Waterlooville
| Waterlooville | |
|---|---|
| Population | Expression error: "Approx 10,000" must be numeric |
| OS grid reference | SU682092 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Waterlooville |
| Postcode district | PO7 & PO8 |
| Dialling code | 023 |
| Police | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Fire | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
Waterlooville is a town in Hampshire, England approx 8 miles north of Portsmouth.
The town has a population itself of about 10,000 and is surrounded by the villages Purbrook, Blendworth, Cowplain, Lovedean, Clanfield, Catherington, Crookhorn, Denmead, Hambledon, Horndean and Widley. It forms part of the South Hampshire conurbation. The old A3 London to Portsmouth road still goes through the town.
The town is twinned with Maurepas, Yvelines in France.
History
Legend has it that it was named after the pub that stood at the centre of town, then known as Waitland End. The Heroes of Waterloo was named because on its opening day a long column of weary soldiers, who had just disembarked at Portsmouth returning home from the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, decided to stop there and celebrate their victory. According to local legend, many of them settled there; at any rate the pub was renamed in their honour and the area around the pub became known as Waterlooville.
The original "Heroes" pub was at a crossroads near the main bus-stop. A new pub has taken the name and is located at the northern end of the shopping precinct.
One of the local electrical shops called "Eric Jacksons ltd" has been open since 1928 and is the oldest retailer in the town. The business now in its 3rd generation was started by Eric, then Michael and is now run by Peter Jackson.
The town centre was pedastrianised in 1985, when Maurepas Way was constructed to take traffic away from the main shopping area. Earlier the A3(M) had been constructed which had greatly reduced traffic passing through the town.
Community
Waterlooville has an Air Training Corps unit, number 2260 (Waterlooville & Districts) Squadron, located in Forest End, near the town centre. Offering young people aged 13-20 an insight into aviation and the Royal Air Force as well as flying and gliding in RAF aircraft, shooting, orienteering, camps and visits to RAF stations across the world.
Transport
The main shopping precinct is served by First in Hampshire & Dorset bus routes 40/X40 and 41, 42 and Stagecoach services 37, 38 and 39. The A3 Bus Corridor priority route (being constructed between 2003-2007) serves the town. As of 2006, the shopping precinct is closed to all road traffic other than buses.[1]
The nearest train station is located in Havant and is on the main train route between London and Portsmouth
Sport
The town's senior non-league football side is Havant & Waterlooville F.C.
Politics
The town is within the Borough of Havant and includes the Waterloo, Hart Plain, Cowplain, and Stakes wards.
The town is partly within two parliamentary constituencies East Hampshire, the current MP being the conservative Michael Mates, and Havant with the MP being David Willetts, also a conservative.
GEC Marconi bulit a site at Waterlooville for their Underwater Systems in the early 1980's. Which involved the Stingray anti submarine torpedo. A peace camp was set up near the constrcution site. After complition of the GEC building, a free music festival was held at Old Park Farm in Waterlooville called Torpedo Town. A second Torpedo Town festival was held in August 1987 at Bramdean Common near Winchester.
Education
Waterlooville contains four primary schools: Stakes Hill Infant School, Hulbert Junior School, Wait End Primary and St. Peter's Catholic Primary.
It contains three secondary schools: Oaklands Catholic School, Purbrook Park School (Language College) and The Crookhorn Community School (College of Technology).
There are two colleges, Oaklands Catholic Sixth Form College and South Downs College.