Highfield, Southampton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Highfield |
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 Highfield Church building |
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 Highfield
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SOUTHAMPTON |
| Postcode district | SO17 |
| Dialling code | 023 |
| Police | Hampshire |
| Fire | Hampshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Highfield is a lively area in Southampton, England. It's located just north of the city center. Highfield is surrounded by places like Southampton Common, Bassett, Swaythling, and Portswood. It's most famous for being home to the main campus of the University of Southampton. This big university was actually built on an old brick-making field!
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A Look Back in Time
Highfield has a long and interesting history. Old maps of Southampton suggest that the name "Highfield" might have come from "Hayfield" or "Hay field". This makes sense, as Highfield used to be a quiet, countryside area, just like many other parts of Southampton before they became busy suburbs.
Highfield Church
Highfield Church, also known as Christ Church, was built in 1847. It started as a smaller church serving the nearby area of South Stoneham. Even today, its official name is "Christ Church, Portswood". The person who designed the church, Joshua Brandon, sadly passed away before it was finished. He is buried right there in the churchyard.
Grand Old Houses
In the past, many large country houses stood in Highfield. Some of these included Highfield House, Uplands, Heather Deane, and Ivy Bank. These houses were quite grand! You can see them on maps from the late 1800s. Some of these old buildings, like Ivy Bank, are still standing today, though the areas around them have changed a lot. Sadly, Highfield House and Uplands were taken down.
Early Schools in Highfield
Education has been important in Highfield for a long time. Highfield Church of England School was set up in 1846 and opened its doors in 1849. This school building is still next to the church today.
Famous Families and Connections
In the 1800s, Highfield House had links to the Royal Navy. Several important naval officers owned it. Another house, Uplands, was once called "The Rosaries". In 1861, it was home to Revd Thomas McCalmont, a Church of England priest. His son, Alfred, became the Mayor of Southampton when he was only 26 years old in 1877. Two beautiful stained glass windows in Highfield Church remember the clergyman and his sons.
Trams and Transport
The Southampton Tramways Company bought Highfield Stables in 1888. This is where they kept the horses that pulled their trams! The stables could hold 31 horses. Later, more buildings were added for buses and electric trams, which started running from the depot in 1904. The tram sheds were no longer used after around 1949 and were taken down by volunteers in 1969.
Taunton's School Moves In
In 1913, the Uplands house was put up for sale and later taken down. Taunton's School was built in its place. This school was founded way back in 1752 by Richard Taunton, a wine merchant. The school had been in other parts of Southampton before moving to Highfield. The new building's foundation stone was laid in 1925.
Between 1922 and 1936, much of the land around Uplands was developed. This area, designed by Herbert Collins, is now a special conservation area. It includes 200 houses and flats built in Collins' unique Georgian style. Collins even used a stream that runs through Highfield to create pretty green spaces and an ornamental pond.
Highfield During World War II
During World War II, in 1941, Highfield Church was attacked by German planes. Eight bombs fell near the church, but none hit it directly. Even though there was some damage, the church still held its morning service the very next day!
Schools Become Colleges
Taunton's School, which was a grammar school, became a sixth form college in 1967. This means it focused on education for students aged 16-18.
In 1997, Taunton's College joined with Hill College. The new college kept the name Taunton's College but moved to the old Hill College campus. The Highfield site was then sold to the University of Southampton. The university moved its arts faculty into the building, making it bigger and renaming it Avenue Campus. The Avenue Campus also stands where the old Highfield tram depot used to be.
Notable People from Highfield
Highfield has been home to some very interesting people:
- Edward J. Smith: He was the captain of the famous ship, the RMS Titanic.
- R. J. Mitchell: He was the brilliant designer of the Spitfire airplane.
- Pete Thomas: A talented musician and composer.
