Havant Timeline
Key events from c. 100 AD to present
Discover the key moments that shaped Havant. Explore the events that define our community.
c. 100 AD
Roman Activity at the Havant Springs
The springs at Havant, fed by underground chalk aquifers from the South Downs, were known to the Romans and likely served as a water source for settle...
c. 700 AD
Saxon Settlement Established
A Saxon settlement was established at Havant, its name deriving from the Old English 'Hamanfunta', meaning the spring of Hama, a reference to the natu...
1086
Havant in the Domesday Book
Havant is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, confirming that the settlement was established and functioning at the time of the Norman Conquest. Th...
1200
Medieval Market Town
By the early thirteenth century, Havant had established itself as a market town, with a regular market held at the crossroads of the four principal st...
c. 1400
Parchment Making at Havant
Havant became known for the production of parchment, a trade that depended on the abundant supply of clean spring water available in the town. Parchme...
1520
Construction of Warblington Castle
Warblington Castle was built in the early sixteenth century as a fortified manor house for the Pole family. Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, was ...
1643
Civil War Skirmishes
During the English Civil War, the Havant area saw military activity as Parliamentary and Royalist forces contested control of the Hampshire coast. War...
c. 1750
The Coaching Era
Havant sat on the main coaching road between London and Portsmouth, and the town benefited from the passing trade that this brought. Coaching inns, in...
1847
The Railway Arrives at Havant
Havant railway station opened in 1847, connecting the town to the national rail network. The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway line passed thro...
1867
Hayling Island Branch Line Opens
The Hayling Island branch line opened in 1867, running south from Havant station across Langstone Harbour to Hayling Island. The single-track line cro...
1947
Leigh Park Housing Estate Begun
In 1947, Portsmouth City Council began building the Leigh Park housing estate on farmland and the former grounds of Leigh Park House to the north of H...
1963
Hayling Island Branch Line Closes
The Hayling Island branch line closed on 4 November 1963, a casualty of the Beeching Report's recommendations for the reshaping of the British railway...
1985
The Springs Shopping Centre Opens
The Springs shopping centre opened in the 1980s as part of a major redevelopment of Havant town centre. The covered mall provided modern retail space ...
1988
A27 Havant Bypass Completed
The completion of the A27 Havant bypass removed through traffic from the town centre and provided a fast east-west route connecting Havant to Portsmou...
1989
Staunton Country Park Opens
Staunton Country Park opened to the public in 1989, providing a major recreational green space on the northern edge of the Havant area. The park occup...
2000
The Billy Trail Completed
The Billy Trail, a walking and cycling path following the route of the former Hayling Island branch line, was completed as a traffic-free recreational...