Old maps of Southampton suggest that the name originates from "Hayfield" or "Hay field".[1] As with most suburbs of Southampton, and as the name suggests, Highfield's origins are very much as a rural district.
Highfield Church, officially named Christ Church, began as a chapel of ease serving the parish of South Stoneham. It was built in 1847 and originally (and, officially, still is) named "Christ Church, Portswood". The architect was Joshua Brandon, who died before the building was completed and is buried in the churchyard.[1]
A number of large country houses dominated the area, including Highfield House, Highfield Cottage, Uplands (formerly "The Rosaries" or "The Rosary"), Heather Deane, Oak Mount, Ivy Bank and Highfield Lodge (not to be confused with the lodge to Highfield House). These houses are all shown on an 1897 Ordnance Survey map. Some of these buildings, including Ivy Bank and Oak Mount, still stand, albeit in somewhat altered surroundings. Highfield House and Uplands have both been demolished.[1]
A deed of covenant was signed in 1846 to establish Highfield Church of England School. The building, which stands next to the church, was opened in 1849.[1]
Highfield House had a number of naval connections in the 19th century, being owned by Vice-Admiral Foote, Rear-Admiral Morier and then William Ogden. In 1861, Uplands was listed in the Post Office Directory as "The Rosaries". It was occupied by Revd Thomas McCalmont, a Church of England cleric whose family originated from Ireland. In 1877, Alfred (Thomas' third son) became Mayor of Southampton at the age of 26. Alfred died a year later, and after a further two years, his elder brother Frederick also died, aged 34. Two stained glass windows in Highfield Church commemorate the clergyman and his sons.[1]
In 1883, Highfield House was purchased by James Ireland, a tailor and outfitter.[1]
The Southampton Tramways Company, which was later subsumed into the Southampton Corporation transport department, purchased Highfield Stables in 1888. The company had been stabling their horses (for horse-drawn trams) there for some time previously. The stables could house 31 horses. Several additional buildings were erected to accommodate omnibuses and trams. Electric trams arrived at the depot in 1904.[1]
In 1913, Uplands was put up for sale. The house was demolished with Taunton's School being erected in its place. The school was founded in 1752 because of a bequest left by Richard Taunton, a wine importer and merchant and cousin of Isaac Watts. The school had originally been located in Windsor Terrace and in 1865 moving to New Road, both in the city centre. A number of factors, not least World War I, delayed the laying of the foundation stone of the new building in Highfield until 1925.[1]
Glebe Court, part of the Uplands Estate
Between 1922 and 1936, most of the Uplands Estate was built.[1] Designed by Herbert Collins, the estate is now a designated conservation area.[2] The estate comprises 200 houses and flats in Collins' distinctive Georgian style. Collins made use of a stream that runs through Highfield, making it a feature of his open green areas and using it to feed an ornamental pond.[1]
On the first Sunday in Lent in 1941, Highfield Church was targeted by the Luftwaffe. Eight bombs fell around the building, but none hit the target. Although some damage was sustained, the following morning's 8 o'clock service was held regardless.[1]
By 1969, the tram sheds had been derelict for around twenty years and so in that year volunteers from the Southampton Sixth Form Union demolished the depot.[1]
The Avenue Campus extension to the Taunton's College buildings
Taunton's College (as it was renamed) merged with Hill College in Shirley in 1997. The new college retains the name Taunton's College but is located solely on the old Hill College campus, formerly the Girls' Grammar School. The Highfield site was sold to the University of Southampton who moved their arts faculty into the building, extending it and renaming it Avenue Campus. The Avenue Campus also occupies the land which previously housed the Highfield tram depot; the archaeology building now stands there.[1]
The University of Southampton is a public research university in Southampton, England. Southampton is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom.
North Finchley is a suburb of London in the London Borough of Barnet, situated seven miles (11 km) northwest of Charing Cross. North Finchley is centred on Tally Ho Corner, the junction of the roads to East Finchley, Church End, Friern Barnet and Whetstone. Church End is usually known as Finchley Central, owing to the name of the tube station located there.
Glebe is an inner-western suburb of Sydney in New South Wales. Glebe is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) southwest of the Sydney central business district in the Inner West region.
Stoneygate is part of the City of Leicester, England.
Whalley Range is an area of Manchester, England; it is located about 2 miles (3.2 km) south-west of the city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 15,430. Historically in Lancashire, it was one of the earliest of the city's suburbs, built by local businessman Samuel Brooks.
Shirley is a broad district and a former village on the western side of Southampton, in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, England. Shirley's main roles are retailing and residential. It is the most important suburban shopping area in the west of the city. Housing is a mixture of council houses in the centre of the district surrounded by private housing, with larger suburban houses concentrated in Upper Shirley. Shirley is separated from Highfield by Southampton Common, a large green public space.
Swaythling is a suburb and electoral ward of the city of Southampton in Hampshire, England. The ward has a population of 13,664.
Portswood is a suburb and electoral ward of Southampton, England. The suburb lies to the north-north-east of the city centre and is bounded by Freemantle, Highfield, Swaythling, St. Denys and Bevois Valley.
Weston is a small suburb on the south-eastern side of Southampton, UK, predominantly built on the Weston Grove Estate formerly owned by the Chamberlayne family. It also includes the area that was previously the Barnfield Estate. Weston includes part of Mayfield Park, which was previously the Mayfield Estate. Weston is bounded by Woolston, Sholing, Netley and Southampton Water.
St Denys is a partially riverside district of Southampton, England, centred 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north north-east of the city centre facing variously Bitterne Park and quay across the River Itchen estuary. The river is here spanned in the mid-east extreme of the district by Cobden Bridge, one of five within the city's broad boundaries, six including the railway bridge 100 m south. It is separated from the city centre by the districts sometimes known as Bevois Valley and New Town, in turn and to the south a riverside boardwalk allows pedestrian and bicycle access to the Mount Pleasant Industrial Estate and Northam.
Bassett Green is a suburb of Southampton, which has grown from the original small village of Basset. It remains part of the electoral ward of Bassett. The area is mainly residential, with a mixture of Herbert Collins-designed houses and council built estates known as the Flowers Estate and the Leaside Way Estate. Within Bassett Green are a community centre, Bassett Green Primary School and Southampton Crematorium, as well as several of the University of Southampton's halls of residence.
Avenue Campus is a campus of the University of Southampton and is located in Southampton, England. It currently houses most of the university's Faculty of Humanities. It is located off The Avenue, borders Southampton Common and is less than a mile from the university's main Highfield Campus.
East Rounton is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England. It is about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the A19 and 8 miles (13 km) north-east of Northallerton. It is on the River Wiske and West Rounton is nearby. The population taken at the 2011 Census was less than 100. Details are included in the civil parish of West Rounton.
Herbert Collins (1885–1975) was a British architect, born in Edmonton, London. He designed many of the suburban developments in the city of Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s.
Highfield Church is a parish church in the Highfield district of Southampton, England. It is an Anglican Church in the Diocese of Winchester.
Richard Taunton Sixth Form College, until 2012 called Taunton's College, is a sixth form college in Upper Shirley, Southampton attended by approximately 1000 students.
South Stoneham House is a Grade II* listed former manor house in Swaythling, Southampton; the former seat of the Barons Swaythling before the family moved to the nearby Townhill Park House. The building is owned by the University of Southampton, and was used as a hall of residence, part of the Wessex Lane Halls complex.
Southampton Corporation Tramways were in operation from 1879 to 1949. They were initially horse-drawn, but latterly powered by electricity.
Southampton Corporation Transport motor bus services started in 1919 as a successor to Southampton Corporation Tramways. After Southampton achieved city status in 1964 it was renamed Southampton City Transport. In 1986, as a result of deregulation it became Southampton Citybus, an arms-length company that was sold to the staff in 1993. It continued trading as Southampton Citybus until it was bought by First Bus in 1997.
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