The Pre-Victorian History of Southampton, England

Introduction to Southampton:

The city of Southampton is a successful shipping hub located at the mouth of the River Itchen on the south coast of England. It has a diverse, fascinating history, boasting an impressive array of medieval architecture intertwined with modern day buildings. It is currently the largest city in Hampshire and on the south coast, with an estimated quarter of a million residents. Southampton is also famous for being the port of departure for the ill-fated Titanic. Many residents of the city lost their lives working on the huge cruise ship.

Southampton receives a double high tide and two high tide peaks, making the location a logical solution for building a port for larger than normal ships. This is one of the reasons it has flourished as a successful international port.

Roman Settlement:

The area of Southampton has an extensive history, dating as far back as the Stone Age. The beginnings of the modern city are thought to of originated between 43 and 70 AD when Romans settled on the River Itchen. A large trading port was established, named Clausentum . This port was responsible for servicing the large Roman towns of Salisbury and Winchester.

The settlement of Itchen was extremely civilized, featuring wooden and stone buildings, and a grid road system. In the 2^nd Century the town was fortified with an earth rampart, a wooden palisade and numerous ditches. This fortification was further improved upon in the 4^th Century when stone walls were built. Although a successful town, Clausentum only had an internal area of 8 acres.

Despite the many developments in Clausentum , the Roman legions stationed there were eventually called back to defend Rome in 410AD, meaning the town was abandoned and left to decay.

Saxon Settlement:

The next settlement in the area was established by the Saxons, sometime between 530 and 700 AD. Originally called Hamwic , the name evolved into Hamtun , and later Hampton . It lay on the River Itchen between the old settlement of Clausentum and the coastline, and became a successful port town inhabited by 5000 Saxons. Similarly to the Roman town before it, Hamwic featured an efficient grid road system, but unlike Clausentum , all the buildings were wooden.

Industry thrived in Hamwic , with various craftsmen creating goods for export, including wine, pottery and the town’s main export, wool. Unfortunately, due to subsequent silt deposits in the River Itchen, the town’s economy declined, and a smaller town was created further south along the coastline.

Medieval Southampton:

Normans eventually settled in the town after the Conquest of 1066, building a wooden castle upon arrival. Most of the new inhabitants settled on Southampton’s current High Street (at the time named English Street ) and Bugle Street (named after the young bulls butchered there).

The town thrived and expanded, with stone buildings and walls being built in the 12^th and 13^th Centuries. The wooden castle was also replaced with an improved stone version. Many crafts and trades could be found in Norman Southampton, with craftsmen residing on the appropriate streets. Like Bugle Street , the rest of Southampton’s roads were named after the trades which could be found on them. Butchers resided on Butcher Row and Bugle Street , and Bakers could be found on Simnel Street (Simnel being a type of fine flour). English people lived on English Street , whereas French people lived on French Street.

By the 14^th Century, Southampton had 3,000-4,000 inhabitants and was an established port town. Similarly to the Saxons before them, the Norman’s exported many goods, with Southampton’s main export being wool. The town was incredibly busy on market days, and it also held annual fairs.

During the 100 years war of the 14^th and 15^th Centuries, Southampton’s ship building industry flourished with activity, meaning the town did extremely well. The many troops deployed from Southampton also needed supplies, meaning local businesses benefitted from the war. Trade with Italy also helped keep the local economy afloat. The port was extremely multicultural, with goods being received from the Mediterranean, Africa and the East.

Despite this, when the war ended and the need for military vessels declined, Southampton’s economy did the same. Trade with Italy had also ceased, meaning Southampton’s port was barely used. At the beginning of the 17^th Century it acquired the name the Decayed Port . At this time King James sold his decayed and derelict castle, despite saying Southampton was “one of the healthiest and sweetest towns in the kingdom”.

Too add to Southampton’s decline, the population had been drastically reduced by the plagues of the late 16^th Century.

Georgian Southampton:

In the 18^th Century Southampton had a revival in popularity when people started believing that bathing in sea water could heal disease and ailments. This trend was started by Prince Fredrick who bathed in Southampton’s coastal waters in 1750. Despite dying the next year, his sons and other rich noblemen visited the area to bathe in the sea, spending money and reviving the local economy.

The port’s trade also picked up at this time, with wine trade from Portugal becoming popular. The port also dealt in coal from Newcastle, and wool from the Channel Islands.

Due to the surge of renewed activity in the town, the population grew by nearly 50% in 30 years, and by 1801 there were 8000 inhabitants. As the population grew in the late 18^th century, a body of men called the Improvement Commissioners were set up to improve the streets of Southampton. Oil lamps were installed to light streets, as well as beautification of the common with planted trees. Recreation was also encouraged, with a theatre being built on French Street and an assembly hall (where balls were held) on West Quay .

Southampton had a major economic boost in the Industrial Revolution/Victorian period, but I'll save that for my next hub!