Old Portsmouth

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Old Portsmouth
Old Portsmouth.jpg
Old Portsmouth (June 2007)
Hampshire UK location map.svg
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Old Portsmouth
Location within Hampshire
OS grid reference SZ633994
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Postcode district PO1
Dialling code 023
Police Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Fire Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Ambulance South Central
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Hampshire
50°47′24″N1°06′18″W / 50.790°N 1.105°W / 50.790; -1.105

Old Portsmouth is a district of the city of Portsmouth. It is the area covered by the original medieval town of Portsmouth as planned by Jean de Gisors. It is situated in the south west corner of Portsea Island. The roads still largely follow their original layout. [1] The district was historically referred to as Portsmouth itself but with the growth of nearby settlements (Portsea, Landport and Southsea), the Municipal Corporation Act of 1835 formed the settlements under an enlarged Portsmouth and the district became referred to as Old Portsmouth. [2] [3]

Contents


The area contains many historic buildings including: Portsmouth Cathedral, Royal Garrison Church, The John Pounds Memorial Church (Unitarian), the Square Tower and Round Tower and Point Barracks, Portsmouth Point and the entrance to the Harbour. George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham was assassinated in the Greyhound Pub in 1628. The area also has several historic pubs including the Bridge Tavern, Still and West, Spice Island Inn, and the Dolphin. The building Spice Island Inn occupies was previously two separate pubs. [4]

The area is also home to Portsmouth's small fishing fleet and fish market at Camber docks.

The Point (July 2021) The Point, Old Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.jpg
The Point (July 2021)

History

Archaeological evidence from the Bronze Age era exists of early settlement in the area of old Portsmouth. [5] The Domesday book of 1086 does not record a settlement, although there were three manor sites on Portsea Island. [5] However, by 1180, the area that became Old Portsmouth (the manor of Buckland) had passed into ownership of John de Gisors, a Norman merchant. [5] Establishing a settlement around the sheltered lagoon (that evolved into the 'Camber'), he granted land for the building of the Church of St Thomas (which eventually became the Cathedral) in 1185. [5] Much of the original layout of the medieval town street plan is preserved in the present street plan of the area. [6] On 2 May 1194, King Richard I granted the town the right to hold a fair or market. [7] On 25 October 1200, King John I granted the old town further Municipal rights and privileges in a new charter. [7]

By 1229, a monastic hospital had been established in the town. [8] named the 'Domus Dei' it was administered by the Bishop of Winchester. [8] The remains of the hospital church now form the historic core of the Garrison Church. Subsequent development expanded Portsmouth over Portsea Island with the historic settlement being referred to as 'Old Portsmouth' by 1828 when the historic boundaries were marked by an annual 'beating the bounds' ceremony. [5]

Old Portsmouth was attacked by the French on several occasions during the medieval period so by the 15th century, defensive walls had been constructed. [9] The Round Tower was commenced in 1417 to defend the town and harbour entrance. [9] In 1494, the Square Tower was also constructed to improve the defences of Old Portsmouth. [9]

In 1627, Charles I granted an expanded town charter. [10] The defences of the town were further improved in the 17th and 18th centuries, with an enlarged defensive walls, new ramparts and ditches. [11] These included construction of several new decorative gates guarding entrance to Old Portsmouth that included King James's Gate (1687) across Broad Street, the Landport Town Gate (1760) and King George's Gate (1743). [11] Several smaller sally ports and gates were also in existence. [11] The Long Curtain, gun battery and ravelin were added following the designs of Dutch Engineer Sir Benard de Golme in the 1660s and 1670s. [12]

In 1768, an Act of Parliament was given for Old Portsmouth providing for public lighting, an official watch and town paving (completed in 1773 at a cost of £9000). [13]

In the Second World War Old Portsmouth was extensively damaged by german aerial attacks. [14] On the night of the city's heaviest raid (10 January 1941), the Luftwaffe dropped 140 tonnes of high-explosive bombs which killed 171 people. [14] Many houses and historic buildings in Old Portsmouth were damaged, and areas of Landport and large sections of Old Portsmouth entirely destroyed; the future site of Gunwharf Quays was razed to the ground. [15]

Economy

Historically, many pubs and coffee houses have been located in Old Portsmouth. [16] For example, in 1716 there were some 41 pubs, coffee houses and brandy establishments. [16] In 2022, there were three pubs remaining on the Point in Old Portsmouth, specifically the Still & West, the Spice Island Inn and the Bridge Tavern. [17]

Portsmouth Camber has a small commercial fishing port in operation. [18]

Education

St Judes is a primary school in Old Portsmouth on Nicolas Street. [19]

The Portsmouth Grammar School is a private grammar school providing mixed education for ages 2 to 18 in Old Portsmouth, situated on the High Street and Museum Road. [20] The grammar school opened in 1750 in Penny Street. [21] In 1926, it moved to its current location occupying the former Cambridge Barracks buildings on the High Street. [22]

References

  1. ↑ O’Brien, Charles; Bailey, Bruce; Pevsner, Nikolaus; Lloyd, David W. (2018). The Buildings of England Hampshire: South. Yale University Press. pp. 496–497. ISBN   9780300225037.
  2. ↑ Patterson, Alfred Temple (1976). Portsmouth. Bradford-on-Avon, [Eng.]: Moonraker Press. p. 100. ISBN   0-239-00146-X.
  3. ↑ Patterson, Alfred Temple (1976). Portsmouth. Bradford-on-Avon, [Eng.]: Moonraker Press. p. 91. ISBN   0-239-00146-X.
  4. ↑ O’Brien, Charles; Bailey, Bruce; Pevsner, Nikolaus; Lloyd, David W. (2018). The Buildings of England Hampshire: South. Yale University Press. p. 502. ISBN   9780300225037.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Rogers, Peter (2006). Portsmouth Old Town. Halsgrove. p. 9. ISBN   978-1-84114-562-4.
  6. ↑ Rogers, Peter (2006). Portsmouth Old Town. Halsgrove. p. 11. ISBN   978-1-84114-562-4.
  7. 1 2 Allen, Lake (10 November 2015). The History of Portsmouth. p. 78. ISBN   978-0-9572413-6-7.
  8. 1 2 Allen, Lake (10 November 2015). The History of Portsmouth. p. 96. ISBN   978-0-9572413-6-7.
  9. 1 2 3 Rogers, Peter (2006). Portsmouth Old Town. Halsgrove. p. 21. ISBN   978-1-84114-562-4.
  10. ↑ Patterson, Alfred Temple (1976). Portsmouth. Bradford-on-Avon, [Eng.]: Moonraker Press. p. 73. ISBN   0-239-00146-X.
  11. 1 2 3 Rogers, Peter (2006). Portsmouth Old Town. Halsgrove. p. 22-23. ISBN   978-1-84114-562-4.
  12. ↑ Patterson, Alfred Temple (1976). Portsmouth. Bradford-on-Avon, [Eng.]: Moonraker Press. p. 54. ISBN   0-239-00146-X.
  13. ↑ Allen, Lake (10 November 2015). The History of Portsmouth. p. 95. ISBN   978-0-9572413-6-7.
  14. 1 2 Hewitt, Phil (2013). A Portsmouth Miscellany. Summersdale. p. 151. ISBN   978-1-84953-463-5.
  15. ↑ Hewitt, Phil (2013). A Portsmouth Miscellany. Summersdale. p. 186. ISBN   978-1-84953-463-5.
  16. 1 2 Lloyd, Gower (2022). Portsmouth Point. a History of Taverns, Inns and Alehouses. A History of Point. p. 11.
  17. ↑ Lloyd, Gower (2022). Portsmouth Point. a History of Taverns, Inns and Alehouses. A History of Point. p. 16.
  18. ↑ "Portsmouth Prt, the Camber". portsmouth-port.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  19. ↑ "St Jude's Church of England Primary School". St Jude's Church of England Primary School. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  20. ↑ "Portsmouth Grammar School". A co-educational independent day school in Hampshire. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  21. ↑ Patterson, Alfred Temple (1976). Portsmouth. Bradford-on-Avon, [Eng.]: Moonraker Press. p. 67. ISBN   0-239-00146-X.
  22. ↑ Patterson, Alfred Temple (1976). Portsmouth. Bradford-on-Avon, [Eng.]: Moonraker Press. p. 130. ISBN   0-239-00146-X.


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