Lordshill

Summary

Lordshill is a district in Southampton, England. It is situated in the northern part of the city.

Lordshill
Lordshill Centre
Lordshill is located in Southampton
Lordshill
Lordshill
Location within Southampton
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSOUTHAMPTON
Postcode districtSO16
Dialling code023
PoliceHampshire and Isle of Wight
FireHampshire and Isle of Wight
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Hampshire
50°56′56″N 1°27′00″W / 50.9489°N 1.4500°W / 50.9489; -1.4500

History of Lordshill edit

According to the Anglo-Saxon Charter of 956, Aldermoor, Lordswood, Lordshill and Coxford are all within the ancient boundary of the Manor of Millbrook and were farmland within the county of Hampshire, until the 20th century, when it was absorbed into Southampton.[1]

Southampton, by 1954, continued to rapidly expand itself into Millbrook, Redbridge and Harefield, but still there was insufficient land available for more housing to satisfy its needs. Lordshill, with its 563 acres (2.28 km2) was bought in 1964 to cater for the growing demand. Hampshire planners gave approval for new homes to cater for the 2,000 people at that point in time.

Prior to 1964, when Hampshire County Council bought the land to make what Lordshill is today, it was little more than farmland and one dead-end road that dropped down to Old Rownhams Lane to Tanner's Brook, between the Bedwell Arms Public House and Aldermoor Road. This lane was known to be steep with water frequently running down it from various springs. It got the nickname "Soapsuds Alley" because the washerwomen living there would normally throw their soapy water on to the road and the soapy water and the natural springs would mix causing a foaming torrent.

By 1967, Lordshill had been incorporated within Southampton city boundaries and has been so ever since.[2]

By 1969 development was in full swing building the new housing estates, roads and roundabouts that we know of today.[3]

In 1982, development took place to produce 60 self-contained flats that would accommodate 122 senior citizens, which would become known as Manson Court.[4]

In August 2006, Sinclair Junior School closed its doors for the last time and the land was leased to the then private housing company called Spectrum Housing Group Association, now called Sovereign Housing,[5] who then demolished the old school. Nothing remains of the old junior school now, other than a memorial stone dedicated to former headteacher Mr Williams, which is on the outside of the block of flats called Williams House. Today, Berwick Close covers the whole of the former school grounds.[6] In January 2010, Spectrum Housing Group brought the house on the corner of Sinclair Road/Berwick Close, which, in the early years, when both schools were opened, belonged to the caretaker. This house was later demolished and replaced with flats.[7]

During late 2013 and early 2014, Oaklands Community School was demolished to make way for new housing, leaving only the swimming pool and the small community room in place.[8][9]

Lordshill today edit

Today, Lordshill is mostly residential housing with over 4000[10] mixed council and private dwellings for around 12,500 people.[11]

Education edit

Local education includes two primary and junior schools: Sinclair School, which is a mixed primary and junior school; and the other being Fairisle Infant School and Fairisle Junior School.

A secondary school called Oasis Academy Lord's Hill, which was located on Fairisle Road, took over the former Oaklands Community School in 2008. During December 2010, plans for a new secondary school were given the go-ahead on Lordshill recreational ground called Five Acres, following the change from state run to academy run and the merge with Millbrook school.[12][13] The new school building opened in September 2012.

Community edit

The local community areas have a mix of different shops as well as a library, church and a healthcare centre; the main shopping area is called Lordshill District Centre. The library is a single story building that opened in 1977.[14]

Oaklands includes a swimming pool. This was closed in July 2012 after a leak was found. The Labour council leaders consulted over whether or not it would be economically viable to get it repaired at a cost of £500,000. The closure of the pool meant a loss of 20 jobs.[15][16][17] On 14 February 2014, the work needed to repair and reopen Oaklands swimming pool was approved at a cost of £1.7 million which is being funded by Southampton City Council, the pool was reopened in January 2015.[18]

On 9 May 2015, Lordshill Community Centre was relocated from their old building on Andromeda Road to their new brick building on May Cromarty Road, which is sited next to Oaklands swimming pool; the centre was in use from 11 May 2015 with the official opening taking place on 23 May 2015.[19]

Transport edit

Buses

It is served by a number of frequent bus services by Bluestar and Xelabus, providing various links to the city centre, as well as surrounding towns and villages such as Romsey and North Baddesley.

In 2015, First Hampshire & Dorset started a new service between Lordshill and Marwell Zoo, which ran between May and August twice a week.[20] However, this no longer operates, and FirstGroup no longer serves this area of Southampton due to their departure from Southampton in February 2023.[21]

Trains

Its nearest major railway station is Southampton Central which most buses serve on the way into the city centre. Its nearest small railway station is Redbridge, no buses from Lordshill serve this train station.

Cycleways

There are a large number of paths covering the Lordshill area. These appear to have been intended for cycle use, alongside the parallel pedestrian paths. Many of these have fallen into disrepair and only a few are signed as permitted cycle routes.

References edit

  1. ^ Brown, Jim (2007). "Shirley Warren", The Illustrated History of Southampton Suburbs, P108
  2. ^ Brown, Jim (2007). "Shirley Warren", The Illustrated History of Southampton Suburbs, P109
  3. ^ "How new town of Lordshill took shape". Daily Echo. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  4. ^ Brown, Jim (2007). "Shirley Warren", The Illustrated History of Southampton Suburbs, P110
  5. ^ "Sovereign and Spectrum complete merger to create 55000-home".
  6. ^ "Western Challenge and Southampton City Council Officially Name New Homes at Lordshill". Spectrum Housing Group. n.d. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012.
  7. ^ "Bats in the attic stop building work" (PDF). Western CHAT: News from Western Challenge Housing Association (74). Summer 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2012.
  8. ^ "Oaklands School to be demolished but pool may yet be saved".
  9. ^ "£1.7m Work Starts to Reopen Old Southampton Pool".
  10. ^ Brown, Jim (2007). "Shirley Warren", The Illustrated History of Southampton Suburbs, P109
  11. ^ Brown, Jim (2007). "Shirley Warren", The Illustrated History of Southampton Suburbs, P109
  12. ^ Reeve, John (4 March 2011). "Groundbreaking ceremony for new Oasis Academy Lord's Hill". Daily Echo.
  13. ^ Echo (21 December 2010). "New Oasis Lord's Hill Academy school building gets go ahead". Daily Echo.
  14. ^ O’Brien, Charles; Bailey, Bruce; Pevsner, Nikolaus; Lloyd, David W. (2018). The Buildings of England Hampshire: South. Yale University Press. p. 666. ISBN 9780300225037.
  15. ^ Anon (10 July 2012). "A mini-budget to save the authority a further £800,000 this year". Daily Echo.
  16. ^ Southampton City Council. "Oaklands swimming pool is currently CLOSED". Southampton City Council. Archived from the original on 14 May 2012.
  17. ^ BBC (6 July 2012). "Oaklands swimming pool closure plan sparks anger". BBC.
  18. ^ Maxwell Kusi-Obodum (3 January 2015). "Joyous scenes as popular Oaklands Community Pool reopens". Southern Daily Echo. Daily Echo.
  19. ^ "Home". lordshillcommunitycentre.btck.co.uk.
  20. ^ "Marwell bus leaflet March 2015 M2 for website" (PDF). March 2015.
  21. ^ "CityRed services to cease". Retrieved 26 March 2024.