Mansbridge
Housing in Mansbridge, 2016
Mansbridge Location withinSouthampton
Unitary authority	Southampton
Ceremonial county	Hampshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SOUTHAMPTON
Postcode district	SO18
Dialling code	023
Police	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Fire	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	Southampton Itchen
List of places UK England Hampshire 50°56′14″N1°21′52″W / 50.9372°N 1.3645°W /50.9372; -1.3645

Mansbridge is a suburb on the northern perimeter ofSouthampton,England. The area is named after theMans Bridge which spans theRiver Itchen. For a considerable time, this was the southernmost crossing point of the river, before the construction of Woodmill inSwaythling. The bridge itself still stands and is a Grade IIlisted structure^[1] but is closed to road traffic (pedestrians and cyclists may still use it), having been replaced by a larger and more modern road bridge to carry theA27.

The suburb contains a mixture of housing. The first developments, on the north side of the A27, were designed by architectHerbert Collins, whose houses are a feature of several other Southampton districts. A larger estate was later constructed on the south side, along with Mansbridge Primary School, the logo of which is the bridge itself. The residential area of Mansbridge is bordered to the west by theLondon to Weymouth railway line and to the east by the river. Beyond the river, Mansbridge takes on a much more rural air, with woodland to the south and water meadows to the north.

The neighbouring areas areSwaythling to the west,Townhill Park to the south, andChartwell Green to the east. A strip ofgreen belt land separates Mansbridge fromEastleigh to the north.

There has been a bridge at Mansbridge since at least the year 932, when it was referred to asMannysbrigge inKing Athelstan's charter to theprior ofSt. Swithun's Priory inWinchester.^[2] In theDomesday Book of 1086, the location was recorded asManebrige orManesbrigeHundred, within the county ofHantscire.^[3] A wooden bridge by the name of Blak Bridge was described as being "a little above Woodmill" (i.e. upstream ofWoodmill inSwaythling) by Leland in 1535–43, and this may be a reference to Mansbridge as there are no known crossing points of the river between Mansbridge and Woodmill.^[2] Saxton's map of 1575 shows the bridge at Mansbridge labelled as "mans bridge",^[2] while Speed's 1611 map refers to the hundred asMansbridg.^[3] Blaeu's 1645 map showsMansbridge Hundred but Morden's map of 1695 labels the bridge "Mansbridg", and shows it within theFawley or Waltham (possiblyBishop's Waltham) Hundred.^[2][3]

The bridges that stand at Mansbridge today are much more recent than those mentioned above; the older of the two was built in 1816 by thecounty council; this bridge was made of stone with a single segmental arch and decorated with a lambswool pattern.^[2][4] The 1816 bridge is a grade IIlisted building, having first been listed on 14 July 1953.^[1] It is closed to motorised traffic and forms part ofNational Cycle Route 23.

The current bridge carrying theA27 road was constructed in 1975, and replaced abailey bridge erected during theSecond World War.^[5]

The suburb of Mansbridge had at its heart, for a century, a large house called "The Grange." The Grange had an extensive ornamental garden, containing a diverse collection of trees. After World War II the house fell into disrepair, and was eventually demolished around 1970. The grounds are now a part of theMonks Brook Greenway, a nature trail, and many of the original trees can still be seen along the brook's bank.^[6]

Under the powers of the Southampton Waterworks Amendment Act 1850 a pumping station was set up at Mansbridge to take water from the River Itchen and transfer it to a pair of reservoirs onSouthampton Common.^[7] The pumping station ceased being used in 1892.^[7]

• 
  The bridge after which the suburb is named
• 
  The White Swan public house in Mansbridge
• 
  Lock conservation work in progress at Mansbridge Lock on theItchen Navigation

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