Southampton Walk: City Centre【4K】

Описание: Located in the county of Hampshire, on England's south coast, is the city of Southampton.

Geographically Southampton is situated around the confluence of the River Test and the River Itchen, the two of which flow into the Solent - the straight between the Isle of Wight and mainland England.

In the Domesday Book of 1086 Southampton is recorded as 'Hamtun', which was the name given to the settlement by the Saxons in the part of the city which today forms the St Mary's area. Following the Norman Conquest Southampton became a key port of transit between Winchester, England's capital at the time, and Normandy. By the 13th century the port of Southampton was thriving, exporting English cloth and wool and importing French wine. By the 14th century a trade route was opened up to Italy, where luxury items such as spices, perfume and silk were imported. At this point Southampton had become the third busiest port in England, behind London and Bristol.

In addition to a Norman Castle, Southampton was further fortified in the 13th century with the construction of town walls to safeguard its prosperity as a trading port. By the late 14th century the town was completely encircled by 2 kilometres of stone walls with 29 towers and 8 gates, as well as a set of cannons, which were a technological innovation at the time.

A section of Southampton's defensive walls remains intact to this day. The West Gate is located just adjacent to the Western Esplanade, and marks the point at which Henry V led his 9,000-strong army to the port before setting sail for Agincourt in 1415. The outcome was a decisive victory for the English despite being outnumbered at least four to one by the French.

Another surviving section of the town walls is the Bargate. Built circa 1180, this gatehouse is situated at the northern end of the High Street. It has survived multiple proposals for its demolition in the early 20th century owing to concerns regarding the increase in road traffic. Thankfully each of these suggestions were rejected, although in the 1930s it was detached from the town walls.

In 1620 the Mayflower set sail to America from Southampton. This was the ship that transported 102 passengers of English families, known as the Pilgrims, all the way to the New World. After three months at sea, including an emergency stop at Plymouth, Devon, the ship eventually reached its namesake: Plymouth, Massachusetts.

In the 18th century Southampton became a spa town following the discovery of a spring in the area. This brought about a period of popularity among fashionable society of the time. Sea bathing was also encouraged despite there being no natural beaches around.

Southampton experienced significant growth in the Victorian era. In 1838 work began on constructing Southampton Docks, which would open four years later. In 1840 the first railway station arrived in the town, built by the London and Southampton Railway.

In 1912 the RMS Titanic departed from Southampton docks on her ill-fated maiden voyage. Today the only ocean liner still in service crossing the Atlantic is the Queen Mary 2 which runs a regular service between Southampton and New York, having succeeded the Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2004. She can be seen at the start of the video from Mayflower Park.

Due to its strategic importance as a commercial port and industrial area, Southampton was targeted for bombing by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Hundreds died during the Southampton air raids and thousands of buildings were destroyed. Much of the architecture is 20th century due to the rebuilding following the war. However, some historical buildings remain intact, including Tudor House (7-minute mark), St Michael's Church (8-minute mark) and Medieval Merchant's House (10-minute mark).

In 1964 Southampton was granted city status.

Southampton is represented in sport by Southampton Football Club, who formed in 1885.

Famous people from Southampton include Benny Hill and Craig David.

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Filmed: 23rd June 2021

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/i8Xqp4CBdc7XVMWd9

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 River Test
0:12 Queen Mary II
0:22 Mayflower Park
2:37 Town Quay
3:33 Western Esplanade
3:57 The West Gate
4:14 Westgate Street
5:17 The West Gate
5:31 Westgate Street
6:18 Bugle Street
6:59 Tudor House
7:51 St Michael's Square
7:57 St Michael's Church (dates from 1070, oldest building in Southampton)
8:07 St Michael's Square
8:36 Castle Way
10:02 Medieval Merchant's House (14th century)
10:21 Passage leading to High Street
11:11 High Street
12:40 Holyrood Church (shell of a 14th century church destroyed in the Blitz in 1940)
12:46 High Street
16:08 Bargate
17:45 Above Bar Street
22:32 Civic Centre Road
23:56 Southampton City Council building