Hampshire - Interesting facts you may not know

ABOUT HAMPSHIRE

Hampshire - Interesting facts you may not know

Portsmouth Harbour

Hampshire is the largest county in the South East and the 9th biggest in England (by area). In terms of population, the county ranks 5th overall. It is also regarded as the birthplace of modern fly-fishing, wind-surfing and bird-watching.

Winchester – once King Alfred’s capital, and the venue for the marriage of Queen Mary I to King Philip II of Spain – has been in the past crowned the best place to live in Britain by The Sunday Times. The cathedral city inspired John Keats to write his famous Ode To Autumn in 1819.

King Alfred

Winchester

Leckford Estate in the Test Valley was purchased by John Spedan Lewis in 1929, and has been farmed for over 87 years and is home to The Waitrose Farm. Leckford village itself comprises around 40 houses and cottages, which are occupied by present or retired employees of the John Lewis Partnership, and are painted in the partnership colours of green and white.

In 1867 when she was only eight years old, Sweet Fanny Adams was brutally murdered by solicitor’s clerk Frederick Baker in Alton. A couple of years later, new rations of tinned mutton – introduced to sailors in Portsmouth – failed to impress the seamen, who suggested it might even be the butchered remains of poor Fanny Adams. “Fanny Adams” became national slang for mutton stew, and then for anything worthless…from which comes the current use of Sweet Fanny Adams or “Sweet FA”.

Watercress has been grown commercially in Hampshire since the 19th century. Before modern production, the Arle in Alresford was one of the principal streams used for growing watercress. With the expansion of dedicated watercress farms fed by spring water, Alresford soon became the capital of watercress with large quantities being sent to London by stagecoach and later by train on what became known as ‘The Watercress Line’.

Hampshire’s Highclere Castle is the main filming location for popular ITV drama, Downton Abbey. Set within a thousand acres of parkland, the castle and its grounds also provided the backdrop for Jeeves and Wooster, starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.

Highclere Castle

Portsmouth FC is a record holder for holding the title of FA Cup champions for the longest time. This was due to the outbreak of WWII – which resulted in the competition being cancelled for seven years after Portsmouth’s victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1939. Portsmouth was tasked with keeping the cup safe, and it was moved around the city before coming to rest at the Bird in Hand Pub, where it was kept under the landlord’s bed each night.

Leading global fashion brand Burberry was founded by a Basingstoke draper. In 1857, 21-year-old Thomas Burberry opened a clothing outfitters in Basingstoke, providing innovative, functional outerwear. Farmers and sportsmen were the original market for Burberry’s famous trench coats, which have gone on to be worn by everyone, from rockstars to aristocrats.

Lymington’s Taddiford Gap – one of 4 naturist beaches in Hampshire) is the most expensive area for nudists to visit in the UK.

The Spitfire aircraft is a part of Hampshire history. Invented by R. J. Mitchell it was first flown from Eastleigh, Hampshire on the 5th March 1936. After it had completed its official trials, the RAF ordered 310 aircraft. This changed the game for Supermarine (British aircraft manufacturer), as prior to this, their biggest order stood at just 12 machines.

In 1887 Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle wrote the original Sherlock Holmes story “A Study in Scarlet” in Southsea, Hampshire. The character Dr. Watson, was based on a real doctor who was president of Portsmouth’s literary and scientific society and was actually a friend of the author.

Jonas Hanway from Portsmouth was the first man in London to use an umbrella, after getting inspiration from parasols used by women in Persia while on a business trip. For almost 30 years people thought he was ridiculous for walking around with a ‘portable roof’.

One of our greatest 20th century novelists, P.G. Wodehouse lived on various occasions in the Hampshire town of Emsworth; but that the house on Record Road where he resided was called Threepwood? He named two of his greatest characters, Lord Emsworth and his brother the Hon. Galahad Threepwood.

In 1955, Southampton was the first town to sample fish fingers after they were made in Great Yarmouth. The Sotonian taste buds were considered to be just what Clarence Birdseye was looking for when his company wanted to try out the newfangled fish finger. At that time, Birds Eye was not sure whether customers would prefer cod or herring, so it was decided that the product, initially called “Cod Sticks”, would be trialled in Southampton while “Herring Savouries” found their way into the shops of south Wales. After the test period Cod Sticks were voted the top tasty treat.

The first English commercial vineyard of the modern era was established at Hambledon in Hampshire. In 1951 the Major-

General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones planted a one acre site with Seyval Blanc grapes, which duly produced their first crop for wine-making in 1954.

Keats wrote The Eve of St Agnes, and spent his last night in England, in Bedhampton near Havant. In 1819 he and a friend walked there from Chichester in late January, and Keats already troubled by the first signs of TB had to recuperate at The Old Mill, guest of the wonderfully named John Snooks. Coincidentally a year later the ship on which he was bound for Naples had to shelter from storms near Portsmouth, and Keats revisited the friendly miller, passing his last night in England – September 28 1820.

Charles Kingsley had the idea for his book The Water Babies while staying in and fishing at Itchen Abbas near Winchester. The priest-professor-novelist was a regular visitor to the Plough Inn there, now The Trout. It is a caddis fly – the creature beloved of fly fishermen – that explains to the drowned Tom that he has become a water baby.

The first known dry dock in history was built at Portsmouth, It was constructed in 1495 during the reign of Henry VII. The port’s links with royalty go back far further, however: it was Richard I who in 1194 granted Portsmouth its charter – he also had a dockyard built there.

In 1622 the then Archbishop of Canterbury, George Abbot, while hunting at Bramshill Park near Yateley shot and killed gamekeeper Peter Hawkins with a crossbow bolt? Naturally the inquest found it was the gamekeeper’s fault. You’ll now find the Police Staff College at Bramhill House. ■