Eastleigh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eastleigh |
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| Town | |
 The Point, Eastleigh's old town hall |
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 Eastleigh
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| Population | 24,011 (unparished area, 2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SU4563818844 |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | EASTLEIGH |
| Postcode district | SO50 |
| Dialling code | 023 |
| Police | Hampshire |
| Fire | Hampshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England. It sits between the larger cities of Southampton and Winchester. Eastleigh is the biggest town and the main office location for the Borough of Eastleigh. In 2011, about 24,011 people lived there.
The town is built near the River Itchen. This river is famous for fly fishing and is a special natural area. Eastleigh used to be just small villages. But in the 1800s, it grew into a busy railway town. This happened because the London and South Western Railway built a major railway hub there.
Contents
- How Eastleigh Grew: A Look at Its History
- Learning in Eastleigh: Schools and Colleges
- Places of Worship in Eastleigh
- Sports Teams in Eastleigh
- What Eastleigh Makes: The Economy
- Getting Around Eastleigh: Transport
- The Swan Centre: Shopping and More
- Famous People from Eastleigh
- Eastleigh's Twin Towns
- See also
How Eastleigh Grew: A Look at Its History
The town of Eastleigh is located on an old Roman road. This road was built in 79 AD. It connected Winchester (then called Venta Belgarum) and Bitterne (then Clausentum). Roman items found in Eastleigh, like a lead coffin in 1908, show that people probably lived here even back then.
A Saxon village called 'East Leah' existed in 932 AD. 'Leah' is an old Anglo-Saxon word. It means 'a clearing in a forest'. Records from 932 AD show that King Æthelstan gave land in North Stoneham to his military helper, Alfred. This proves the settlement was there. The name 'Est' or 'East' likely means it was east of the older village of Baddesley.
The Domesday Book of 1086 gives more details. It calls the settlement 'Estleie'.
In 1838, the London and South Western Railway Company (L&SWR) built a railway. It ran from Southampton to Winchester. They decided to build a station near the small village of Barton. This railway station was first called Bishopstoke Junction. In 1868, the villages of Barton and Eastley joined together. They formed one parish. A church, the Church of the Resurrection, was built that same year. It cost £2,300. A famous author, Charlotte Mary Yonge, gave £500. She got to choose the new parish's name. She picked Eastley, but with a new spelling: Eastleigh.
In 1891, the L&SWR moved its Carriage and Wagon Works to Eastleigh. These were big workshops for trains. Later, in 1909, the Locomotive Works also moved there. These railway works closed in 2006. However, they have since reopened, but they are smaller now.
Eastleigh has grown a lot recently. Many new homes, factories, and shops have been built. A TV show in 2006 even called the borough of Eastleigh the "9th best place to live in the UK."
The United States Navy built an air base in Eastleigh in 1918. They used it to fix planes for World War I. The base closed after the war ended. Perhaps Eastleigh's most famous connection is the Supermarine Spitfire plane. It was built in Southampton and first flew from Eastleigh Aerodrome. Today, a copy of the Spitfire stands at the airport's entrance roundabout.
The Eastleigh Museum is on High Street. It has information about the town and nearby villages. This includes Bishopstoke, which was once the biggest living area.
Learning in Eastleigh: Schools and Colleges
Eastleigh has two colleges for further education. These are Barton Peveril Sixth Form College and Eastleigh College. Both are on the same road. Famous actor Colin Firth went to Barton Peveril.
Crestwood Community School is the main secondary school for the town. Primary schools include Cherbourg, Norwood, Nightingale, and The Crescent. Shakespeare Infant and Junior Schools are also in the north of the town.
Places of Worship in Eastleigh
The main Anglican church is All Saints on Desborough Road. The Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Cross was built in 1902. It replaced an older, simpler church. Emmanuel Baptist Church started in the 1930s. It is in a building that dates back to 1905.
Eastleigh Baptist Church is on Wells Place. It used to be called Union Baptist Church. Next to it is the Wells Place Centre. This building is on the site of an old dairy.
St Andrew's Methodist Church is on Blenheim Road. Junction Church is on Eastleigh's High Street. Thrive Church meets at the Pavilion on the Park.
Sports Teams in Eastleigh
Eastleigh F.C.: The Spitfires
Eastleigh F.C. is the town's main football team. They play in the National League. They also play in the FA Cup and FA Trophy. Their nickname is The Spitfires.
Solent Kestrels: Basketball
Solent Kestrels is Eastleigh's basketball club. They play in the English Basketball League Division 1. This is the second-highest level of basketball in England. The team moved up to Division 1 in 2016. They play their home games at the Fleming Park Leisure Centre.
Eastleigh Ladies Hockey Club
Eastleigh Ladies Hockey Club is based in South Hampshire. They have two teams in the Hampshire Women's League. They also play indoor and floodlit games during the week.
Eastleigh Rugby Football Club
Eastleigh Rugby Football Club plays from "the Hub" in Eastleigh. They have four senior teams and also develop young players. Their main team plays in the London 2 South West league. "The Hurricanes" also play at the Hub. This team is for young adults with learning difficulties.
Eastleigh Running Club
There is a running club in Eastleigh for people of all abilities.
Eastleigh Swim Club
Eastleigh Swim Club offers swimming lessons and training. They also hold competitions for young people and adults. The club is mainly based at Places Leisure, Eastleigh. They also train at Oaklands Pool in Southampton.
What Eastleigh Makes: The Economy
The main office for B&Q is in Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh. B&Q is a big home improvement store. The town also used to have a Mr Kipling bakery.
Eastleigh is also home to a factory owned by Prysmian Cables & Systems. They make cables and wiring.
Getting Around Eastleigh: Transport
By Air: Southampton Airport
Southampton Airport is located in Eastleigh. It is the 20th largest airport in the UK. The airport has its own train station, Southampton Airport Parkway. This station is just a 5-minute train ride from Eastleigh.
By Train: Eastleigh Railway Station
Eastleigh railway station is on the main railway line. This line goes from London Waterloo to Southampton Central and beyond. South Western Railway provides services to these places. Eastleigh is also a junction. This means other train lines branch off here. These include the Eastleigh–Fareham line and the Eastleigh–Romsey line.
By Bus: Local Services
Most bus services in Eastleigh are run by Bluestar. Stagecoach also runs one service to Winchester.
By Road: Motorway Connections
Eastleigh is close to where the M3 motorway and M27 motorway meet. This makes it easy to drive to London, Southampton, Winchester, Bournemouth, and Portsmouth.
The Swan Centre: Shopping and More
The Swan Shopping Centre opened in 1989. It was built in the middle of the town's old street layout. It blocked off Market Street and High Street for cars. However, people could still walk through it. The Swan Centre included a French-style café and a new library. The old library in the Park is now part of The Point.
Famous People from Eastleigh
Many famous people have connections to Eastleigh. Painter Mary Beale lived here. Chrystabel Leighton-Porter was a model for the World War II cartoon character Jane. Comedian Benny Hill also lived in the town.
Benny Hill's first job was at Woolworths on Leigh Road. Then he became a milkman for Hanns Dairies. His time delivering milk with a horse-drawn float gave him the idea for his hit song, Ernie, The Fastest Milkman In The West. A plaque honors him near where Hanns Dairies used to be. A new road is also named Benny Hill Close.
Sir Arthur Young, a famous chief of police, was born in Eastleigh in 1907. In sports, Tommy Green won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1932. He won it for the 50K walk at the Los Angeles Games. Vince Hawkins was the British Middleweight Boxing Champion in the late 1940s.
Other notable people from Eastleigh include:
- Heinz Burt (1942–2000) (a pop musician)
- Scott Mills (born 1973) (a Radio 2 DJ)
- Giz Watson (an Australian politician)
- Nirmal Purja (a mountaineer)
- Paige Wooding (a professional wrestler known as Jamie Hayter)
Eastleigh's Twin Towns
Eastleigh has special "twinning" relationships with other towns around the world. This means they share culture and friendship.
Eastleigh is twinned with:
- Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, France
- Kornwestheim, Germany
It also has a "sister city" relationship with:
- Temple Terrace, Florida, United States
The friendship with Kimry in Russia was stopped. This happened because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
See also
In Spanish: Eastleigh para niños
