SOUTHAMPTON, Hampshire, it town, a municipal and parlia mentary borough, a seaport, and a county of itself, is situated on a peninsula between the rivers Alre, or Itehin, on the east, and the Teat, or Anton, on the west, at the head of Southampton water, in 50' 54' N. let, 1' 24' W. long., distant 12 miles S. by W. from Win chester, 74 miles S.W. from London by road, and 30 miles by the London and South-Western railway. The population of the borough in 1851 was 35,303. The borough is governed by 10 aldermen and 30 councillors, of whom one is mayor; and returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. The livings are In the archdoeconry and diocese of Winchester. For Poor-Law purposes the town is governed under a Local Act.
The 'Roman town of Clausentum, though not on the exact site of Southampton, may be regarded as its predecessor. Clansontum stood on a point of land formed by the winding of the Itchin, on the left bank of that river, about 1 mile N.E. from Southampton, now occupied by Bitteru Farm, where still exist traces of a fosse and vellum which defended the place on the land side. The foundation of the present town is ascribed to the Anglo-Saxons. The town was attacked but without success, by the Danes, in 837 ; plundered by them in OSO ; and again occupied as their winter-quarters in 994. In the Saxon Chronicle the town is called Ilamtene and Snth-Hamtun ; in the Domesday-Book, llantono and Rentune. In 1339, being the year after the sack of Southampton by the French or Genoese fleet [Hammitt az), the defences of the town were repaired and strengthened. It was at Southampton that Henry V. embarked in his first invasion of France in 1415. In 1512 the Marquis of Dorset, who was sent to the support of Ferdinand the Catholic in his war against France, embarked with 10,000 men at Southampton.
The county of the town of Southampton comprehends the whole of the point of land between the rivers, and extends about 3 miles along the bank of the Itchin. The town is built ou a gravelly soil, somewhat elevated on the bank of the Anton, which washes it on the west and south sides. The principal street (High-street) runs north and south, and is divided into two parts by an ancient 'bar' or gate way belonging to the old town wall, considerable portions of which, with the west gate and south gate, are still standing. That part of the street which is south of the bar was included in the town, and is about half a mile long; the remainder, distinguished as ' High street above bar,' or Above-bar-street,' belonged to the suburbs.
The principal streets are lighted with gas and well paved. On the south side of the town is the quay, near which is the pier, a structure of considerable extent and elegance, erected some years since, and called Victoria Pier, after her Majesty, by whom, before her accession, it was opened. On the platform or battery near the quay is a long brass gun which bears the date 1542, and was presented to the town by Henry VIII. The Winchester road is adorned by a fine avenue of elms, which, however, are gradually disappearing as new houses are erected. The New Town, on the northern side, contains several spacious streets of excellent houses. A road from the southern part of the town to the Itchiu leads to the floating bridge which forms the communication with Fareham, Gosport, and Portsmouth.
Southampton has five parish churches. Holy Rood church, a largo and ancient structure, consists of a nave with side aisles and a choir or chancel; it has a tower and spire at the south-west angle, and a colonnade, or portico which occupies the whole front. All Saints church is of Grecian Ionic architecture, and has been much admired ; it contains the monuments of Carteret, the circumnavigator, and of Bryan Edwards, the historian of the West Indies. St. Michael's, the oldest church in Southampton, is in a square in the west part of tho town; it has a tower between the nave and chancel ; there are several Norman portions and some of later date; the windows are chiefly of perpendicular character. This church contains an ancient font of Norman character, end the monument of Chancellor Wriothesley. I St. Mary's church was rebuilt in the last century on the foundations of the older structure. The total number of places of worship in Southampton in 1851 was 29, of which 10 belonged to the meat. The others belonged to Independents, Baptists, Wesleyan Methodists, Bible Christians, French Protestants, Quakers, Roman Catholics, Irvingites, and Mormons. The number of sittings provided in all was 17,939. The Grammar school, founded in 1553, and free to all boys of the town, had 11 scholars in 1851. The endowment yields 261. St. per annum. The Diocesan Collegiate school, commenced in 1842, had 00 scholars in 1854. There are several Parochial, National, British, and Infant schools ; a mechanics institution, with library and museum ; a literary and scientific institution, also with a library and museum, and a savings bank. There are several ranges of almshouses, an infirmary, a dispensary, and various other charities.