The county has an area of 3,769 km2 (1,455 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,920,959 in 2024. Southampton is located in the south and the city ofPortsmouth in the south-east; both are part ofa larger conurbation. Asecond conurbation in the north-east includesFarnborough andAldershot and extends into Berkshire and Surrey. The remainder of the county is rural, and its principal settlements includeBasingstoke in the north,Andover in the north-west, andWinchester in the centre. Forlocal government purposes Hampshire comprises anon-metropolitan county, with eleven districts, and twounitary authority areas: Portsmouth and Southampton. The county historically contained the towns ofBournemouth andChristchurch, which are now in Dorset, and the Isle of Wight.
Undulating hills characterise much of the county. A belt of chalk crosses the county from north-west, where it forms theHampshire Downs, to south-east, where it is part of theSouth Downs. The county's major rivers rise in these hills; theLoddon andWey drain north, into theThames, and theItchen andTest flow south intoSouthampton Water, a large estuary. In the south-east arePortsmouth Harbour,Langstone Harbour, and the western edge ofChichester Harbour, three largerias. The south-west contains theNew Forest, which includes pasture,heath, and forest and is one of the largest expanses ofancient woodland remaining in England.
Settled about 14,000 years ago, Hampshire's recorded history dates toRoman Britain, when its chief town wasVenta Belgarum (now Winchester). The county was recorded inDomesday Book as divided into 44hundreds. From the 12th century, the ports settlements grew due to increasing trade with theEuropean mainland resulting from the wool and cloth, fishing, and shipbuilding industries. This meant by the 16th century, Southampton had become more populous than Winchester. In 20th century conflicts, includingWorld War One andTwo, Hampshire played a crucial military role due to its ports.
The Saxon settlement at Southampton was known asHamtun, while the surrounding area orscīr was calledHamtunscīr. The old name was recorded in theDomesday Book asHantescire, and it is from this spelling that the modern abbreviation "Hants" derives.[4] From 1889 until 1959, theadministrative county was named theCounty of Southampton.[5][6] It has also been calledSouthamptonshire.[7][8]
Hampshire was a departure point for several groups ofcolonists who left England to settle on the east coast ofNorth America during the 17th century, and many inhabitants of Hampshire settled there, naming the landNew Hampshire in honour of their original homeland.[9]
The region is believed to have been continuously occupied since the end of thelast Ice Age about 12,000 BCE.[10] At that time sea levels were lower and Britain was still attached by a land bridge to the European continent and predominantly covered with deciduous woodland. The first inhabitants wereMesolithichunter-gatherers.[11] The majority of the population would have been concentrated around the river valleys.[12] Over several thousand years the climate became progressively warmer and sea levels rose; the English Channel, which started out as a river, was a major inlet by 8000 BCE, although Britain was still connected to Europe by a land bridge across the North Sea until 6500 BCE.[13] Notable sites from this period includeBouldnor Cliff.[14]
Agriculture was being practised in southern Britain by 4000 BCE and with it aNeolithic culture. Some deforestation took place at that time, although during theBronze Age, beginning in 2200 BCE, it became more widespread and systematic.[15] Hampshire has few monuments to show from those early periods, although nearbyStonehenge was built in several phases at some time between 3100 and 2200 BCE. In the very late Bronze Age fortified hilltop settlements known ashillforts began to appear in large numbers in many parts of Britain including Hampshire, and they became more and more important in the early and middleIron Age;[16] many of them are still visible in the landscape today and can be visited, notablyDanebury Rings, the subject of a major study by archaeologistBarry Cunliffe. By that period the people of Britain predominantly spoke aCeltic language, and their culture shared much in common with theCelts described by classical writers.[17] The town ofBitterne (Byterne in a reference from the late 11th century.[18]) shares the same root as theRiver Erne, suggesting the name refers to theIverni.[19][20]
Hillforts largely declined in importance in the second half of the second century BCE, with many being abandoned. Probably around that period the first recorded invasion of Britain took place, as southern Britain was largely conquered by warrior-elites fromBelgic tribes of northeastern Gaul, but whether those two events were linked to the decline of hillforts is unknown. By the time of the Roman conquest theoppidum atVenta Belgarum, modern-day Winchester, was thede facto regional administrative centre; Winchester was, however, of secondary importance to the Roman-style town ofCalleva Atrebatum, modernSilchester, built further north by a dominant Belgic polity known as theAtrebates in the 50s BCE. Julius Caesar invaded south-eastern England briefly in 55 and again in 54 BCE, but he never reached Hampshire. Notable sites from this period includeHengistbury Head (now in Dorset), which was a major port.[16][21]
The Romans invaded Britain again in 43 CE and Hampshire was incorporated into the Roman province of Britannia very quickly. It is generally believed their political leaders allowed themselves to be incorporated peacefully. Venta became the capital of the administrative polity of the Belgae, which included most of Hampshire and Wiltshire and reached as far as Bath. Whether the people of Hampshire played any role inBoudicca's rebellion of 60–61 is not recorded, but evidence of burning is seen in Winchester dated to around that period.[22] For most of the next three centuries southern Britain enjoyed relative peace. During the later part of the Roman period most towns built defensive walls; a pottery industry based in the New Forest exported items widely across southern Britain. A fortification near Southampton was calledClausentum, part of theSaxon Shore forts, traditionally seen as either defences against maritime raids by Germanic tribes, or as a settlement area of Germanic tribes, which receives support from archaeological finds. Artefacts of a Germanic style have been found in burials, while there is also evidence of the presence of early Saxon settlement in southern England and the northern coasts of Gaul aroundBoulogne-sur-Mer andBayeux.[23] This, in turn, could mirror a well documented practice of deliberately settling Germanic tribes to strengthen Roman defences.
Those who came over were of the three most powerful nations of Germany—Saxons, Angles, and Jutes. From the Jutes are descended the people of Kent, and of the Isle of Wight, and those also in the province of the West Saxons who are to this day called Jutes, seated opposite to the Isle of Wight.
They initially settled Hampshire underVisigothic authority sometime after 476 AD,[36] forming several distinctfolklands organized around a central geographical feature. Various place-names identify locations as Jutish, includingBishopstoke (Ytingstoc), theRiver Itchen (Ytene) and theMeon Valley (Ytedene).[37] There in fact appear to be at least two Jutish folklands in Hampshire: one established along theRiver Itchen and one along theRiver Meon. Evidence of an early Germanic settlement has been found atClausentum, dated to the fifth century and likely the Visigothic center of power in the area, either independently or in conjunction with powerful Romano-British trading ports.[38] Nevertheless,Visigothic authority waned after 517 A.D and the settlements were gradually encroached upon bySouth Saxons.
TheWest Saxons moved south in the late seventh century and incorporated Hampshire into their kingdom.[b] Around this period, the administrative region of "Hampshire" seems to appear - the name is attested asHamwic and "Hamtunscir" in 755 AD[41] - and suggests that control over theSolent was the motivating factor for establishment of the settlement.
Wessex, with its capital at Winchester,[42] gradually expanded westwards into BrythonicDorset andSomerset. A statue in Winchester celebrates the powerfulKing Alfred, who repulsed the Vikings and stabilised the region in the 9th century. A scholar as well as a soldier, theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle, a powerful tool in the development of the English identity, was commissioned in his reign. King Alfred proclaimed himself "King of England" in 886 AD; butAthelstan of Wessex did not officially control the whole of England until 927 AD.[26][28][43][44]
By the Norman Conquest,London had overtaken Winchester as the largest city in England[43] and after the Norman Conquest,King William I made London his capital. While the centre of political power moved away from Hampshire, Winchester remained an important city; the proximity of theNew Forest to Winchester made it a prized royal hunting forest;King William Rufus was killed while hunting there in 1100. There were 44hundreds, covering 483 named places, recorded in theDomesday Book of 1086 which are in present-day Hampshire and part of Sussex.[45] From the 12th century, the ports grew in importance, fuelled by trade with the continent, wool and cloth manufacture in the county, and the fishing industry, and a shipbuilding industry was established. By 1523 at the latest, the population of Southampton had outstripped that of Winchester.
Portsmouth historic dockyard, 2005
Over several centuries, a series ofcastles andforts was constructed along the coast of theSolent to defend the harbours at Southampton and Portsmouth. These include the RomanPortchester Castle which overlooksPortsmouth Harbour, and a series of forts built byHenry VIII includingHurst Castle, situated on a sandspit at the mouth of the Solent,Calshot Castle on another spit at the mouth of Southampton Water, andNetley Castle. Southampton and Portsmouth remained important harbours when rivals, such asPoole andBristol, declined, as they are amongst the few locations that combine shelter with deep water.Mayflower andSpeedwell set sail for America from Southampton in 1620.[46]
By the mid-19th century, with the county's population at 219,210 (double that at the beginning of the century) in more than 86,000 dwellings, agriculture was the principal industry (10 per cent of the county was still forest) with cereals, peas, hops, honey, sheep and hogs important. Due to Hampshire's long association with pigs and boars, natives of the county have been known asHampshire hogs since the 18th century.[49] In the eastern part of the county the principal port was Portsmouth (with its naval base, population 95,000), while several ports (including Southampton, with its steam docks, population 47,000) in the western part were significant. In 1868, the number of people employed in manufacture exceeded those in agriculture, engaged in silk, paper, sugar and lace industries, ship building and salt works. Coastal towns engaged in fishing and exporting agricultural produce. Several places were popular for seasonal sea bathing.[8] The ports employed large numbers of workers, both land-based and seagoing;Titanic, lost on her maiden voyage in 1912, was crewed largely by residents of Southampton.[50]
On 16 October 1908,Samuel Franklin Cody made the first powered flight of 400 yd (370 m) in the United Kingdom atFarnborough, then home to the Army Balloon Factory.[51]
Hampshire played a crucial role in both World Wars due to the largeRoyal Navynaval base at Portsmouth, the army camp atAldershot, and the militaryNetley Hospital on Southampton Water, as well as its proximity to the army training ranges onSalisbury Plain and theIsle of Purbeck.Supermarine, the designers of theSpitfire and other military aircraft, were based in Southampton, which led to severe bombing of the city inWorld War II. Aldershot remains one of theBritish Army's main permanent camps.Farnborough is a major centre for the aviation industry.
During World War II, theBeaulieu estate of Lord Montagu in the New Forest was the site of several group B finishing schools for agents[52] operated by theSpecial Operations Executive (SOE) between 1941 and 1945. (One of the trainers wasKim Philby who was later found to be part of a spy ring passing information to the Soviets.) In 2005, a special exhibition was established at the Estate, with a video showing photographs from that era as well as voice recordings of former SOE trainers and agents.[53][54]
Although theIsle of Wight has at times been part of Hampshire, it has been administratively independent for over a century, obtaining acounty council of its own in 1890. The Isle of Wight became a fullceremonial county in 1974. Apart from a sharedpolice force, no formal administrative links now exist between the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, though many organisations still combine Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
In the 1970s, local government reorganisation led to a reduction in Hampshire's size; in 1974, the towns ofBournemouth andChristchurch were transferred toDorset.[55]
Hampshire is bordered byDorset to the west,Wiltshire to the north-west,Berkshire to the north,Surrey to the north-east, andWest Sussex to the east. The southern boundary is the coastline of theEnglish Channel and theSolent, facing theIsle of Wight. It is the largest county inSouth East England and remains the third largestshire county in the United Kingdom despite losing more land than any other English county in all contemporary boundary changes. At its greatest size in 1890, Hampshire was the fifth-largest county in England. It now has an overall area of 3,700 km2 (1,400 sq mi),[56] and measures about 86 km (53 mi) east–west and 76 km (47 mi) north–south.[57]
In the south, along the coast is the "Hampshire Basin", an area of relativelynon-resistantEocene andOligoceneclays andgravels which are protected from seaerosion by theIsle of Purbeck,Dorset, and theIsle of Wight. These low, flat lands supportheathland andwoodlandhabitats, a large area of which forms part of theNew Forest. The New Forest has a mosaic of heathland,grassland,coniferous and deciduous woodland habitats that hostdiverse wildlife. The forest is protected as anational park, limiting development and agricultural use to protect the landscape and wildlife. Large areas of the New Forest are open common lands kept as a grasslandplagioclimax by grazing animals, including domesticated cattle, pigs and horses, and several wild deer species. Erosion of the weak rock and sea level change flooding the low land has carved several largeestuaries andrias, notably the 16 km (9.9 mi) long[59]Southampton Water and the large convolutedPortsmouth Harbour. The Isle of Wight lies off the coast of Hampshire where the non-resistant rock has been eroded away, forming theSolent.
A 2014 study found that Hampshire shares significant reserves of shale oil with other neighbouring counties, totalling 4.4 billionbarrels of oil, which then Business and Energy MinisterMichael Fallon said "will bring jobs and business opportunities" and significantly help with UK energy self-sufficiency.Fracking in the area is required to achieve these objectives, which has been opposed by environmental groups.[60]
South West Hampshire and South East Dorset green belt (shown in green)
Hampshire contains all itsgreen belt in the New Forest district, in the southwest of the county, from the boundary with Dorset along the coastline toLymington and northwards toRingwood. Its boundary is contiguous with theNew Forest National Park. The Hampshire portion was first created in 1958.[62] Its function is to control expansion in theSouth East Dorset conurbation and outlying towns and villages.[63]
The highest point in Hampshire is Pilot Hill at 286 m (938 ft), in the northwest corner of the county, bordering Berkshire,[64] and there are some 20 other hills exceeding 200 m (660 ft).Butser Hill, at 271 m (889 ft), where the A3 crosses theSouth Downs, is probably the best known. In the north and centre of the county the substrate is the rocks of theChalk Group, which form theHampshire Downs and theSouth Downs. These are high hills with steep slopes where they border the clays to the south. The hills dip steeply forming ascarp onto theThames valley to the north, and dip gently to the south. The highest village in Hampshire at about 240 m (790 ft) above sea level isAshmansworth,[65] located betweenAndover andNewbury.
TheItchen andTest aretrout rivers that flow from the chalk through wooded valleys into Southampton Water. Other important watercourses are theHamble,Meon,Beaulieu andLymington rivers. TheHampshire Avon, which linksStonehenge to the sea, passes throughFordingbridge andRingwood and then forms the modern border between Hampshire and Dorset. The northern branch of theRiver Wey has its source nearAlton and flows east pastBentley.[66] TheRiver Loddon rises at West Ham Farm and flows north through Basingstoke.[67]
Hampshire'sdownland supports acalcareous grassland habitat, important for wild flowers and insects. A large area of the downs is now protected from further agricultural damage by the East HampshireArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The River Test has a growing number of otters as, increasingly, does the Itchen,[68] although other areas of the county have quite low numbers. There arewild boar kept for meat[69] in theNew Forest, which is known for itsponies and herds offallow deer,red deer,roe deer, andsika deer as well as a small number ofmuntjac deer.[70] The deer had been hunted for some 900 years until 1997.[71] An unwelcome relative newcomer is themink population, descended from animals that escaped or were deliberately released from fur farms since the 1950s, which cause havoc amongst native wildlife.[72][73]
Farlington Marshes, 125 ha (310 acres) of flower-rich grazing marsh and saline lagoon at the north end ofLangstone Harbour, is a nature reserve and an internationally important overwintering site for wildfowl.[74] In a valley on the downs isSelborne; the countryside surrounding the village was the location ofGilbert White's pioneering observations onnatural history.[75] Hampshire'scounty flower is theDog Rose.[76]
Hampshire has a milderclimate than most areas of theBritish Isles,[77] being in the far south with the climate stabilising effect of the sea, but protected against the more extreme weather of theAtlantic coast. Hampshire has a higher average annual temperature than the UK average at 9.8 to 12 °C (49.6 to 53.6 °F),[78] average rainfall at 640–1,060 mm (25–42 in) per year,[79] and holds higher than average sunshine totals of around 1,750 hours[80] of sunshine per year.[81]
Climate data forSouthampton, elevation 3 m, 1981–2010
Some of the larger settlements of Hampshire in red. Five settlements currently undergoing significant planned expansion in green.[88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95][96][97]
Hampshire'scounty town is Winchester, a historic city that was once the capital of the ancient kingdom ofWessex and of England until theNorman Conquest of England. The port cities of Southampton and Portsmouth were split off as independent unitary authorities in 1997, although they are still included in Hampshire for ceremonial purposes.Fareham,Gosport andHavant have grown into aconurbation that stretches along the coast between the two main cities. The three cities are all university cities, Southampton being home to theUniversity of Southampton andSouthampton Solent University (formerly Southampton Institute), Portsmouth to theUniversity of Portsmouth, and Winchester to theUniversity of Winchester (formerly known as University College Winchester; King Alfred's College). The northeast of the county houses theBlackwater Valley conurbation, which includes the towns ofFarnborough,Aldershot,Blackwater andYateley and borders bothBerkshire and Surrey.
Hampshire lies outside thegreen belt area of restricted development around London, but has good railway and motorway links to the capital, and in common with the rest of the south-east has seen the growth ofdormitory towns since the 1960s.Basingstoke, in the northern part of the county, has grown from a country town into a business and financial centre. Aldershot, Portsmouth, and Farnborough have strong military associations with theArmy, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force respectively. The county also includes severalmarket towns:Alresford,Alton,Andover,Bishop's Waltham,Lymington,New Milton,Petersfield,Ringwood,Romsey andWhitchurch.
At the2001 census[98] the ceremonial county recorded a population of 1,644,249, of which 1,240,103 were in the administrative county, 217,445 were in the unitary authority of Southampton, and 186,701 were in Portsmouth. The population of the administrative county grew 5.6 per cent from the 1991 census and Southampton grew 6.2 per cent (Portsmouth remained unchanged), compared with 2.6 per cent for England and Wales as a whole. Eastleigh and Winchester grew fastest at 9 per cent each.
Southampton and Portsmouth are the main settlements within theSouth Hampshire conurbation, which is home to about half of the ceremonial county's population.[99] The largerSouth Hampshire metropolitan area has a population of 1,547,000.[100]
Cities and towns by population size: (2001 census)
The table below shows the population change up to the 2011 census, contrasting the previous census. It also shows the proportion of residents in each district reliant upon lowest income and/or joblessness benefits, the national average proportion of which was 4.5 per cent (August 2012). The most populous district of Hampshire isNew Forest District.
Population from census to census. Claimants of JSA or Income Support (DWP)[101]
Unit
JSA or Inc. Supp. claimants (August 2012) % of 2011 population
JSA and Income Support claimants (August 2001) % of 2001 population
At the 2011 census, about 89 per cent of residents were white British, falling to 85.87 per cent in Southampton. The significant ethnic minorities were Asian at 2.6 per cent and mixed race at 1.4 per cent; 10 per cent of residents were born outside the UK. 59.7 per cent stated their religion asChristian and 29.5 per cent as not religious. Significant minority religions wereIslam (1.46 per cent) andHinduism (0.73 per cent).[102]
The Church of EnglandDiocese of Winchester was founded in 676AD and covers about two thirds of Hampshire and extends into Dorset.[103] Smaller parts of Hampshire are covered by the dioceses ofPortsmouth,Guildford andOxford.
In the2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, nearly 55% of Hampshire (including the Isle of Wight) voted in favour ofBrexit.[105] Gosport was the area that voted to Leave with the highest majority (64%), while Winchester was the area that voted to Remain with the highest majority (59%). Hart and East Hampshire also voted to Remain.[106]
Under theEnglish Devolution Bill, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight entered theDevolution Priority Programme which may lead to a new combined authority covering Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight and an elected mayor in the spring of 2026. As part of the move, Hampshire County Council and the district councils within its area would be abolished.[107]
In the 2019 General Election there were no seat changes, with the 16 Conservative constituencies and 2 Labour constituencies holding on to the same seats won or held in 2017. This is despite the Liberal Democrats gaining 57,876 more votes (an increase of 50.4%) compared to 2017, and Labour losing 72,278 votes (29.9%) compared to 2017.
In the 2015 general election, every Hampshire seat except Southampton Test (Labour) was won by the Conservatives.In 2010, 14 constituencies were represented by Conservative Members of Parliament (MPs), two by the Liberal Democrats, and two by Labour. Labour represented the largest urban centre, holding both Southampton constituencies (Test andItchen). The Liberal Democrats heldPortsmouth South andEastleigh.
At the2013 local elections for Hampshire County Council, the Conservative Party had a 37.51 per cent share of the votes, the Liberal Democrats 21.71 per cent, theUK Independence Party 24.61 per cent and Labour 10 per cent. As a result, 45 Conservatives, 17 Liberal Democrats, 10 UKIP, four Labour and one Community Campaign councillor sit on the County Council.[108]Southampton City Council, which is a separate Unitary Authority, has 28 Labour, 16 Conservative, 2 Councillors Against the Cuts and 2 Liberal Democrat councillors.[109]Portsmouth City Council, also a UA, has 25 Liberal Democrat, 12 Conservative and 5 Labour councillors.[110]
Hampshire has its own County Youth Council (HCYC)[111] and is an independent youth-run organisation. It meets once a month around Hampshire and aims to give the young people of Hampshire a voice. It also has numerous district and borough youth councils including Basingstoke's "Basingstoke & Deane Youth Council".[112]
Hampshire is one of the mostaffluent counties in the country, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of£29 billion, excluding Southampton and Portsmouth. In 2018, Hampshire had a GDP per capita of £22,100, comparable with the UK as a whole.[113]
Portsmouth and Winchester have the highest job densities in the county; 38 per cent of workplace workers in Portsmouth commuted into the city in 2011.[114] Southampton has the highest number of total jobs and commuting both into and out of the city is high. The county has a lower level ofunemployment than the national average, at 1.3 per cent when the national rate is 2.1 per cent, as of February 2018.[115] About one third are employed by large firms. Hampshire has a considerably higher than national average employment in high-tech industries, but average levels in knowledge-based industry. About 25 per cent of the population work in thepublic sector. Tourism accounts for some 60,000 jobs in the county, around 9 per cent of the total.[113]
One of the principal companies in the high tech sector isIBM which has its research and development laboratories atHursley and its UK headquarters atCosham.
Many rural areas of Hampshire have traditionally been reliant on agriculture, particularlydairy farming, although the significance of agriculture as a rural employer and rural wealth creator has declined since the first half of the 20th century and agriculture currently employs 1.32 per cent of the rural population.
The extractive industries deal principally with sand, gravel, clay and hydrocarbons. There are three active oilfields in Hampshire with one being also used as a natural gas store. These are in the west of the county in theWessex Basin. TheWeald Basin to the east has potential as a source of shale oil but is not currently exploited.[116]
The New Forest area is a national park, and tourism is a significant economic segment in this area, with 7.5 million visitors in 1992.[117] The South Downs and the cities of Portsmouth, Southampton, and Winchester also attract tourists to the county.Southampton Boat Show is one of the biggest annual events held in the county, and attracts visitors from throughout the country. In 2003, the county had a total of 31 million day visits, and 4.2 million longer stays.[118]
Southampton Docks
The cities of Southampton and Portsmouth are both significant ports, withSouthampton Docks handling a large proportion of the national container freight traffic as well as being a major base for cruise liners, andPortsmouth Harbour accommodating one of theRoyal Navy's main bases and a terminal for cross-channel ferries to France and Spain. The docks have traditionally been large employers in these cities, though mechanisation of cargo handling has led to a reduction in manpower needed.
Cross-channel and cross-Solent ferries from Southampton, Portsmouth and Lymington link the county to the Isle of Wight, the Channel Islands and continental Europe.
TheM3 motorway bisects the county from the southwest, at the edge of the New Forest near Southampton, to the northeast, on its way to connect with theM25 London orbital motorway. At its southern end it links with theM27 south coast motorway. The construction of theTwyford Down cutting near Winchester caused major controversy by cutting through a series of ancient trackways and other features of archaeological significance.[123] The M27 serves as a bypass for the major conurbations and as a link to other settlements on the south coast. Other important roads include theA27,A3,A31,A34,A36 andA303.
The county has a high level of car ownership, with only 15.7 per cent having no access to a private car compared with 26.8 per cent for England and Wales. The county has a lower than average use of trains (3.2 compared with 4.1 per cent for commuting) and buses (3.2 to 7.4 per cent), but a higher than average use of bicycles (3.5 to 2.7 per cent) and cars (63.5 to 55.3 per cent).[124]
Notable independent schools in the county includeWinchester College, allegedly England's oldestpublic school, founded in 1382, and the pioneering co-educationalBedales School, founded in 1893.
There are majorNHS hospitals in each of the cities, and smaller hospitals in several towns,[125] as well as a number of private hospitals. Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust coordinates public health services,[126] while Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust coordinates hospital services.[127]
Hampshire is the home of many orchestras, bands, and groups. MusicianLaura Marling hails originally from Hampshire. The Hampshire County Youth Choir is based inWinchester, and has had successful tours of Canada and Italy in recent years. The Hampshire County Youth Orchestra (with its associatedchamber orchestra andstring orchestra) is based atThornden Hall.
There are a number of local museums, such as the City Museum in Winchester, which covers the Iron Age and Roman periods, the Middle Ages, and the Victorian period over three floors. A "Museum of the Iron Age" is inAndover.Solent Sky Museum depicts the story of aviation in Hampshire and the Solent region, with more than 20 airframes from the golden age. Southampton'sSea City Museum is primarily focused on the city's links with theTitanic. Basingstoke'sMilestones Museum records the county's industrial heritage. There are also a number of national museums in Hampshire. TheNational Motor Museum is located in the New Forest atBeaulieu. The Royal Navy Museum is part ofPortsmouth Historic Dockyard. Other military museums include TheSubmarine Museum at Gosport, theRoyal Marines Museum, originally in Southsea but was due to transfer to the Dockyard in 2019, theAldershot Military Museum, theD-Day Story bySouthsea Castle and theMuseum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop. Several museums and historic buildings in Hampshire are the responsibility of the Hampshire Cultural Trust.[129] Specialist museums include theGilbert White museum in his old home inSelborne, which also includes The Oates Collection, dedicated to the explorerLawrence Oates.
The New Forest and Hampshire County Show takes place annually at the end of July; 2020 will mark its centenary.[130] The largest gathering of Muslims in Western Europe,Jalsa Salana, takes place near Alton, with 37,000 visitors in 2017.[131] The ancient festival ofBeltain takes place atButser Ancient Farm in the spring.[132]
There are 187 Grade Ilisted buildings in the county, ranging from statues to farm buildings and churches to castles,[133] 511 buildings listed Grade II*,[134] and many more listed in the Grade II category.[135]National Heritage's figures include the Isle of Wight, listing 208 Grade I buildings, 578 Grade II*and 10,372 Grade II, 731 scheduled monuments, two wrecks, 91 parks and gardens, and a battlefield: the Battle of Cheriton, which took place in 1644, near Winchester.[136]
Hampshire's relatively safe waters have allowed the county to develop as one of the busiest sailing areas in the country, with manyyacht clubs and several manufacturers on the Solent. The Hamble, Beaulieu and Lymington rivers are major centres for both competitive and recreational sailing, along withHythe andOcean Village marinas. The sport ofwindsurfing was invented atHayling Island in the south east of the county.[139]
Fratton Park football ground, Portsmouth, South Stand, 2019
Thruxton Circuit, in the north of the county, is Hampshire's premier motor racing circuit, with a karting circuit; there are other karting circuits at Southampton and Gosport.[140] The other main circuit was theRingwood Raceway at Matchams.[141]
Lasham Airfield, near Alton, is a major centre forgliding, hosting both regional and national annual competitions.[142]
The county's television news is covered byBBC South Today from its studios in Southampton andITV Meridian from a studio in Whiteley, though bothBBC London andITV London can be received in northern and eastern parts of the county. A local independent television station,That's Hampshire, started transmitting in May 2017.[143]
^Archaically known as theCounty of Southampton, and less commonly asSouthamptonshire
^Ytene is thegenitive plural ofYte meaning "Jute", i.e. "of the Jutes".[39]Florence of Worcester talks about howWilliam Rufus was slain in the New Forest and that in the English tongue (Nova Foresta que lingua Anglorum) the term for the New Forest wasYtene.[40]
^"County of Hants (Southampton)".Census of England and Wales: 1891: Area, Houses and Population: Volume 1. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. p. 121. Archived fromthe original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved27 August 2012.
^Stuhmiller, Jacqueline (1999). "On the Identity of the "Eotenas"". Neuphilologische Mitteilungen. Modern Language Society. 100 (1): 7–14. JSTOR 43315276.
^Martin, Kevin M. (1971). "Some Textual Evidence Concerning the Continental Origins of the Invaders of Britain in the Fifth Century". Latomus. 30 (1): 83–104. JSTOR 41527856.
^Stenton, F. M. (1971).Anglo-Saxon England 3rd edition. Oxford: OUP.ISBN978-0-19-280139-5.
^Firth, John (2024).Geology and Archæology of Hampshire for people who aren't geologists or archæologists. London: Baffin Books.ISBN978-1-0687614-0-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
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