Townhill Park

Infobox UK place
country = England
map_type = Southampton
official_name= Townhill Park
latitude = 50.9308
longitude = -1.3579
unitary_england= Southampton
lieutenancy_england= Hampshire
post_town= SOUTHAMPTON
postcode_area= SO
dial_code= 023
constituency_westminster=Southampton Itchen
region = South East England
postcode_district= SO18
static_

static_image_caption=Meggeson Avenue is the main road through the Townhill Park housing estate

Townhill Park is a suburb of Southampton, England, bordering Swaythling, Bitterne Park and West End. It is built on land which once belonged to the house which carries the same name.

History

The Manor of Townhill was granted to Sir William Paulet by Henry VIII in 1536 after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The land was mainly used for farming, and became known as Townhill Farm.

Townhill Farm became part of the Manor of South Stoneham, but was purchased in 1787 by Nathaniel Middleton, who had made his fortune in the service of the British East India Company. He turned the farmhouse into a private home, and the estate became known as Townhill Park. He enlarged the farmhouse, but a fire resulted in a complete revamp of the property in 1793. The property later passed into the hands of the Gater family, who also owned the nearby Gater's Mill in Mansbridge.

In 1897, Townhill Farm was purchased by Samuel Montagu, 1st Baron Swaythling, for his son Louis (who became the second Baron Swaythling in 1911). In 1912, extensive further modiciations were made to the building by architect Leonard Rome Guthrie. The gardens at Townhill Park were laid out by Gertrude Jekyll and were noted for their rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. The Montagu Family lived in Townhill Park until the mid 1940s.

The property was sold in 1948. 294 acres were sold to Southampton Borough Council for housing, and the suburb of Townhill Park came into existence. Meanwhile the house itself and the remaining 30 acres of land became a school for underprivileged girls, owned and operated by Middlesex County Council. The school closed in 1969 and the building was acquired by Southampton City Council. From 1971, the building was used as a hostel for Merchant Navy cadets, housing 75, until 1984 when the house became a conference centre.

In 1994, Townhill Park House was purchased by the private Gregg School. The Friends of Townhill Park Gardens was established in 1997 to restore the gardens, which are now open to the public on four days each year. The house, too, is occasionally open for guided tours. The house is a grade II listed building. [ [http://www.southampton.gov.uk/Images/Listed%20Buildings%20in%20Southampton%20-%20List_tcm46-161808.pdf Southampton City Council: Listed buildings in Southampton] Accessed 17th September 2007.]

Townhill Park today

The local authority boundary between Eastleigh (borough) and Southampton runs through the old Townhill Farm property, and the area is divided. The house and gardens, and the suburb of Chartwell Green in West End parish, lie within Eastleigh (borough) while the suburb of Townhill Park is governed by Southampton City Council.

The Townhill Park suburb consists mainly of blocks of flats, built originally as council housing. The hub of the area is Meggeson Avenue, where a small parade of shops, a public house, and a small community centre are located. It also contains the Townhill Infant and Townhill Junior schools.

Events

On 15th March 2007, a double stabbing occurred in a ground floor council flat in Meggeson Avenue. Sue Hale, 49, and carer Sarah Merritt, 39, were found bound and stabbed in Ms Hale's Townhill Park home. The building was sealed off with residents of the block being evacuated.

A 47-year-old man, who is from Southampton, was held in Swanage, Dorset, on 17th March. At 14:35 GMT on 20th March, David Tiley was charged with the two murders at Alton Police Station, and later appeared in the local magistrates' court. He appeared at Winchester Crown Court on 28th March and was remanded in custody until 25th May. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2044912,00.html The Guardian: News in brief, 29th March 2007: Man remanded in double murder case] Accessed 31st March 2007]

References

* Brown, Jim. "The Illustrated History of Southampton's Suburbs". Breedon. ISBN 1-85983-405-1.
* Mann, John Edgar. "The Book of The Stonehams". Halsgrove. ISBN 1-84114-213-1.
* [http://www.gregg-school-trust.co.uk/garden/garden.asp Townhill Park House Gardens and The Friends of the Gardens]

Around Southampton