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Hampshire Holiday Cottages
The county of Hampshire is in the very heart of southern England with excellent transport links and a unique mixture of cultural activities, historical locations, ancient forests, military and naval associations, all set in rolling countryside and coastal tourist resorts. Hampshire offers a unique blend of attractions and towns for your cottage holiday location.
Main Towns in Hampshire:-
Aldershot & Farnborough ~ Alton & Bordon ~ Andover ~ Basingstoke ~ Bournemouth ~ Poole ~ Chichester ~ Guildford ~ Isle of Wight ~ Newbury ~ New Forest ~ Petersfield ~ Portsmouth ~ Fareham ~ Gosport & Havant ~ Reading ~ Salisbury ~ Southampton ~ Eastleigh & Romsey ~ Winchester.
Things to do in Hampshire:-
Hampshire has an abundance of things to do and see for your planned cottage holiday.
Some of the many attractions in Hampshire:-
Marwell Zoo ~ http://www.marwell.org.uk/
National Motor Museum @ Beaulieu ~ Follow the history of the motor vehicle.
Winchester Cathedral ~ Come to one of England's largest Cathedrals. Winchester was originally the capital of England before London.
Portsmouth Historical Dockyard ~ Portsmouth is the home for the British Naval Base and also home to the Royal Naval Museum, The Royal Naval Submarine Museum, HMS Victory [Nelson's flagship], Henry VIIIs Tudor Wooden flagship from the 15th Century and HMS Warrior.
D-Day Museum, Portsmouth
Charles Dickens' Birthplace, Portsmouth
Jane Austen's House, Alton
Southsea Castle, Porchester Castle, Portsmouth
Broadlands Stately Home, Southampton ~ The former home of Lord Mountbatten. Built in 1767, this stately home has an extensive collection of art work and exquisite furnishings.
Maritime Museum, Southampton ~ This Museum features a Cunard story of the fateful maiden voyage of the doomed RMS Titanic which sailed from Southampton and contains personal stories from survivors and memorabilia.
Beaulieu Abbey-Palace House, Beaulieu ~ A religious site and historic home located in the New Forest.
Winchester Castle and Great Hall, Winchester
Ocean Marina, Southampton ~ For all you mariners the Ocean Marina is a must to visit from your cottage holiday, packed with private yachts, cruise ships, excellent restaurants and a shoppers' paradise.
St.Barbe Museum & Art Gallery, Lymington ~ Located in the New Forest.
Military Museums in the ancient town of Winchester ~ Here you will find the Gurkha, The King's Royal Hussars, The Light Infantry, The Royal Green Jackets and The Royal Hampshire Regiment dedicated museums and military paraphernalia.
Fort Brockhurst, Portsmouth ~ A Military Base
Sea Life Centre ~ Portsmouth
Bishops Waltham Palace, Southampton ~ The remains of a grand medieval residence dating from the 12th and 14th centuries.
Bursledon Brickworks, Southampton ~ This is the last surviving steam powered brickworks which only closed in 1974 and has been converted into a working museum.
Calshot Castle, Southampton ~ This historic castle was commissioned by Henry VIII as one of the fortresses to protect the important naval ports of Portsmouth and Southampton during the 15th Century.
Common Conversation Walks, Southampton ~ Here the environmentally friendly visitors can learn how to help preserve the countryside and protect wildlife and the environment.
Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre, Southampton ~ Enjoy the wildlife of the surrounding countryside and learn more about protecting the environment.
Itchen Valley Country Park, Southampton ~ Another environmental day out for the family with plenty of walking trails and children's play areas.
Lamma Lands, Southampton ~ A national reserve situated on the ancient Lammas land.
Hall of Aviation, Southampton ~ An interesting museum tracing back the history of aviation in Hampshire, which contains examples, such as the Sandringham Flying Boat.
The Mayflower Memorial and Mayflower Museum, Southampton ~ A monument which records the departure of the Pilgrim Fathers who set sail in the Mayflower in 1620 for a new life in the new world of America from the port of Southampton.
Netley Abbey, Southampton ~ Visit the romantic ruins dating back to the 13th.Century which were alleged to be an inspirational location for poets such as Horace Walpole and Thomas Gray.
The Otter, Owl & Wildlife Conservation Park, Southampton ~ A 25 acre wildlife and nature reserve.
Romsey Abbey, Southampton ~ The tiny market town of Romsey is a religious centre for the Anglican church and contains the remains of Romsey Abbey dating back to 1120.
Hurst Castle, Southampton ~ this castle was commissioned by Henry VIII as a chain of fortresses to protect the estuary of the Solent. This was where the ill-fated King Charles I was imprisoned in 1648 prior to his trial for treason and subsequent execution under the proclaimed Protector Oliver Cromwell.
Longdown Dairy Farm, Southampton ~ Take the family for a day on the farm where you can all learn how to milk a cow and appreciate dairy farming and how to care for sick animals.
Basing House, Basingstoke ~ Once the site for the largest Tudor residence and the palace of William Paulet, who was the first Marquees of Winchester.
Southampton
Southampton is a city which has been at the heart of trade and a port bristling with a unique maritime history. The city of Southampton was the departure port for the ill-fated RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage to New York and became the UK's premier port for cruise liner holidays which still continues today.
Southampton can boast a maritime visitor experience with Europe's largest on-water boat show, garden festivals supported with international cuisine and a myriad of shops, bars, theatres and multiplex cinemas. Southampton is a 24 hour city full of life and vitality and was even voted the fittest city in Britain.
A cottage holiday vacation around Southampton will probably encourage you to improve your lifestyle as you can enjoy the healthy attitude to living and enjoy the sports amenities and well kept parks and open spaces.
Portsmouth
A city, a port and a great place to visit, Portsmouth, as its name implies, is located on the coast and the Solent and a city steeped in naval history. Portsmouth started life as a tiny Saxon fishing village and, because of its strategic importance, Portsmouth became a military garrison and home to the world's once most powerful and influential maritime navy and sea faring forces in history.
Portsmouth became home to the Royal Navy and houses at least a dozen museums and has also been the inspiration to artists, writers and poets alike. Here are some of Portsmouth most famous former residents:
Portsmouth and its famous residents have been making history for centuries. From Dickens to Doyle, Portsmouth has an impressive literary heritage and continues to inspire writers today. Find out more by clicking on the links below.
Charles Dickens, Herbert George Wells, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Peter Sellers, Rudyard Kipling, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson
If you enjoy the sea or have naval connections, then Portsmouth is a city for you to visit and enjoy for your cottage holiday location.
Winchester
This ancient city located on the rim of the South Downs, Winchester was once the ancient capital of England before London became the seat of power. Winchester was the city of King Alfred the Great.
The earliest settlements in Winchester started around 150BC and, since then, kings and bishops, particularly during the Saxon period, left their mark on Winchester when the city officially became the capital city of England and the seat of power.
Winchester boasts a clean city life and wonderful rolling English countryside and is a must see city with its towering Cathedral and charming streets.
Hampshire has an abundance of interesting attractions and these are only some of the many for you to choose from for your cottage holiday with places to see and things to do for all ages and interests. A cottage holiday to Hampshire will keep the whole family happy.