Essential Hotels > England > Hampshire > Southampton

Located on the south coast of Hampshire, Southampton, like its neighbouring city Portsmouth, has seen its history shaped by the presence of a natural harbour. Unlike its neighbour to the east, which has followed a naval tradition, Southampton has developed in to one of the most significant passenger and cargo ports in the United Kingdom. Today, it is well known for its association with some of the largest cruise liners in the world, but there is one liner that will forever be linked with Southampton the world-over, the ill-fated R.M.S Titanic.

Although the area has been inhabited since the stone age, it was not until the arrival of the Romans in Britain that site saw its first significant inhabitation. The fortress settlement of Clausentum was founded close to the location of the modern city centre shortly after the 43 AD invasion. Clausentum served as a defensive outpost of Winchester and a significant trading port, remaining in use until the final years of the Roman occupation.

The name, Southampton, has roots in the Anglo-Saxon name for the settlement which replaced the abandoned Roman town. Originally known as Hamwic, this evolved over time in to Hamtum and finally Hampton. Successive Viking raids on Hamwic led to its decline.

After the Norman Conquest of 1066, Southampton became the major port of transit between Normandy and Winchester, and the town started to flourish. Southampton's position on the coast, combined with its developing importance, placed the town in a vulnerable position. The town became increasingly fortified, and in the 12th century Southampton Castle was built to protect the town. However, despite these precautions the town was disastrously sacked by the French in 1338. Witnessing the destruction of the town for himself, Edward III ordered that city walls be built to afford better protection, and the castle was rebuilt.

Unfortunately, most of the medieval city has been lost to the ages, although some parts remain for visitors to explore. The wealth brought to the area is evinced from the remains of two 12th century merchants' houses, King John's House and Canute's Palace. Approximately half of the city walls have survived, including 13 towers and 6 gates. The towers include God's House Tower, erected in 1417, and the first purpose-built artillery fortification to be found in England. The tower is now home to the Museum of Archaeology.

In 1835 the Southampton Docks Company was formed, with the foundation stone for the first docks laid three years later in 1838. In 1842 the first dock opened, followed by decades or rapid expansion. Ships sailed from Southampton to all corners of the globe, quickly earning Southampton the epithet, “The Gateway to the Empire.”

Given the historical importance of Southampton as a port, it should be no surprise that many famous ships have sailed its waters. In 1620 the Mayflower set sail from Southampton for the New World. Many of the world's most famous cruise liners have berthed at Southampton, from classics such as the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth II, to today's super cruise-ships such as the Oriana and Arcadia. However, arguably the most famous cruise ship to sail from Southampton was the doomed R.M.S. Titanic.

Departing the city's port on April 10th 1912, the “unsinkable” liner was struck a fatal blow by an iceberg a mere four days in to her maiden voyage. To Southampton, the loss of the Titanic represented far more than just the loss of a ship; 80% of the ship's crew called Southampton their home city, while one third of those lost in the sinking hailed from the city. The event is commemorated by a magnificent granite memorial in Southampton's East Park, The Titanic Engineers Memorial.

Although Southampton's role as a major port played a vital contribution to the Allied operations in Europe in World War 2, it is perhaps ironic that Southampton's most iconic contribution to the war was in the field of aviation, the legendary Supermarine Spitfire. The Spitfire was designed and developed in Southampton, its maiden flight taking place at nearby Eastleigh Aerodrome, now operating commercially as Southampton Airport. The presence of the Supermarine factory in the city, combined with the critical importance of the city's docks, led to Southampton becoming a prime target for German bombers. While small pockets of the city were spared, thousands of buildings were destroyed, with some areas being utterly razed, leading to extensive modern re-development.

Southampton Airport is located a surprisingly short distance from the city centre, with regular flights operating to Europe and other cities within the United Kingdom. The airport has a mainline train station on-site, Southampton Airport Parkway, the journey to London's Waterloo station taking just over an hour. Southampton city centre is served by Southampton Central train station, again offering direct trains to Waterloo. The Isle of Wight can be found just a short distance across the Solent, with regular ferries running between Southampton and East Cowes.