| Southsea | |
|---|---|
 South Parade Pier | |
  Southsea Location withinHampshire | |
| Population | 18,514 (2001) 16,660 (2011 Census. Central Southsea Ward)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SZ6499 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SOUTHSEA |
| Postcode district | PO4, PO5 |
| Dialling code | 023 |
| Police | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Fire | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
| 50°47′06″N1°04′12″W / 50.785°N 1.07°W /50.785; -1.07 | |
Southsea is aseaside resort and a geographic area ofPortsmouth,Portsea Island in the ceremonial county ofHampshire, England. Southsea is located 1.8 miles (2.8 km) to the south of Portsmouth's inner city-centre.
Southsea began as a fashionable 19th-centuryVictorian seaside resort namedCroxton Town, after a Mr Croxton who owned the land.[2] As the resort grew, it adopted the name of nearbySouthsea Castle, a seafront fort constructed in 1544 to help defend theSolent and approaches toPortsmouth Harbour.[3]
In 1879,South Parade Pier was opened byPrincess Edward of Saxe-Weimar[4] in Southsea. The pier began operating a passenger steamer service across theSolent to theIsle of Wight. This service gave rise to the idea of linking Southsea and its pier toPortsmouth's railway line, and for tourists to bypass the busy town of Portsmouth and its crowded harbour.East Southsea railway station, along with theSouthsea Railway andFratton railway station were jointly opened on 1 July 1885 by Lady Ada Mary Willis[5] (néeNeeld), wife ofGeneral Sir George Willis, theLieutenant Governor of Portsmouth.[6]
Southsea subsequently grew into a dense residentialsuburb and large, distinct commercial and entertainment area, separate from the town of Portsmouth[7] up until Southsea and the whole of Portsea Island were incorporated into the town borough of Portsmouth in 1904.[8]
Due to declining use andWorld War I, the Southsea Railway line and its East Southsea station were closed on 6 August 1914.[9] To maintain Southsea's tourism, the Southsea station name was moved and merged with Portsmouth's main town centre railway station in 1925, officially becoming known asPortsmouth & Southsea railway station. A year later in 1926, Portsmouth was granted official city status, while its main railway station retained its "Portsmouth & Southsea" name, which has led many non-locals and visitors to wrongly assume that Southsea is still a separate town near to Portsmouth.[citation needed]
The areas of Southsea surrounding Albert Road, Palmerston Road, and Osborne Road contain many bars, restaurants and independent shops. Palmerston Road is the mainHigh Street of Southsea and contains various shops and restaurants, as well as the locallibrary, and Southsea Community Cinema and Arts Centre. Albert Road is a distinct street containing shopping and cultural venues, which includeThe Wedgewood Rooms, and theKings Theatre, a regional theatre built in 1907.[10]
Southsea retains its own post town status (PO4 and PO5), even though the actual town of Southsea was merged into Portsmouth in 1904.[8]
The history of Southsea is generally part of the history of Portsmouth, as Southsea started with the growth ofPortsmouth dockyard and of the city, with the expansion of British maritime power during theBritish Empire.[11] Before the 16th century Southsea was principally composed of small farms, open grassland and undrained marshland (morass), outside the main naval base and the city itself. However the growing expectation of a possible French attack on the naval base ledHenry VIII to order the building ofSouthsea Castle in 1544, adjacent to the channel approaches toPortsmouth Harbour. Southsea was first recorded as a place name in a Royal plan in 1577.[12] Henry VIII visited Southsea Castle in 1545, from where he witnessed the sinking of the warshipMary Rose in theSolent.[13]
The first references to the development of the suburb appear in the PortseaPoor Rate returns of 1790 and describe small areas of building and farming plots. Most of the land was undeveloped and open grass and marshland still dominated the area.[14] In the early 19th century, development continued on land owned by Thomas Croxton, and the community became known as Croxton Town. The first houses were built by 1809 for skilled workers in what were called the "mineral" streets (such as Silver Street and Nickel Street). Around 1810, streets such as Hampshire Terrace, Landport Terrace, King's Terrace, Wish Street (which later became King's Road and Elm Grove), Jubilee Terrace and Bellevue Terrace were built adjacent to the old walls of the city. Although the streets still exist, many of them were among the most heavily bombed areas of Portsmouth in theSecond World War, and like much of Southsea they experienced significant redevelopment inPostwar Britain.[15]
The development of Southsea continued during theNapoleonic era and as the dockyard continued to grow, new homes were required for the increasing personnel, and many houses, villas and apartments were built. The architect and builderThomas Ellis Owen created many of these, and the surviving buildings retain a coherent lateGeorgian and earlyVictorian style, and form aconservation area today, with many of the buildings having listed status.[16] Owen built properties in Kent Road, Queen's Terrace, Sussex Terrace, Elm Grove, Beach Road, Grove Road South, Clarendon Road, Osborne Road and Portland Terrace. The area between Castle Road and Victoria Road South was built up between 1835 and 1860. In 1851St Jude's CofE church was built on Kent Road to a design byThomas Ellis Owen.[17]
During the same period, Southsea grew as a leisure and bathing destination. In 1816 a pump room and baths were erected near the present dayClarence Pier, and by 1820 a large complex was developed including vapour baths, showers, and card playing and assembly rooms.[18] The remaining marshland, known locally asThe Great Morass was drained, leading to the creation ofSouthsea Common, some 480 acres (about 2 km2) of open grassland. Due to military requirements for clear lines of fire adjacent to Southsea Castle, the area was developed and remains today as a park and garden.[19] Apartments and hotels were constructed towards the common and waterfront, along Southsea Terrace, Western Parade and Clarence Parade. The first large hotel was the Portland Hotel (destroyed in the Second World War) near Kent Road. Others soon followed, including the purpose-built Queens Hotel (1861), Pier Hotel (1865) and Beach Mansions Hotel (1866).[20] In 1852 the Clarence Esplanade and a memorial were erected by public subscription, and development of the resort led in 1861 toClarence Pier being constructed as a promenade pier and landing place for steamers.[21] Other piers were also built, including the Victoria and Albert Piers, with the construction ofSouth Parade Pier in 1879 marking the culmination of seafront development in the Victorian period.[22]
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 forpaving,street cleaning andpublic lighting. TheSouthsea Railway came in 1885 and brought further development to the area, although it was to be financially unsuccessful and eventually closed in 1914.[23] By the mid to lateVictorian era, Southsea had become recognised as a largely middle-class neighbourhood, with many naval officers and other professionals taking up residence. During this time the writerSir Arthur Conan Doyle lived inPortsmouth, moving to Southsea in June 1882 with less than £10 (£1300 today[24]) to his name. He set up a medical practice at 1 Bush Villas in Elm Grove, Southsea.[25] Areas of Southsea suffered from the rapid development of the suburb; certain streets suffered from poverty and there was a majorcholera outbreak in 1848.[26] The works of the commission helped bring about some improvements and eventually led to the setting up of the Southsea Improvement Association.[26]
Southsea continued to grow eastwards in the early 20th century, extending to the area ofEastney. During this time significant local public buildings were constructed including theQueens Hotel, in theEdwardian Baroque style built in 1903 and theKings Theatre built in 1907. The onset ofWorld War I saw an increase in fortifications on the seafront. Parades were held on Southsea Common. Southsea continued to thrive as a resort destination and a suburb of Portsmouth in the inter-war years, with many visitors in summer. At that time parts of the Common were converted into ornamental gardens and the Ladies' Mile was set out in 1925.[27] HoweverWorld War II had an immense impact on the urban and social fabric of the area. Huge areas of Southsea were destroyed by bombing duringThe Blitz. Although some of Victorian Southsea escaped the bombing, areas such as the Kings Road and Elm Grove were extensively damaged and the Palmerston Road shopping areas were completely destroyed. The beachfront, piers and promenades were closed for the duration of the war.[28] Following the end of the war, in 1945 Southsea and the rest of Portsmouth embarked on a massive clearance and rebuilding scheme. Many areas of destroyed, damaged and intact low-income housing were cleared to make way for new building schemes. The Kings Road Estate and Roslyn House, among others, were developed between 1945 and the 1970s. Palmerston Road shopping area was developed in the 1950s and still stands today.[29] Although visitor numbers to the resort area never recovered, Southsea continued to develop throughout the 20th century and today remains a mixed residential area and leisure destination.[30]
On 15 September 2000, parts of Southsea were flooded when a month's worth of rain fell in 12 hours. The Eastney pumping station then failed due to the flood water.[31] On 9 August 2011 a fire broke out at the former Joanna's Nightclub, then derelict and later demolished, opposite South Parade Pier. A contemporary local newspaper report states that the incident was not linked to then-ongoingriots.[32]
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.[19] In 1874, the Portsmouth Corporation closed part of the common for private development which lead to four days of rioting.[33] These riots became known as the "Battle of Southsea".[33] The police and army eventually dispersed the crowd but the development plans were abandoned.[33]
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,Victorious Festival and a variety of circuses including theMoscow State Circus andChinese State Circus. It was also the place where fans ofPortsmouth F.C. gathered to celebrate their victory in the2008 FA Cup Final. It also hosts the annual Portsmouth Pride celebrations, where in 2024 an estimated 20,000 people were in attendance. The Portsmouth Pride dates for 2025 is on 7 June 2025, starting at The Briny restaurant.[34]
On 6 June 1994 a drumhead service was held on Southsea Common in front of thePortsmouth Naval Memorial to commemorate the 50th anniversary ofD-Day. The service was attended by all the heads of the states which had participated in the allied landings, notablyHM Queen Elizabeth II andUS PresidentBill Clinton. 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.
On 28 June 2005 the Common was a venue for theTrafalgar 200 celebrations, the seafront an ideal point from which to witness theInternational Fleet Review and evening firework display.
In August 2010, "Ultrasauros", a life-size (52 ft high) model of anultrasauros dinosaur was erected on the common in conjunction with the Portsmouth'sAspex Gallery.[35] The sculpture was destroyed by a fire, thought to have been caused by an electrical fault, on 1 October.[36]
In 2013Victorious Festival moved from thePortsmouth Historic Dockyard to Southsea Common. The annual festival was extended to a 3-day event in 2017.
In September 2013, it was announced that a newParkrun would begin along Southsea seafront in October 2013.[37][38] As of February 2025 the Southsea Parkrun has hosted 525 events with an average finish time of 28 minutes and 50 seconds.[39]
In July 2015 and 2016 Southsea Common hosted theAmerica's Cup World Series sailing event. The British sailing team Land Rover BAR is based in nearby Old Portsmouth.
The common is home to a collection of matureelm trees, believed to be the oldest and largest surviving in Hampshire, which have escapedDutch elm disease owing to their isolation. The majority of the larger trees areHuntingdon Elms planted in the 1920s, but nearer the entrance to the Skate Park there is a fine example of a hybrid of the Siberian ElmUlmus pumila. Huntingdon Elms once lined the Ladies' Mile—an avenue through the centre of the Common—but many were lost in theGreat Storm of 1987 and replaced by the Dutchhybrid elm cultivar'Lobel'.[40]
The Ladies' Mile is also home to several semi-mature Canary Island date palmsPhoenix 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 includeTrachycarpus fortunei, (Ladies' Mile, Rock Gardens and Rose Garden),Chamaerops humilis (in front of the Pyramids Centre),Butia capitata (in Burgoyne Gardens) andBrahea armata, (Canoe Lake and D-Day Island). ManyCordyline australis are also planted in the area, though these are not true palms, but more closely related to yuccas and agaves.[40]
Canoe Lake[43] 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 a sluice gate at high tide. Some marine wildlife can be spotted in the lake, including fish, crabs,moon jellyfish,[44] and reportedly even small sharks.[45]
Mute swans andmallard can be seen regularly, with less frequent visits fromtufted duck,Mediterranean gull,cormorant,little grebe and occasionally a lone feralblack swan. Pedalos can be rented on the lake in the summer.
Since 2006 Canoe Lake has been a venue for the Lake of Lights Memorial Service, held each December, when thousands of lights are floated on the lake to commemorate loved ones in the local community who have been lost to cancer.[46]
Albert Road is a well known road of the hosts a range of independent bars, restaurants, cafes and live music venues. It also hosts a range of cultural events. It is also houses theKings Theatre andThe Wedgewood Rooms.
A large map of the area was painted on the side of a house at the junction ofWaverley Road and Clarendon Road, in 1997-1998. Due to water damage it was removed, the wall rendered and a new version painted in 2010. The artist, Mark Lewis, acquired a 99 year lease on the wall to ensure the mural's longevity.[47][48] In 2021 the celebrated map mural received a £5,000 grant to maintain and update it.[49]
Southsea features a mildoceanic climate (Köppen:Cfb) that borderlines the warm-summerMediterranean climate (Csb), with warm summers and relatively mild, damp winters. Due to its southerly location and sheltering of northerly winds fromPortsdown Hill, Southsea enjoys one of the mildest winters in the United Kingdom, and experiences higher temperatures than areas surrounding it, as well as higher sunshine hours. Summers tend to be warm with fewer extreme high temperatures than other areas in the South East of England.[50]
| Climate data for Southsea,Portsmouth 1976–2005 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 9.6 (49.3) | 8.8 (47.8) | 10.6 (51.1) | 13.4 (56.1) | 16.8 (62.2) | 19.4 (66.9) | 21.8 (71.2) | 21.8 (71.2) | 19.3 (66.7) | 15.8 (60.4) | 12.0 (53.6) | 10.0 (50.0) | 14.9 (58.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) | 4.3 (39.7) | 5.4 (41.7) | 6.4 (43.5) | 9.6 (49.3) | 12.3 (54.1) | 15.0 (59.0) | 15.0 (59.0) | 12.8 (55.0) | 10.9 (51.6) | 7.5 (45.5) | 5.9 (42.6) | 9.2 (48.5) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 65 (2.6) | 50 (2.0) | 52 (2.0) | 42 (1.7) | 28 (1.1) | 40 (1.6) | 32 (1.3) | 43 (1.7) | 62 (2.4) | 81 (3.2) | 72 (2.8) | 80 (3.1) | 647 (25.5) |
| Average rainy days | 11.2 | 9.5 | 8.3 | 7.6 | 6.5 | 7.4 | 5.4 | 6.6 | 8.5 | 10.9 | 10.3 | 11.2 | 103.4 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 67.9 | 89.6 | 132.7 | 200.5 | 240.8 | 247.6 | 261.8 | 240.7 | 172.9 | 121.8 | 82.3 | 60.5 | 1,919.1 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 26 | 31 | 36 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 54 | 54 | 46 | 38 | 31 | 25 | 41 |
| Source 1: Met Office[51] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: BADC[52] | |||||||||||||
On 1 April 1999 following a successful submission to the UK Government under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997 Southsea became acivil parish. The Parish Council later became the Southsea Town Council. At the 2001 census (the last before the abolition of the parish), Southsea had a population of 18,514.
The initial creation of the town council was opposed by Portsmouth City Council. There was a long-standing campaign to disband the town council.[citation needed] In a poll of local residents in February 2010, 66.3 per cent voted to abolish it.[citation needed] The parish was abolished on 23 April 2010.[53][54] It is now in theunparished area of Portsmouth.
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.
Hovertravel operates a regular hovercraft service toRyde on theIsle of Wight from Southsea seafront.
In 1898 a railway branch called theSouthsea Railway was opened from platform 3 atFratton Station, terminating at East Southsea Station (near to The Strand). Two unstaffed halts were added at Albert Road andJessie 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. Southsea is now served by stations atFratton andPortsmouth and Southsea station and on toPortsmouth Harbour (also called The Hard), with regular trains toLondon Waterloo andLondon Victoria.
There is a Hayling Island Ferry service[55] linkingEastney and Ferry Point, onHayling Island.
Southsea is the birthplace ofunderwater hockey.[56] The town is home to the UK's most successful club, winning 21 out of 53national championships as of 2023, in addition to 16 out of 36Nautilus Tournaments as of 2022.[57]
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
