Hampshire | England, Map, History, & Facts (2024)

county, England, United Kingdom

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Hampshire, administrative, geographic, and historic county of south-central England. It is bounded to the west by Dorset and Wiltshire, to the north by Berkshire, to the east by Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.

The administrative, geographic, and historic counties cover somewhat different areas. The administrative county comprises 11 districts: East Hampshire, Hart, New Forest, Test Valley, the boroughs of Basingstoke and Deane, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, and Rushmoor, and the city of Winchester (the county seat). The geographic county comprises the whole of the administrative county plus the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton, each of which is a unitary authority. The historic county covers the entire geographic county, the unitary authorities of Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight, and the borough of Christchurch and parts of the district of East Dorset, which together form the eastern edge of the administrative county of Dorset.

Britannica QuizAnother Great British Vocabulary Quiz, Innit?

The county falls into four physical areas. A broad belt of rolling chalk downland, at times more than 800 feet (240 metres) high, runs across the middle from east to west. Tertiary clays, sands, and gravels, often covered by heath and woodland, lie to the north and south. In the east The Weald, with its typical scarps and vales, crosses the county border. The oldest rocks occur in this Wealden area—Lower and Upper Greensands and Gault clays. The Solent, a narrow strait dividing the Isle of Wight from the mainland, marks the lower course of the ancient Frome or River Solent. Submergence along the coast resulted in former tributaries becoming the independent streams, which now drain most of the chalk and southern Tertiary areas.

There is considerable evidence of prehistoric settlement in Hampshire, including extensive early Bronze Age settlement on the Isle of Wight. Remains of small Bronze Age farmsteads exist at Quarley, and most notable among Iron Age remains are hill forts such as those at Danebury and Hengistbury Head. Trade with the European continent during the late Bronze and early Iron Age apparently focused on Hengistbury Head and Christchurch. During the Roman occupation, urban settlements developed at Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum) and Winchester (Venta Belgarum), the focal points of the Roman road system in the area. There was a smaller settlement at Southampton (Clausentum). Villa sites are numerous in the northwest. There were potteries in the New Forest and an imperial weaving works at Winchester, but the most substantial remains are in the town walls of Silchester and the outer wall at Portchester Castle. The museum at Reading, in Berkshire, houses artifacts from Silchester.

The county was invaded by Saxons and Jutes in the late 5th and early 6th centuries ce. It is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 755, when Hampshire formed the core of the powerful kingdom of Wessex, whose capital was Winchester. While it had suffered severely from attacks by Norsemen, during the late Middle Ages the county enjoyed a comparatively peaceful existence. In 1377, however, a French raid devastated Newport on the Isle of Wight. The few castles that were built include those at Odiham, Portchester, and Winchester. Medieval industries commonly included the manufacture of woollens, and Southampton was important for the export and import of wool and wine. The whole of the county remained in the episcopal see of Winchester from 676 until 1927, when the sees of Guildford and Portsmouth were created. Monastic remains are found at Beaulieu and Netley, in the great church of Romsey, and in Winchester cathedral.

The county has always been agricultural, its main concerns now being dairying and the production of corn (maize). Market gardening is locally important, particularly between Southampton and Portsmouth. There is still a large acreage of woodland—for instance, in the New Forest, a former royal hunting ground. Portsmouth and Gosport form one of Britain’s principal naval centres, and Southampton is a major passenger port. Petroleum is refined at Fawley. Tourism provides much employment, and resorts include Southsea and Hayling Island. Most larger towns have light industries such as engineering and brewing. Area, administrative county, 1,420 square miles (3,679 square km); geographic county, 1,456 square miles (3,770 square km). Pop. (2001) administrative county, 1,240,103; geographic county, 1,644,249; (2011) administrative county, 1,317,788; geographic county, 1,759,726.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Kenneth Pletcher.

Hampshire | England, Map, History, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

What was Hampshire originally called? ›

Hampshire takes its name from Southampton, and is called Southamptonshire on Victorian maps. The Norman names Southampton and Hampshire was Hamptun and Hamptunscire, which (nearly) explain the abbreviation.

What is Hampshire best known for? ›

There are so many top things to do in Hampshire, a county famous for the home of Downton Abbey at Highclere Castle, and the iconic Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. A county where Bombay Gin is made and where Jane Austen lived, wrote and is now laid to rest.

Why is Hampshire famous? ›

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.

What is the Celtic name for Hampshire? ›

Hampshire was part of an Ancient British kingdom the Celts called Gwent (not be confused with the county in Wales) or Y Went, describing the county's open downs, which also covered areas that would later belong to Somerset and Wiltshire.

What is the largest town in Hampshire? ›

The district of Basingstoke and Deane is large area covering 245 square miles. It contains a mix of countryside and small villages as well as the busy town of Basingstoke, which is the largest town in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

What is the ethnicity of people in Hampshire? ›

90.1% people are white, 5.0% people are asian, 2.2% people are mixed.

What is Hampshire famous food? ›

Hampshire is famous for lamb, beef and watercress.

Sheep have been important to the area at least since medieval times. The breed known as Hampshire Down appeared from the 1840's.

Is Hampshire a good place to live? ›

Hampshire has an impressive number of open spaces, magnificent country houses and stunning beaches to explore. With a combination of three historic cities, two national parks and miles of coastline, Hampshire has it all.

What is special about NH? ›

Nestled in the northern half of New England and sharing a border with Canada, New Hampshire is known for its diverse landscape and scenic beauty, small towns, outdoor recreation, an ivy-league college, and the highest peak in the northeastern United States.

What was invented in Hampshire? ›

Five Hampshire inventions that changed the world including the Spitfire and the hovercraft. Hampshire has a long history of innovation, with many famous inventors either born or working in the county. As you might expect, many inventions have been for maritime or military use (and sometimes both).

What is the main use of the Hampshire? ›

The Hampshire is used extensively as the sire of cross bred pigs for the pork and manufacturing markets in the USA and many other countries. It has the reputation of being the leanest of the North American Breeds and the majority of carcass competitions in North America are won by Hampshires and Hampshire crosses.

Is Hampshire affluent? ›

Five of Hampshire's towns make the 'Britain's Richest Towns' list which was compiled by Savills and based on the average property price in the area.

What are Hampshire people called? ›

An alternative origin could be linked to Hampshire having been the habitat of wild boar for centuries, earning its residents the nickname of 'Hampshire Hogs', which may have inspired the new name of our pub when it was changed from The Hog's Lodge Inn.

What was the old name for Hampshire? ›

Prior to becoming Hampshire, the country was officially titled the County of Southampton.

What Celtic tribe was Hampshire? ›

The Belgae were a large tribal confederation from northern Gaul, who settled in southern Britain around the 1st century BC. Their territory covered parts of modern Hampshire, centred on the Roman site of Venta Belgarum (modern Winchester).

What was NH originally called? ›

So it remained until the "War of the Revolution." Smith first named it "North Virginia" but King James later revised this into "New England." To the map was added the name Portsmouth, taken from the English town where Captain John Mason was commander of the fort, and the name New Hampshire is that of his own English ...

What is the old Hampshire? ›

The original Hampshire is on the southern coast of England Hampshire, sometimes historically referred to as Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, and the County of Southampton.

How did NH get its nickname? ›

Why is New Hampshire called the Granite State? In the early 1800s, people began to quarry granite in New Hampshire. The state got a reputation for having lots of granite that was both beautiful and strong. In 1825, a man named Philip Carrigain wrote a poem and a song that described New Hampshire as the Granite State.

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