West End, Hampshire

Infobox UK place
official_name= West End
map_type= Southampton
country= England
region= South East England
static_

static_image_caption= The old West End fire station, designed by Herbert Collins
latitude= 50.922
longitude= -1.3309
os_grid_reference= SU471138
post_town= SOUTHAMPTON
postcode_area= SO
postcode_district= SO30
postcode_district1= SO18
dial_code= 023
constituency_westminster= Eastleigh (constituency)
civil_parish= West End
shire_district= Eastleigh
shire_county= Hampshire
website= [http://www.weparish.co.uk/ West End Parish Council]

The Parish of West End in Hampshire is situated within the borough of Eastleigh, and to the north east of the city of Southampton. As well as the village itself, the parish contains the Chartwell Green suburb of Southampton, the Rose Bowl Cricket Ground, St. James CE Primary School, The West End Brewery public house and Moorgreen Hospital.

The village is small and generally classed as an area in the outer suburbs or rural urban fringe of Eastleigh because of the surrounding woodland and countryside, including Telegraph Woods and Itchen Valley Country Park.

History

Early history

A series of round barrows, dating from the Bronze Age (2000-600 BC), have been discovered in the Moorgreen area of the parish. There were five of these, all situated behind (ie. to the north of) the present Moorgreen Hospital site. [http://www.hants.org.uk/westendlhs/barrow/index.html West End Local History Society: Barrows] ] A hilltop fort from the Iron Age was built on the ridge above the village around 600-100BC. [http://www.hants.org.uk/westendlhs/briefhist.html West End Local History Society: Brief History of West End] ] . A shutter telegraph station operated from the site during the Napoleonic Wars, forming part of the line connecting London to Plymouth. It was this station that gave the name to the nearby Telegraph Woods. [ [http://www.hants.org.uk/westendlhs/telegraph/index.html West End Local History Society: Shutter Telegraph] ]

The village was originally a hamlet which grew up around a track between Romsey and Portsmouth. The hamlet had a chapel by 1552 primarily for the use of the lords of the manor of Allington. When the track became a turnpike road in the early 19th century, the hamlet began to grow.

19th century

In 1838, a national school was opened to house 192 children.

The hamlet was within the parish of South Stoneham until the ecclesiastical parish of West End was established in 1840, two years after the construction of the original St James' Church. In 1846 a Bible Christian chapel was constructed in Chapel Road.

A poor house had existed at the eastern end of the village for some time, and in 1848 this was replaced by a red-brick workhouse. This eventually became Moorgreen Hospital.

An extra room was added to the national school in 1866. In 1871 an independent school for younger children was opened, having been built by Mrs Harriet Hazlefoot.

In 1890, the spire of St James' was struck by lightning and the building was replaced. The civil parish was established in 1894. A number of boundary changes have taken place since then.

Harriet Hazlefoot's school became the infants' department of the national school in 1894.

20th century

During the 20th century, the school moved again into a new (third) building and was renamed St James' Primary School. The second school building was became Hilldene Community Centre, where a number of adult education courses and other activities take place.

In 1900, two further Methodist chapels were built, one in the Moorgreen area and one in Swaythling Road. In September 1904 the children of the national school were moved to a new location with the old school building becoming the parish hall.

In 1954, Harefield was transferred out of the civil parish and into Southampton.

During the 1970s, Maurice Robinson, represented the ward on Hampshire County Council as a member of the Conservative Party.

A Roman Catholic church building was opened in the village in 1961.

21st century

The Rose Bowl cricket ground was constructed in 2000 along with accompanying hotel and conference facilities and a 9-hole golf course. It has hosted several international cricket games and is an incredibly popular site to watch matches for such a small village. [ [http://www.rosebowlplc.com/pages/venue/ Rose Bowl: Venue] ]

References