Hamble-le-Rice,commonly known asHamble,is a village andcivil parishin theBorough of Eastleighin Hampshire, England. It is best known for being a flying training centre during theSecond World Warand is a popular yachting location. The village and theRiver Hamblealso featured in the 1980sBBCtelevision seriesHowards' Way.The village centre, known as The Square, Hamble, has a more traditional English village aesthetic which differentiates it from the small industrial areas (mostly marinas) close to the village.
| Hamble-le-Rice | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
 The Square, Hamble | |
 The village crest | |
  Hamble-le-Rice Location withinHampshire | |
| Population | 4,695 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SU479066 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Southampton |
| Postcode district | SO31 |
| Dialling code | 023 |
| Police | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Fire | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
Location
editHamble-le-Rice is on the south coast of England, south-east ofSouthamptonat the tip of the Hamble peninsula, bounded byNetley,Butlocks Heath,Bursledon,Southampton Waterand theRiver Hamble.
History
editAlthough previously known as "Hamble", "Hamelea", "Hammel", and "Ham-en-le-Rice", the village's official name is now Hamble-le-Rice.[1]The name "Hamble" is still in common usage. On 27 April 1992, the civil parish was renamed from "Hamble" to "Hamble-le-Rice".[2]To the south of the village, lies the site of anIron Agepromontoryhillfort,Hamble Common Camp.
The place-name 'Hamble-le-Rice' is first attested in a French document of 1147, where it appears asAmle.It appears asHamelein 1270, and ashamele in the Rysin 1404. The village takes its name from theRiver Hamble;theRiceis theOld Englishhrīsmeaning 'brushwood' or perhaps by extension 'scrubland', and of which the modern form is the wordrushes.Thus a modern form of the name might be 'Hamble-in-the-Rushes'.[3]An alternative explanation for the "-le-Rice" ending is that this derives from the Norman French "en le rys", meaning "on the hill".[4][5]
The area is home to the remains of a defensive structure dating to the reign of KingHenry VIII.[6]Known asSt Andrew's Castle,investigations suggest that it consisted of a rectangular structure fronted by a gun platform with a semi-circular layout.[6]The structure was protected by a moat, with a two gun platforms mounted on thecounterscarp.[6]The structure was intact as late as the early 17th century.[7]
Aerospace
editHamble-le-Rice was the home of a major flying school before and during the Second World War for aircraft including theSpitfire,theLancasterand theWellington.Over 500 aircraft were built there including the prototypeArmstrong WhitworthEnsignandAlbemarle,which were first flown in 1938 and 1940. In 1960 the Air Corporations Joint Training Scheme (later, British Airways) fixed wing and helicopter training school was established there, as theHamble College of Air Training.The south airfield has long since disappeared[8]and the north airfield has been partially developed as housing; the remainder is overgrown and owned by property developersPersimmon.
The aviation industry retains a large interest in Hamble-le-Rice, with the Hamble Aerostructures factory, now a subsidiary of the Spanish company Aernnova, in Kings Avenue.[9]
The following units were here at some point:[10]
- No. 1 Basic Air Navigation School RAF
- No. 2 Air Experience Flight RAF
- No. 3 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School RAF
- No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School RAF
- No. 11 Air Observers Navigation School RAF
- No. 14 Reserve Flying School RAF
- No. 15 Ferry Pilots Pool ATA
- 780 Naval Air Squadron
- No. 2706 Squadron RAF Regiment
- Southampton University Air Squadron
Industrial areas
editHamble-le-Rice is home to three main marinas offering marine services and goods to the boating industry. In addition, large factories and smaller industrial units off Ensign Way and Hamble Lane are used byCooperVision,Qioptiq Photonics Ltd., BP, Hoyer, GE and others. Some of these businesses are 24-hour operations with large numbers of staff who commute to work. The fuel terminal itself is not visible from the B3397: there was extensive development in the early 2000s when wartime hangars were demolished and high-density housing built next to the road, near the terminal. TheRoyal Yachting Association(RYA), a non-profit organisation, has its offices in Hamble.
Schools
editThere are two schools in Hamble-Le-Rice:
- Hamble Primary School
- Hamble School,a secondary school (formerly Hamble Community Sports College)[11]
The River and Environment
editHamble-le-Rice is a boating mecca: the nearbyRiver Hambleis often packed with marine traffic and, during the summer, the whole village is crowded with people out enjoying the water, local restaurants and many pubs. The village and its river is one of the many locations that made up the fictional village of Tarrant, in the BBC television seriesHowards' Way,shown weekly onBBC Onein the late 1980s.
Hamble-le-Rice is home toHamble Common,a variety ofestuarywildlife, and other scenic walks.
Fuel terminal
edit
Hamble fuel terminal was opened byShellin 1924, whilstBPwas still afloat using a converted passenger liner as a fuel tender. In 1930 the two companies formed a joint venture and BP moved to Hamble. This partnership was dissolved in 1976, with the Hamble terminal passing to BP.[12]A 2016 attempt to sell off the terminal was unsuccessful; however Hoyer now handles BPs bulk fuel road transport operation.[13]
A pipeline runs underSouthampton Waterfrom theFawleyoil refinerywhich supplies the BP fuel terminal at Hamble. This fuel terminal was used to supplyPLUTO,during theinvasion of EuropeinWorld War II.[14]ThePLUTOpipeline started atShanklinon theIsle of Wightand was supplied by ship from Hamble.[14]The jetty at this fuel terminal was extended in 1943/44 so that more ships could be loaded simultaneously.[14]
Fuel is transported from this depot both day and night, in particular early mornings (between 3am and 6am), by 44 tonne road tankers along the B3397, as well as by pipeline to major industry and airports.[citation needed]Markers showing the route of the pipeline can be seen at various points in neighbouringBotley.A now disused branch line ran from the terminal to thePortsmouthtoSouthamptonrailway. This is now the scenic Strawberry Trail.
Transport links
editThe Hamble Peninsula has one main access road, the B3397, Hamble Lane, which is approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) long and goes straight through the village from the junction with theA27Portsmouth road. Hamble Lane has had numerous incidences of traffic accidents.[15]and at its intersection with Portsmouth Road anAir Quality Management Area(AQMA) exists to monitornitrogen dioxidetraffic pollutants.[16]The B3397 is a very high volume road; a traffic count in March 2003 showed around 16,300 vehicles in a 24-hour period.[15]Daily traffic congestion and slow moving queues are due to the large number of inbound and outbound commuters, on staggered work shifts. Many businesses supply local companies as BP Oil UK, CooperVision and GE Aviation and minor industry and services within the four marinas and industrial areas off Ensign Way. Road oil and petrol tankers form the bulk of the heavy goods vehicles along this road, numbering a few hundred vehicle movements per day.[citation needed]The village is served byHamble railway station,about two miles from the centre of the village, which provides hourly services to bothSouthampton CentralandPortsmouth Harbour.[17]It is also linked by a pedestrianferrytoWarsash,and has frequent bus services to Southampton - the '15' provided byBluestar,[18]via Netley and Woolston. There is also a service, the '49h', toHedge End,provided byStagecoach South.[19]
People
edit- SirSam Fay,General manager of theGreat Central Railway1902–22, was born here in 1856.[20]
- Michael S. Robinson,naval art historian, was born here in 1910.
- Boat builderW.S. Lukeand his sonsAlbert LukeandWalter Lukecame here in the late 1880s to establish their boatyard.
- Ronnie and Reggie Krayhad a cottage in the Village][21]
- Tracy Edwards,Skipper ofMaiden,the first all-female round-the-world crew, lived in the village for a while.
- Robert Greenhalgh,Volvo Ocean Raceveteran and four times sailing world champion, lived in the village
- Dani Rowe,née King - cyclist (Women's Team Pursuit World Champion 2011, 2012 and 2013; Women's Team Pursuit Gold Medallist atLondon 2012) the cycle path into the village is named in her honour and she is the reason for thevillage post box being painted goldby theRoyal Mailto commemorate her success at the home olympics.
- Basil Lubbock,sailor, soldier and historian lived in the village.
Sport and leisure
editThe main sporting activity in the village is sailing with it being the centre of UK offshore sailing and a hub for inshore yacht and keelboat racing. This is partly due to its mainland location and closeness to Cowes on the Isle of Wight. There are three sailing clubs within the village:
- Hamble River Sailing Club was founded in 1919[22]
- RAF Yacht Club open its Hamble club house in 1952[23]
- Royal Southern Yacht Clubopened in the 1930s, with the club one of the oldest in the world being established in 1837[24]
In addition Warsash Sailing Club based on the other side of the river also contributes significantly to sailing activities within the village hosting the annual spring series championship and other regattas. Together with offshore racing primarily organized by theRoyal Ocean Racing Cluband theJunior Offshore Group.
TheRoyal Yachting Association,the sport's national governing body, has had its headquarters in the village since the early 2000s, when it moved from Eastleigh to a new purpose-built building.
The village has twonon-league footballclubs;Folland SportsandHamble Club,both of which play in theWessex League.
A speedway training track used to operate at Hamble in the early 1950s. There is now a sports college in Hamble to provide recreation and leisure.
References
edit- ^"A brief history of Hamble".Archived fromthe originalon 14 July 2014.
- ^"Southampton Registration District".UKBMD.Retrieved7 November2021.
- ^Eilert Ekwall,The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names,p. 214
- ^Ritchie, Susannah (1984).The Hamble River and much about Old Bursledon.Horndean, Hampshire: Milestone Publications. p. 7.ISBN0-903852-49-7.
- ^"Local Development Framework (2011 – 2026)"(PDF).Eastleigh Borough Council.Retrieved5 November2024.
- ^abcOsborne, Mike (2011).Defending Hampshire The Military Landscape from Prehistory to the Present.The History Press. p. 57.ISBN9780752459868.
- ^Osborne, Mike (2011).Defending Hampshire The Military Landscape from Prehistory to the Present.The History Press. pp. 58–59.ISBN9780752459868.
- ^"Hamble Airfields".Archived fromthe originalon 6 June 2012.
- ^"AERNNOVA TO ACQUIRE GE AVIATION'S HAMBLE BUSINESS UNIT".Aernnova Aerospace S.A. 4 October 2019.
- ^"Hamble".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved22 April2020.
- ^"The Hamble School – Achieving Excellence Together".Thehambleschool.co.uk.Retrieved20 April2018.
- ^"BP in Hamble".Hamble.net.Retrieved14 August2009.
- ^Martin, Ben (20 July 2016)."BP eyes sell-off of UK oil terminals and pipeline stake".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved20 April2018.
- ^abcHampshire and D-Day. Martin Doughty. 1994.ISBN1-85741-047-5
- ^ab"Hamble Lane Speed Limit Review"(PDF).Meetings.eastleigh.gov.uk.August 2003.Retrieved24 January2022.
- ^"Archived copy".Archived fromthe originalon 21 October 2016.Retrieved21 October2016.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 14 July 2014.Retrieved11 July2014.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^"15 - Southampton - Woolston - Netley - Hamble".
- ^"49h - Hedge End Park - Hamble Square via Bursledon Tesco, Netley".
- ^van der Merwe, Pieter (15 January 2000)."Obituary – Michael Robinson 1910 – 1999".Erithyachtclub.org.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 4 December 2010..
- ^McNeil, Paul (27 June 2016)."The Krays on The Hamble Peninsula".Timedetectives.blog.Retrieved24 January2022.
- ^"Hamble River Sailing Club: Club History".Hrsc.org.uk.
- ^"RAFYC Home - The Royal Air Force Yacht Club".Rafyc.org.uk.
- ^"Royal Southern Yacht Club: Club History".Royal-southern.co.uk.Retrieved24 January2022.
External links
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