Southampton 1846.
This is plan number 1 from a series
of 60 which mapped the proposed railway from
Southampton to Cheltenham. The Manchester and Southampton Railway
was to join the Southampton and Dorchester line at Millbrook and the the joint tracks
were then to run along a viaduct adjacent
to the shore line to a terminus near Royal
Pier.
This map is a composite of a general plan
of the lands along the Southampton Water shore line in the parishes of All Saints and Millbrook, with an inserted and more
detailed enlargement plan of the Parish of
Saint Michael where the railway was to terminate.
Some of the features illustrated on
the map include Westgate Quay, the Royal Yacht Club House, Royal Pier, West Quay & West Place, Cuckoo Lane,
Westgate Street, parts of the town wall, Bugle Street, St Michaels Church, Zion Chapel, All Saints Church on the High
Street, an Independant Chapel off Above Bar, West Magdalen Common, Four Posts, the Turnpike Road to Dorchester and several more minor roads
including those to Water Lane, Romsey and
Winchester. Parts of the parishes of Holy Rhood, St John, St Michael, All Saints and Millbrook are shown. The enlargement the diversity
of individual buildings related to waterfront
and harbour trade.
The plots of land adjacent to the proposed
railway are numbered and also supplied with the print will be a copy of
the relevant pages from a directory which
accompanies the original plan. For each numbered
plot this gives details of the property,
its ownership, lessee and occupier.
For example Plot 60 is described as, "Assembly Rooms, Shop, Workshop, Stores, Garden, Court,
and Roadways" owned by The Mayor, Aldermen
and Burgesses of the Borough of Southampton
and the Commissioners for paving, lighting
and improving the town of Southampton, lessed
to Jonathan Webb and Joseph Hill, and
occupied by Thomas Clarke, Edwin Abrahams
& William Faichen.
Plot 33 is described as, "Bathing Houses, Slips,
Garden and Mudlands" owned by The Mayor,
Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of
Southampton, The Lords of the Admiralty and the
Commissioners of Her Majesty's Woods
and Forests, lessed to Charles Marett,
and occupied by Charles Dear.
The plan was part of the parlaimentary application
for a Bill to grant permission to build the
railway. The rules of the time required all
papers for the following parliamentary session
to be submitted by the end of November. Copies
of these papers had to be placed with each
county through which the railway was to run
and at parliament. Evidence of how close
to the wire things were run is seen from
a hand written comment at the top of the
map which reads, "30'th November 1846 Deposited in
my office at half past two p.m. (signature)
Clerk of the Peace of the County of
Wilts."
The plan thus provides details of the social
history of the location, and the facilities
and some of the inhabitants along the Southampton waterfront, over 160 years ago.
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