possible to walk the approximate route. Southsea is now served by stations at Fratton
Fratton railway station
Fratton railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, located near Fratton Park, the stadium of association football club Portsmouth F.C.....
and Portsmouth and Southsea station
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station is the main railway station in central Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It is close to the Commercial Road shopping centre....
and on to Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour railway station
Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:...
(also called The Hard), with regular trains to London Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
.
There is currently a ferry service Hayling Island Ferry linking Eastney
Eastney
Eastney is a district located in the south east corner of Portsmouth, England on Portsea Island.Eastney started out as a small hamlet. In 1867 a barracks for the Royal Marines was built in the hamlet...
and Ferry Point, on Hayling Island
Hayling Island
-Leisure activities:Although largely residential, Hayling is also a holiday, windsurfing and sailing centre, the site where windsurfing was invented....
. Owing to minimal use, the service has to be subsidised by the local authorities, leaving it under constant threat of closure.
Guest Houses
Southsea has traditionally offered many Bed and BreakfastBed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
establishments, also known as Guest Houses. In the early 21st century, many were sold off to developers who converted them to residential accommodation.
Education
- University of PortsmouthUniversity of PortsmouthThe University of Portsmouth is a university in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The University was ranked 60th out of 122 in The Sunday Times University Guide...
- Portsmouth Grammar School
- Portsmouth High School
- Mayville High School
- St John's College (Portsmouth)St John's College (Portsmouth)St John's College is an independent Catholic day and boarding school in Southsea, Hampshire, England run by the De La Salle brothers. St John's caters for students between the ages of 2 and 18 aiming towards the national assessments of GCSE at 16 and A-Level at 18.Established in 1908 as an all-male...
- Priory SchoolPriory School (Portsmouth)Priory School is a secondary school in Portsmouth, England. The school has specialist Sports College status.-Admissions:James Humphries is the Headteacher at the school. Mark Marande and Janet Hobson are the Deputy Headteachers. Priory is a Specialist Sports College.It is in the centre of...
- City of Portsmouth Boys' School (formerly Portsmouth Technical High School for Boys)
- Southern Grammar School
- St Swithun's RC Primary School
- Owen Street Primary School
Famous residents
- Charles DickensCharles DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
- Arthur Conan DoyleArthur Conan DoyleSir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
- Robert GittingsRobert GittingsRobert William Victor Gittings CBE , was an English writer, biographer, BBC Radio producer, playwright and minor poet...
- Brian Howe (singer)Brian Howe (singer)Brian Anthony Howe is an English rock singer and songwriter, best known for replacing Paul Rodgers as the lead vocalist of Bad Company. Howe's career was jump-started in 1983 when Ted Nugent recruited him to handle lead vocals for his Penetrator album and front its subsequent world tour.-Early...
- Félicien KabugaFélicien KabugaFélicien Kabuga is a Rwandan businessman, accused of bankrolling and participating in the Rwandan Genocide. He has always claimed he is innocent.-Early life:...
- Jim Al-KhaliliJim Al-KhaliliJim Al-Khalili OBE is an Iraqi-born British theoretical physicist, author and science communicator. He is Professor of Theoretical Physics and Chair in the Public Engagement in Science at the University of Surrey...
- Rudyard KiplingRudyard KiplingJoseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
- Peter SellersPeter SellersRichard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
- H.G. Wells
- DameDameA Dame may be:* Dame , a female title of rank, equivalent to 'Sir' used as the title of a knight* A title of respect for certain Benedictine nuns equivalent to the male "Dom"* A pantomime dame...
Frances Amelia Yates DBE
External links
Visitor Website for Portsmouth (incl. Southsea)- Clarence Pier Southsea
- University of Portsmouth
- D Day Museum
- Southsea Town Council
- Thomas Ellis Owen
- Southsea Village
- Southsea Business and Community Directory
- Lovealbertroad.co.uk
- Cumberland House Natural History Museum, Southsea
- Blue Reef Aquarium, Portsmouth
- Royal Marines Museum, Southsea
- Arts and archive project looking at memories of Southsea seafront