| Lee-on-the-Solent | |
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  Lee-on-the-Solent shown within Hampshire |
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| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| District | Gosport |
| Shire county | Hampshire |
| Region | South East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Hampshire |
| Fire | Hampshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| European Parliament | South East England |
| List of places: UK • England • Hampshire | |
Lee-on-the-Solent, often referred to as Lee-on-Solent, is a small seaside town in Hampshire, England about five miles west of Portsmouth. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government History The Rowner area of the peninsula was known to have been settled in Saxon times mentioned in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles as Rughenor (Rough bank or slope Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South East England is one of the nine official Regions of England. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Hampshire Constabulary is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in southern England The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is the Statutory fire and rescue service for the area of Hampshire, on the south Coast of England The South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing NHS Ambulance services in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, South East England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of settlements in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, England. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which The village is located on the coast of the Solent and forms part of the borough of Gosport. The Solent is a stretch of Sea separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England. History The Rowner area of the peninsula was known to have been settled in Saxon times mentioned in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles as Rughenor (Rough bank or slope It is primarily a sleepy residential area, with an upsurge of mostly local visitors in summer, but is well known as home to the Royal Naval Air Station HMS Daedalus (previously known as HMS Ariel), and its booming ice cream trade. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) was one of the primary shore airfields of the Fleet Air Arm.
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History
The village gained its name from the river Lee, a small stream that flows from Peel Common into the Solent, which was originally used to name three hamlets along its length. Two of the hamlets, Lower Lee and Middle Lee, were to become Lee-on-the-Solent, while a third hamlet (known as Upper Lee) was to become Peel Common. [1]
From the 19th century onward, there were attempts to develop Lee-on-the-Solent as a resort. Early impetus came from Charles Edmund Newton Robinson, who persuaded his father, John Charles Robinson, art curator and collector, to fund the buying of land. Over the period 1884 to 1894 the village was established with the setting out of Marine Parade, a pier, railway connection along with a number of impressive red brick villas. The railway service was discontinued in the 1930s and the pier, unrepaired after breaching in aid of coastal defence in World War II, was demolished in 1958. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including [2]
In 1935 the Lee Tower complex was built on the seafront next to the old pier and railway station. Designed by architects Yates, Cook & Derbyshire, it comprised a v-shaped white building in Art Deco style housing a cinema, ballroom and restaurant, with a 120-foot tower with viewing platform at the apex. Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939 affecting the decorative arts such as Architecture, Interior design, and Industrial Unfortunately this tower complex which if it were standing today would now be a grade 1 listed building, was demolished in 1971 by Gosport Council. [3][4]
Lee-on-the Solent has had a long association with flying. Seaplane trials took place at Lee-on-the-Solent as early as 1915. A base for Seaplane training was established in 1917 on the current Daedalus site.
Modern times
The Royal Naval Air Station HMS Daedalus has been closed for several years but remains in use for leisure gliding and as the base of a HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) was one of the primary shore airfields of the Fleet Air Arm. Her Majesty's Coastguard is the service of the Government of the United Kingdom concerned with co-ordinating Rescue at sea The site has now been split up with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) and South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) largely owning the land. The airfield area is operated by Hampshire Police on behalf of the MCA.
A Planning Application was Approved in February 2008 for the construction of a Multi-Purpose Driving Test Centre with Motorcycle Manoeuvring Area (MPTC) from the Driving Standards Agency, inside a part of the Daedalus site. This part of the site has now been acquired by the DSA and is currently under Construction. It is anticipated that the new Driving Test Centre (MPTC) will be ready by September 29th 2008, in time before EC Directive 2000/56/EC comes into force which will require Motorcycle Tests to be conducted from a MPTC. [5]
In 2003 the community of Lee-on-the-Solent received nationwide attention for probably the first time in its 120-year existence for the wrong reason. The government had proposed to house asylum-seekers at the former HMS Daedalus base which forms a large area of the resort. At once, the Daedalus Action Group was formed under the Chairmanship of John Beavis to oppose the scheme with the support of a large number of local residents. After a U turn in Government policy, the Home Office finally decided in February 2004 to abandon the asylum centre plan and the action group celebrated with a rally on the seafront. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the argument, a strong community spirit was evident throughout. Channel 4 produced a fly-on-the-wall Dispatches documentary "Keep them out" [2] in 2004 dealing with both sides of the argument. Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
In early May 2006 20 unexploded pipe mines were found under HMS Daedalus during runway repairs. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. A land mine is an Explosive device designed to be placed on or in the ground to explode when triggered by an operator or the Proximity of a vehicle person 60 feet (20 metres) long, they were left over from 265, packed with a total of 2,400lb of gelignite, planted in World War II to make the airfield unusable in the event of a Nazi invasion. 60 ( sixty) is the Natural number following 59 and preceding 61. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit "Twenty" redirects here For the village in England, see Twenty Lincolnshire. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International Gelignite, also known as blasting gelatin, is an Explosive material consisting of Collodion - Cotton (a type of Nitrocellulose World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German The subsequent removal, thought to be the largest of its kind in peacetime Britain, led to the evacuation of some 900 homes staggered over a 5 week period. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located [6]
Whilst Lee has a High Street which contains a number of shops it is in gradual decline. The once bustling shopping centre has slowly become mostly a collection of takeaways, charity shops and estate agents, but a number of independent shops still survive. This has come about since the number of retirement homes has drastically increased and the younger population have been pushed away, and many people choose to shop at out-of-town outlets, taking trade away from the High Street. Lee is gradually losing its popularity as a holiday destination. This was not helped by the closure of the Belle Vue Hotel after its planned expansion was halted by local objections, with its subsequent demolition and the building of apartments for the elderly. Which litter lee's seafront.
Large new developments in the 1980s, 1990s, have swelled the population. More recently 1,050 [3] new units have been built at the Cherque Farm area of the village, and further development will take place over the next few years. Elsewhere along Marine Parade, the once jewel of this seaside village, has lost most of the original villas and hotels to developers. Today several original properties remain boarded up awaiting the fate of the developers demolition gangs.
With commanding views of the Solent and across the Isle of Wight, Lee seafront quite rightly used to be packed with families and people enjoying the beach nearly all year round. From Browndown right the way along as far as Hill Head in the west you would be hard pushed to find a spot to sit and enjoy yourself. Lee no longer has the hotels to attract holiday makers as it once did, today's visitors tend to be day trippers. The seafront train has long since gone from the seafront with its station turned into a collection of beach huts, tucked away behind the car park near the location where the Lee Tower used to stand.
Places of interest
The views out to sea from the cliffs at Marine Parade are forever changing and are always interesting. From a vantage point on the grassy banks, it is possible to see shipping movements of large container ships and cruisers into Southampton and Portsmouth, sailing boats, ferries and of course the backdrop of the Isle of Wight.
The seafront on Marine Parade East is where the Club House is situated for the Lee on the Solent Sailing Club LOSSC. This friendly and well supported sailing club has commanding views across the Solent where you can enjoy a drink of your choice whilst watching the sun go down over Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The club offers competitive racing with a good selection of Dinghy classes. There are Lasers, Laser 2000 Class Association, RS400s and plenty of dinghys for the youngster including Toppers, Optimists and a fair amount of other popular classes.
The club has racing on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from March to October as well as on Tuesday evenings from April through to November. The club house has a well equipped Galley that serves great bar food as well as more traditional meals throughout the week.
At the signal station, where the racing starts and finishes can be found a smaller galley that can provide light snacks and soft drinks for the people involved in racing or training of adults and youngsters at the weekend. It is a RYA accredited Sailing School and is open to visitors and day sailors alike. Boats can be hired if you would like to get on the water during hot summers.
Lee-on-the-Solent is the home to the Hovercraft Museum which houses the world's largest collection of rare Hovercraft including some of the earliest and largest. A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV is an Amphibious vehicle or craft, designed to travel over any sufficiently smooth surface supported by It can be found on the main road along the seafront and hosts an open day every summer.
Further towards Gosport is the area known as Browndown. History The Rowner area of the peninsula was known to have been settled in Saxon times mentioned in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles as Rughenor (Rough bank or slope It is a former naval firing range and makes an interesting walk in summer. A shooting range is a specialized facility designed for Firearms practice There are many old relics to explore, and it's not unknown to find large jellyfish washed up on the shore. Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. They have several different basic morphologies that represent several different cnidarian classes including the Browndown army camp was the setting for the television series Bad Lads Army. Bad Lads Army is a British Reality TV programme specifically of the kind that constitutes a historically derived social experiment - other examples being Browndown army camp is also used as a summer activity camp for young cadets from all over the country. This article refers to the general definition of cadet A Cadet may also be a member of the Cadets, a historical Russian Political party.
A short walk from the High Street in Lee is the Lee-on-the-Solent Tennis Club (known colloquially as the LOST Club). High Street, or the High Street, is a Metonym for the generic name (and frequently the official name of the primary Business street Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) It is a popular spot with locals and features a small bar, a gym (with squash facilities),six tennis courts and a sports therapist. The word γυμνάσιον (gymnasion was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual Education of young men (see Gymnasium Squash is a racquet sport that was formerly called squash racquets, a reference to the "squashable" soft ball used in the game (compared with the In mathematics Six is the second smallest Composite number, its proper Divisors being 1, 2 and 3.
Lee is also home to a few pubs such as The Old Ship, The Bun Penny, The Wyvern and The Inn by the Sea.
References
- ^ P Bennett, E Hannen: Another Bit of History (Part 1), Newsletter, Lee-on-the-Solent Sailing Club, Summer 2003
- ^ Local information, The Book Shop, Lee-on-the-Solent
- ^ Portsmouth, Alan H. Balfour, Peter Hollins, Geoffrey Broadbent, Studio Vista, 1970
- ^ Historical tour, Discover Gosport
- ^ Gosport Borough Council [1], Planning Application Reference 17477
- ^ Biggest mine clearance in peacetime, Hampshire Chronicle, September 12, 2006
6. The book of Gosport by Lesley Burton and Brian Musselwhite
External links
- World Gazeteer entry
- Lee-on-the-Solent, old photos, Gosport. info
- Hovercraft museum website http://hovercraft-museum.org/
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