Hampshire
The Mayflower and Ponies
Hampshire is a county in the south east of England and at one time, its city of Winchester was the capitol of England.
After the Normans arrived this was moved to London, however Winchester retained some of its importance sharing power for two hundred years
It is a popular destination for visitors with plenty to see and do here, the counties southern edge lies on the English Channel and the Solent, just of the coast is the Isle of Wight which is a fashionable holiday destination.
Hampshire has many regions of natural beauty but it was the Royal Hunting Forest (The New Forest) that made it popular with the nobility. Today this Forest is known for its ponies and deer population.
Other Natural areas include the Downs and the Weald the city of Winchester and its cathedral is a popular tourist destination as is the Motor Museum at Beaulieu.
Famous residents of the county include Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Charles Kingsley.
The pre Raphaelite artist artist John Everett Millais hails from the county, which has been painted by several artists most notably Turner and Lowry.
Selborne was the home of Gilbert White; his house is now a museum. The Engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born in Hampshire.
Hampshire has two of England’s largest ports Southampton and Portsmouth and has a magnificent maritime history; famous ships to have set sail from here include the Mayflower and the Titanic. These days you can go aboard Nelsons ship the Victory or visit Henry the VIII's flagship the Mary rose.
Towns in Hampshire
| Bournemouth | Winchester | Lymington |
| Lyndhurst | Bucklers Hard | Southampton |
Activities in Hampshire
Cathedrals
Winchester Cathedral - Magnificent Norman Cathedral
Wildlife Park
New Forest Wildlife park - Wildlife park and Rescue Centre
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