Portchester

Portchester is derived from its former Latin name Portus Adurni and the Old English suffix ceaster ("fort; fortified town"), itself derived from the Latin word "castrum."

{{main article|Portus Adurni}}

The fort of Portus Adurni is considered the best-preserved Roman fort north of the Alps.{{citation |last=Goodall |first=John |author-link=John Goodall (author) |title=Portchester Castle |publisher=English Heritage |year=2008 |orig-year=2003 |location=London |isbn=978-1-84802-007-8 |page=3}} It is sometimes identified as the Caer PerisNennius ({{abbr|attrib.|Traditional attribution}}). Theodor Mommsen ({{abbr|ed.|Editor}}). Historia Brittonum, VI. Composed after AD 830. {{in lang|la}} Hosted at Latin Wikisource. listed by the 9th-century History of the Britons as among the 28 cities of Britain.Ford, David Nash. "[http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html The 28 Cities of Britain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415120312/http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html |date=15 April 2016 }}" at Britannia. 2000.Newman, John Henry & al. [http://www.mocavo.co.uk/Lives-of-the-English-Saints-St-Gilbert-Prior-of-Sempringham-Volume-3/527392/459 Lives of the English Saints: St. German, Bishop of Auxerre, Ch. X: "Britain in 429, A. D.", p. 92.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321234154/http://www.mocavo.co.uk/Lives-of-the-English-Saints-St-Gilbert-Prior-of-Sempringham-Volume-3/527392/459 |date=21 March 2016 }} James Toovey (London), 1844. The medieval Portchester Castle was built within the Roman fort.

In 1931 the civil parish had a population of 2267.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10083357/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Portchester CP/AP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=23 April 2024}} On 1 April 1932 the parish was abolished and merged with Fareham and Portsmouth.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10083357|title=Relationships and changes Portchester CP/AP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=23 April 2024}} It is now in the unparished area of Fareham.

As well as the castle, its parish church {{nowrap|St Mary's}}[http://www.stmary-portchester.org.uk/ St Mary's Portchester]. is listed as a Grade I protected building.{{NHLE|num=1339235|desc=CHURCH OF ST MARY |access-date=28 July 2016}}{{cite journal|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/12/nvicar112.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117083758/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/12/nvicar112.xml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 November 2007|title=News: Breaking stories & updates |journal= Sunday Telegraph |issue=2,409|date= 12 August 2007 |publisher=telegraph.co.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}} There are also many historic houses in Castle Street. This suburb is well placed for waterfront leisure activities, only a short distance from the UK's 3rd-largest marina at Port Solent, from the historic city of Portsmouth, and from the market town of Fareham.

• Portchester Castle
• Portsdown Hill – Including Portchester Common{{cite web|url=http://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/parks_and_open_spaces/portchestercommon.aspx|title=Portchester Common|publisher=fareham.gov.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}} a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
• Wicor Recreation Ground{{Cite web |url=http://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/sport_and_fitness/recgrounds.aspx |title=Recreation Grounds |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131013122522/http://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/sport_and_fitness/recgrounds.aspx |archive-date=13 October 2013 |url-status=dead}} – Home to A.F.C. Portchester and Wicor Skate Park.{{cite web|url=http://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/parks_and_open_spaces/skate_parks/wicorskate.aspx|title=Wicor Skate Park|publisher=fareham.gov.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}
• Wicor Shore

• Portchester Community School, a mixed comprehensive community school for 11- to 16-year-olds.
• Wicor Primary School{{cite web|url=http://www.wicor.hants.sch.uk|title=Wicor Primary School: Home|publisher=wicor.hants.sch.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}
• Northern Infant School{{cite web|url=http://www.northern-inf.hants.sch.uk|title=Northern Infant School|publisher=northern-inf.hants.sch.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}
• Northern Junior School{{cite web|url=http://www.northern-jun.hants.sch.uk|title=Northern Junior School|publisher=northern-jun.hants.sch.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}
• Red Barn Primary School{{cite web|url=http://www.redbarnprimaryschool.co.uk|title=Home - Red Barn Community Primary School|publisher=redbarnprimaryschool.co.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}
• Castle Primary School{{cite web|url=http://www.castleprimaryschool.co.uk|title=Home | Castle Primary School|publisher=castleprimaryschool.co.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}

Opened in 1958, it is on the lower slopes of Portsdown Hill. It is owned by a Joint Committee representing the City of Portsmouth and the Boroughs of Fareham, Havant and Gosport. It has two chapels, the North (added 1969) and South (original).{{cite web|url=http://portchestercrematorium.org/|title=Crematorium website.|publisher=portchestercrematorium.org|access-date=28 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802022510/http://www.portchestercrematorium.org/|archive-date=2 August 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Those cremated there include two World War I Victoria Cross recipients, Norman Augustus Finch and James Ockendon who both died in 1966.{{cite web|url=http://www.victoriacross.org/cohampsh.htm|title= Burial locations of VC holders in Hampshire. |publisher=victoriacross.org|access-date=28 July 2016}}

Portchester has a Non-League football club A.F.C. Portchester, which plays at Wicor Recreation Ground.

• Neil Astley, publisher and founding editor of Bloodaxe Books, born in Portchester
• Emily Farmer, watercolour painterB. S. Long, "Farmer, Emily (1826–1905)", rev. Charlotte Yeldham, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/33080 accessed 8 Aug 2007]

• Neil Gaiman, author, born in Portchester[http://www.theage.com.au/news/books/whats-fame-got-to-do-with-it/2005/07/23/1121539192285.html%3Foneclick=true What's fame got to do with it?], Frances Atkinson, The Age, 24 July 2005{{cite web|last1=Flood|first1=Alison|title=Neil Gaiman novel inspires Portsmouth street name|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jun/21/neil-gaiman-portsmouth-street-ocean|website=The Guardian|date=21 June 2013|access-date=30 April 2015}}
• Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive, Virgin Atlantic Airways
• Mike Hancock, former MP for Portsmouth South and former Councilor for Fratton ward, has lived in Portchester for over 30 years

Portchester railway station is managed and operated by South Western Railway with frequent Southern Railway services. Services run along the coast to Southampton, Fareham, Portsmouth, Havant, Chichester and Brighton. London services to London Waterloo (via Fareham) and London Victoria (via Barnham) also stop at the station.

First Hampshire & Dorset services to Portsmouth, Havant, Fareham, Titchfield, Locks Heath and Warsash.

The A27 road bisects Portchester east–west between Fareham and Cosham on the northern outskirts of Portsmouth. Access to the M27 motorway is via Junction 11 at Fareham or Junction 12 at Port Solent.

• A.F.C. Portchester
• List of places of worship in the Borough of Fareham
• Portchester Community School

{{Reflist|2}}

• [http://www.stmary-portchester.org.uk/ St Mary's]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20181006012528/http://portchestercastle.co.uk/ Portchester Castle Information]

{{Hampshire}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Villages in Hampshire

Category:Former civil parishes in Hampshire

Category:Borough of Fareham