Fleet, Hampshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fleet |
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 Clocktower, Fleet |
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 Fleet
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| Population | 45,218 (built-up area) 23,485 (civil parish) (2021) |
| OS grid reference | SU8054 |
| • London | 38.2 miles (61.5 km) |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | FLEET |
| Postcode district | GU51, GU52 |
| Dialling code | 01252 |
| Police | Hampshire |
| Fire | Hampshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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<mapframe text="Current map of Fleet" width=282 height=282 zoom=13 latitude=51.2834 longitude= -0.8456 />
Fleet is a town in Hampshire, England. It is located about 38 miles (61 km) south-west of London. It is also about 13 miles (21 km) east of Basingstoke.
Fleet is the biggest town in the Hart District. It has many large technology companies. The town also has fast train links to London. It is well connected to the M3 motorway. The Fleet area has a total population of about 45,218 people. This number includes nearby areas like Church Crookham and Elvetham Heath.
The town has a well-known golf club. It also hosts an annual half marathon race. There is an athletics club and four football teams. A service station on the M3 motorway is named after the town.
Important local places include Fleet Pond. This is the largest freshwater lake in Hampshire. The town's main street has many old Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Fleet also has a market every Saturday in Gurkha Square.
Contents
Geography and Nature
This part of Hampshire has shallow, sandy soil. Much of it used to be boggy or covered in plants like gorse. This land was not very good for farming.
The areas and suburbs of Fleet include Pondtail, Ancells Park, and Elvetham Heath. The villages of Crookham Village and Church Crookham are right next to the town. Other nearby places are Winchfield and Dogmersfield.
The Fleet Pond nature reserve is a beautiful spot. It is on the northern edge of the town. Fleet Pond is the largest freshwater lake in Hampshire. The lake is very shallow. It needs regular cleaning to stop it from filling up with dirt. In the past, the lake would freeze over. People could go ice skating on it.
Climate
Fleet is in South East England. This means it has a mild climate. It is usually drier and warmer than other parts of the country. The average yearly temperature is about 9°C (48°F). January is the coldest month. Temperatures can be between 0.5°C and 2°C (33°F and 36°F). July is the warmest month. The average high temperature is around 21°C (70°F). The area gets about 600 mm (24 inches) of rain each year.
History of Fleet
The area where Fleet is now was once open heathland. The name Fleet likely comes from a French word. La Flete means a stream or shallow water. This refers to Fleet Pond. Monks from Winchester used to catch fish from the pond long ago.
In 1792, the Basingstoke Canal was opened. The canal went through the future town site. But it did not change the area much at first. Only a few inns were built for people using the canal. The area stayed mostly undeveloped.
Things changed when the London and South Western Railway opened in 1840. The railway company promoted Fleet Pond. It became a popular place for day trips from London. Many people came to skate on the pond in winter. This attracted wealthy people, especially retired army officers. They moved to an area known as "The Blue Triangle."
By 1860, a local landowner named Charles Lefroy built All Saints' Church. It was built in the "Blue Triangle" area. The church was built in memory of his wife. In 1862, Fleet became its own church parish. On June 22, 2015, the church roof was badly damaged by a fire. The church was repaired and could hold services again by April 30, 2023.
Fleet grew quickly after 1882. More land was sold for building houses. This new area was built in a grid pattern.
Growth of Fleet
In 1904, Fleet became an urban district. This meant it had its own local government. Over the years, Fleet grew larger. It took in parts of nearby areas like Elvetham and Crookham.
Fleet continued to expand. New housing areas were built. These included Ancells Farm and Elvetham Heath. Elvetham Heath was finished in 2008. It was one of the largest new housing developments in the UK at the time. It added about 3,500 people to Fleet's population. This made the total population around 35,000.
In the 1990s, two important places opened in Fleet. The Hart Shopping Centre opened in 1991. The old Hart Leisure Centre also opened then. A new Hart Leisure Centre was built in 2019.
Fleet used to be mainly a "dormitory town." This means many people lived there but traveled to London for work. Now, Fleet also has several business parks. Many of these are home to Information Technology companies.
Education
Fleet has many schools for children of different ages. These include:
- Crookham CE Infants
- Fleet Infants
- Heatherside Infants
- Heatherside Juniors
- All Saints
- Tavistock Infant School
- Elvetham Heath Primary School
- Church Crookham Juniors
- Tweseldown Infants
- Velmead Junior School
- Calthorpe Park School
- Court Moor School
- St Nicholas' School (an independent school for girls only)
Transport
Railway
Fleet has its own train station, Fleet railway station. It is on the main train line between London Waterloo and Southampton Central. Trains are run by South Western Railway. A trip to London Waterloo usually takes about 50 minutes. Express trains can do it in about 40 minutes.
Buses
Bus routes in Fleet are run by Stagecoach South. They provide local services. Buses also connect Fleet to nearby towns like Farnborough and Aldershot.
Road
The M3 motorway serves Fleet at junction 4A. Fleet services is a service station on the M3. It is located at the edge of the town. It was the only service station on the M3 until 2001.
Fleet's main road is Fleet Road. It runs through the town centre.
Air
The closest airports are Blackbushe and Farnborough.
Canal
The Basingstoke Canal was built in the late 1700s. It connected Fleet to Basingstoke. It also connected to London through the Wey navigation. By the early 1900s, the canal was not used much. Parts of it have been fixed up by volunteers. Now, it is used for leisure activities.
Sports and Fun Activities
Fleet is home to the North Hants Golf Club. This golf course has been one of the best in Hampshire for over 100 years. Famous golfer Justin Rose used to be a junior member here.
Fleet has four local football teams:
- Fleet Town F.C.
- Fleet Spurs F.C.
- Fleet Albion
- FC Fleet
Fleet also has a half marathon race. Many runners use it to prepare for the London Marathon. There is also an athletics club called Fleet & Crookham AC.
Media and News
Local newspapers include the Fleet News & Mail. This is a larger newspaper available in shops. The Surrey-Hants Star Courier is a free newspaper delivered to homes.
Local TV news comes from BBC South and ITV Meridian. Radio stations covering Fleet include BBC Radio Surrey and Greatest Hits Radio Surrey and North East Hampshire.
Culture and Events
The town has many events organized by the local carnival committee. The biggest event is the Fleet Carnival in the summer. Another popular event is the switching on of the Christmas lights. This is called Fleet Festivities. It usually happens on the last Wednesday in November. The main street, Fleet Road, is closed to traffic for the evening. The committee also arranges food festivals. These have stands from local restaurants and cooking demonstrations.
Other yearly events in Fleet include:
- A Half Marathon
- Fleet 10K race
- A beer festival by the local Lions Club
- A Fireworks night
- The Elvetham Heath Car Show
Gurkha Square is named after the Gurkhas. These soldiers were based in Fleet for many years. The Fleet war memorial is in Gurkha Square. A market is held in Gurkha Square every Saturday. Important buildings on Gurkha Square include Fleet Library and the Harlington Centre.
Fleet in Television
In the BBC TV show Motherland, one of the characters, Kevin Brady, has a mother who lives in Fleet. Kevin suggests a tandoori restaurant there called 'Second to Naan'.
Notable People from Fleet
Many interesting people have connections to Fleet. Here are a few:
- The actress Juliet Aubrey was born in Fleet in 1969.
- The musician Tim Battersby was born in Fleet in 1949.
- The actress Raquel Cassidy was born in Fleet in 1968.
- The musician and author Alan Clayson grew up in Fleet.
- Racing driver Jac Constable grew up and lives in Fleet. He won a racing championship in 2018.
- The magazine editor and journalist Mark Ellen grew up in Fleet.
- Professional tennis player John Feaver was born in Fleet in 1952.
- The comedian, musician, and actor Rob Hoey is from Fleet.
- Professional footballer Keith Hooker was born in Fleet in 1950.
- Diver Gemma McArthur is from Fleet. She competed for Scotland in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
- Racing driver Jack Mitchell lives in Fleet. He won a racing championship in 2018.
- Golfer Justin Rose was a member of the North Hants Golf Club in Fleet.
- Art critic John Russell was born in Fleet in 1919.
- Racing driver Dan Welch lives in Fleet. He competed in the British Touring Car Championship.
- Comedian Helen Bauer is from Fleet.
Freedom of the Town
Some people or military groups have been given the Freedom of the Town of Fleet. This is a special honour.
- Geoffrey "Geoff" Baker received this honour on March 22, 2022.
Images for kids
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All Saints Church
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View of Fleet Pond
See also
In Spanish: Fleet (Hampshire) para niños
