A BRIEF HISTORY OF PORTSMOUTH.
As early visitors, the Romans discovered the natural shelter offered by Portsmouth Harbour and built a fort at Portchester, later to become Portchester Castle.
A wealthy Norman merchant, Jean de Gisor, effectively founded Portsmouth in 1180. He purchased the manor of Buckland, Portsmouth harbour providing a safe haven for his merchant ships and was an ideal location to trade with Normandy.
Henry VII built the worlds earliest known dry dock in 1495 at Portsmouth Dockyard. Under the monarchy of Henry VIII Portsmouth Dockyard saw dramatic expansion and new fortifications such as Round Tower, the Square Tower and Southsea Castle were built to provide protection from invasion.
By 1850 the naval dockyard at Portsmouth is said to have been the largest industrial site in the world.
During the 18th century homes were built outside the town walls, expanding into the new town of Portsea. But this still only occupied a small area of Portsea Island, the remainder being mainly farmland.
By the beginning of the 19th century housing spread across more of the island and the seaside resort of Southsea to the south of the island was developed by architects such as Thomas Ellis Owen (1804-1862).
The remainder of Portsea island continued to be developed with more housing and businesses and by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 the majority of the island land had been used, apart from small pockets reserved for military purposes and municipal parks.
Portsmouth was attacked heavily during the Blitz of World War Two due to its military importance as home of the Royal Navy. During July 1940 and July 1944 Portsmouth was attacked 67 times. 930 people were killed and many more were wounded.
After the war new housing was required and areas such as Paulsgrove to the north of the island were developed, other large areas of the city were rebuilt, leading to the mixture of architectural styles in evidence today.
Portsmouth continues to evolve with redevelopments such as the Pompey Centre at Fratton goods yard and Gunwharf Quays at the former HMS Vernon site.
