Category: Uncategorized
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The Myth of Vyse Lane
There is a suggestion that Vyse Lane, a small alley between Bugle Street and French Street, was once known as Gropec**t Lane, so-called because of its reputation as somewhere frequented by prostitutes. Without meaning to rain on this particular parade, I strongly suspect this is a myth that has grown up without any historical foundation.…
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The Mystery of the Civic Centre Carvings
Inside the south block of Southampton’s Civic Centre, on the first floor, are two intriguing sculpted panels. One, above the entrance to the Council Chambers, features the head of a man and the other, surmounting the entrance to the Mayor’s Parlour, is the head of a woman. Each is finely carved with different features denoting…
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The Saxons, Stoneham and Redbridge
The Venerable Bede’s The Ecclesiastical History of the English People contains an interesting anecdote related to Southampton. Written around the 730s, Bede is one of our best sources on the Anglo-Saxon period. Though he never visited the area, he clearly had other sources at his disposal regarding events that had occurred in (what is now)…
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Chandler’s Ford – What’s In A Name?
Forgive this slightly daft post containing wild speculation trying to pin down how Chandler’s Ford got its name… Barbara Hillier’s excellent book The Story of Chandler’s Ford explores the etymology of the name provides a few theories. One is that the area is named after a 14th century individual called Adam le Chaundler, and another…
Andy V Skinner 