The Guide To Portsmouth
Air
There are numerous government-owned historical sites in and around Portsmouth, including the Mary Rose Museum and the Medieval Portsmouth site (which is also known as The D-Day Story ). This once secret wartime museum in Southsea recreates the conditions of the Normandy invasion and was opened by Earl Mountbatten of Burma on 5 June 1984, less than 10 years after he had become its first patron. It contains a large collection of photographs, models, paintings, audio-visual displays and artefacts connected to Operation Neptune (the assault phase of Operation Overlord) and the subsequent Battle of Normandy in June 1944.
The A27 road runs east-west through the city, connecting Portsmouth to Chichester in the west and Littlehampton in the east, This Is Hampshire (thisishampshire.co.uk). Portsmouth is also connected to Brighton by the A259 which heads northwards to Petersfield, joining the A3 near Horsham. The city is served by three motorways: the M3 motorway to Central London, via the A3 and M25; the M27, which provides a direct link westwards to Southampton and the West of England; and the M275 motorway, which opened in July 1977, linking Portsmouth and Southampton directly with the Isle of Wight via road and rail via a tunnel under Stokes Bay.
The airport was granted permission in 2007 to build a second runway. In February 2008, Ryanair announced that it would open its first base in England in the new Terminal buildings at Southampton Airport from March 2009 with two new aircraft and seven routes from this base. The airline stated that it will create 1,000 jobs at the airport as a result of its investment. It will base two aircraft at Southampton and will serve the South Coast, Manchester, Dublin, Glasgow Prestwick, Frankfurt-Hahn, Eindhoven (Netherlands) and Milan Bergamo (Italy).
The city's other main road artery, London Road, starts near the western limits of the city centre and runs east to west through the town centre. At Elm Grove the road divides into Christchurch Road and London Road (Worthing) as it bypasses Bournemouth to the north. Other major roads nearby include the A3025, which leads directly from Boscombe onto the M27 motorway towards Southampton, and the A338, linking Bournemouth with Dorchester, Poole and Weymouth via West Howe.
Buses
The city's main bus station is on St. Thomas'Street, close to the Guildhall and within five minutes walking distance from the railway station. The majority of buses operate from the bus station although some routes are operated by Stagecoach from their stops in the city centre. There are frequent services between Southampton and Romsey operated by Stagecoach, a journey which takes about half an hour by express coach. Bus routes include routes 29 and 30 to Western Avenue, route 70 to Winchester, route 21 to Petersfield and local services towards Eastleigh, Hythe, Totton, Marchwood and New Forest villages.
Hampshire County Council subsidises 'trolley bus'routes to Portswood, Bitterne Park, Bitterne Manor Road. Away from the city centre, Southsea is served by Stagecoach buses connecting with the Hovercraft to Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The route between Southsea and Old Portsmouth is served by buses managed by South West Hampshire Community Transport Association. Direct connections to Havant, Cosham, Portchester and Gosport are also available. Local services are provided by Townlink, which is provided as a joint venture between Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council.
Buses have been in operation in Portsmouth since 1905, when the National Steam Navigation Company started a bus service from the city centre to Southsea. The first services were steam buses which ran on condensed steam from a boiler on board. The first service ran from Clarence Place (now part of Guildhall Square) to Southsea Castle via Alfred Street, Albert Road and Clarence Road. Local bus services are provided by Stagecoach South and First Hampshire & Dorset to the city and its surrounding towns and villages.
Hovertravel and Stagecoach operate a Hoverbus service from the city centre to Southsea Hovercraft Terminal and the Hard Interchange, near the seafront. The X1, 1A, 2, 6, 16, 26 and other services provide links to other cities. From the seafront, there are also frequent services to Ryde, as well as Isle of Wight ferries, but not to Cowes. The two main car ferry services for the Isle of Wight are run by Red Funnel and Wightlink, with the former running an additional service to Lymington and Southampton, and the latter running a service from Portsmouth & Southsea.
Local bus services are provided by Stagecoach South and First Hampshire & Dorset to the city and its surrounding towns. Hovertravel and Stagecoach operate a Hoverbus service from the city centre to Southsea Hovercraft Terminal and the Hard Interchange, near the seafront. The site offers information on things to see and visit, including walking routes, local restaurants and hotels and places of historic interest. Also reviews of attractions, trading standards, local businesses, directory information and free advertising for your business.
Freedom Of The City
The Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community who has made extraordinary contributions to the interests of the locality. Technically, no Freedom of the City award is required to gain access to a town or city. In practice, however, such an award is only given in exceptional circumstances. Traditionally, it can be granted by any municipality, but this often varies according to local laws.
Freedom of the City (in Portsmouth) is granted by the council for a limited period to those who have made a significant impact in furthering the interests of the City or who have contributed significantly to national life. There is also an award for individuals who have contributed to the work of the council and city organisations over a long period of time. In addition, the following non-military organisations were presented with the Freedom of the City.
Future Plans
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport commented, "We have concluded that there are significant risks in proceeding with the scheme at this time and it would not represent value for money. Ministers have decided not to accept the bid from South Hampshire CCC. Ministers are working on a new approach to public transport in Gosport which will bring major improvements for passengers. " The prospects for light rail were downgraded in 2006 when Bournemouth Borough Council opposed further funding for the project, claiming that it would be unable to match funding from central government.
However, public consultation has continued and the current intention is to upgrade the existing heavy rail train service with additional diesel multiple units. In June 2007 the Department for Transport announced a delay to the rail link. The new line, linking Gosport via Fareham to Portsmouth Harbour, was expected to cost £1. 3bn and begin in 2011, with work starting in 2012. The estimated daily usage of the line was 40,000 passengers a day by 2026, up from 22,000.
In October 2009 it was reported that the Government would not be funding the project after all. Future plans for the city include the restoration of the Guildhall and building of a new conference centre to replace Portsmouth Guildhall. Other major developments in the pipeline are: A new major road route connecting the M27 motorway, Gosport and Fareham; The extension to the eastern fringes of the City Centre (Portsea); and several residential developments in Portsea.
EXCITEMENT. Following improved predictions for the Portsmouth transport plan and the deferral of more expensive schemes, a light-rail scheme was placed back on the agenda and an order placed in 2007 with Siemens for six Inspiro light rail vehicles to be used on this link. However, no plan had been confirmed by 2008. By 2013, the Blue Line of the new light rail system — to serve Portsmouth & Southsea, Cosham, and Swanwick — was expected to open in December 2014.
Government And Politics
County borough status was granted by the letters patent of Elizabeth I following a meeting in Portsmouth on 5 July 1591, where local landowners agreed to petition the queen for "a grant to be made out as desired". In 1690 during the Williamite war against James II, a French force of 1,400 captured the town of Portsmouth and held it for one night. The town fortifications were dismantled at this time. Within the borough, there are two parliamentary constituencies.
The Southsea constituency covers the central and eastern part of the city, including Portsea Island; it is considered a marginal seat between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party. The Portsmouth North constituency, which covers a much larger area, is considered a much safer seat for the Labour Party than Southsea. The council consists of 70 councillors in 23 wards. From 1993 to 2016 there were 43 councillors representing 21 wards. In the 2008 reorganization of local government the city became a unitary authority, administered independently of Hampshire County Council.
Norman To Tudor
In 1189, Geoffrey de Mandeville, who was the Earl of Essex and lord of the manor of Portsmouth, was found guilty of treason and his lands were forfeited to the crown. The town was not mentioned in the Domesday book, which suggests it had a small population at that time. William de Newburgh, who was granted the land by Richard I, gave money for the foundation of Portsmouth Abbey and St Thomas Church; in return he was allowed to rule the settlement and collect taxes from it.
A charter issued by King Henry III (r. 1216-1272) in 1227 (or 1231) made Portsmouth a borough. In 1543, Charles Brandon, 1st Duke. The earliest written record of Portsmouth dates from late 1180, when a fortified passageway and tower were built by Richard de Redvers from Cornhill. The town did not grow greatly until 1209 when it was granted 'town privileges'by King John. By 1327, Portsmouth became the third busiest port in England after London and Bristol, exporting clothing and wine to the continent.
However, this original Portsmouth was very different from the city developed 200 years later. It started as a small fishing village and Port on a part of a headland that protected Portsmouth Harbour far more effectively than the later fortifications which were sited on an open, sloping site to the north. The Green Line — serving North Harbour, Fratton/Eastney & ’Old Portsmouth’, and employment sites in Langstone — was expected to be completed in 2016.
Railways
The main railway station is Portsmouth & Southsea – an architecturally notable stone-built station dating from 1884 that was described by Sir John Betjeman as 'the most splendid station in England'. Improvements were made in 1996 when the line was electrified and a further upgrade took place in 2001 to coincide with the opening of the International terminal at Southampton. Many cruise ships now use Portsmouth & Southsea as their home port on summer itineraries.
There are also frequent buses running from suburban villages to the city centre. Portsmouth is connected to mainland Europe by ferry services operated by Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries, year-round. The train journey from Portsmouth & Southsea Railway Station (the main station serving the city) to London Waterloo takes around 1 hour 20 minutes on the South West Main Line, making it one of the fastest services from London to the south coast. Fratton railway station is located in the eastern part of the city, and is served by local and regional South Western Railway services to Southampton, London Waterloo, Cardiff Central, Weymouth, Lymington Town, Portsmouth & Southsea and semi-fast services to London Victoria as well as Reading via Aldershot and Basingstoke.
Southsea
Southsea Beach is the main tourist attraction in Southsea, with Bembridge Harbour and Brighton off the coast. SandownBay offers Victorian‐era seafront hotels and houses along with Southsea Common, a sandy beach. Filchner Colony, founded in 1899 by Fritz Filchner an officer of the German Navy, is a small area at Southsea which was popular as a military garrison for a number of armies from 1900 to 1945. The seafront area of Nelson Parade hosts several events each year including Southsea Festival, Great Steamboat Race and an annual air show.
By the mid-19th century, Southsea had developed into a major town in its own right and local residents no longer considered it part of Portsmouth. In 1848 local landowner Sir Isaac Goldsmid saw potential in the area as a seaside resort, and began to develop the seafront accordingly; by the 1860s, the suburb of Southsea had expanded to provide working-class housing. Southsea was adopted as the official name for the area in 1888. The population of Southsea grew to nearly 50,000 by 1901.
Southsea is a seaside resort and residential area at the southern end of Portsea Island. Its name originates from Southsea Castle, a seafront castle built in 1544 byHenryVIII tohelpdefend the Solent and Portsmouth Harbour. The area was developed in 1809 as Croxton Town; by the 1860s, the suburb of Southsea had expanded to provide working-class housing. The name Croxton Town survives in one of the area's largest roads, Croxton Avenue. In 1876 Southsea and Croxton Town were annexed by Portsmouth, and in 1899 became part of Southsea Borough Council.
In 1926 Portsmouth City Council decided to delete the word 'borough'from its title and thus Southsea lost its official city status. Southsea's beach (at Southsea castle) has a seafront promenade which contains the town war memorial and a statue of the Queen Victoria Memorial, plus a bandstand and one of Europe's largest displays of horseshoe crabs. The area also contains St Thomas'church, Spinnaker Tower, Nelson's Southsea Castle, and The Hard. There are four railway stations on Portsea Island: Hilsea, Fratton, Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour.
Sport
Sport in Portsmouth includes professional football, with the city's major football club, Portsmouth F. C., playing in the Premier League. First formed in 1898, Portsmouth were Southern League champions no fewer than 10 times before turning professional and joining the Football League in 1920. In 1939 they won the Football League championship, and seven years later they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–1 to win the FA Cup for a record fourth time. The club joined the Premier League in 2004 and stayed there for five seasons, achieving a highest league finish of ninth place under Avram Grant their manager at the time.
However, on 2 February 2010, the club was relegated from the top division of English football for the first time in. Portsmouth Football Club is an English professional football club in Portsmouth, Hampshire, which plays in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was founded on 15 April 1898 as the result of a merger between Portsmouth St. Mary's (founded 1884) and Portsmouth Athletic (known as Portsmouth A. F. C., founded 1885).
The club has played home matches at Fratton Park since its foundation. Portsmouth have been champions of England twice, once in 1949–50 and again in 1950–51. They have also won the FA Cup twice, in 1939 and 2008, having finished runners-up on eight other occasions. However, these are not officially considered part of. Portsmouth Football Club (often abbreviated to PFC) is a professional association football club in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The club plays in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, following relegation from League One at the end of the 2012–13 season.
