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Amazing Hampshire facts to blow your mind
1
A Big Deal
Did you know that Hampshire is the largest county in the South East and the 9th biggest in England (by area)? In terms of population, the county ranks 5th overall.
2
Famous Houses
Highclere Castle set in the Hampshire countryside is one of the main filming locations for "Downton Abbey"! It also played host to the filming of “Jeeves and Wooster” starring Hugh Laurie (now better known as "Dr House") and Stephen Fry.
3
Just Spitting
The Spitfire aircraft is a part of Hampshire history. Invented by R. J. Mitchell it was first flown from Eastleigh, Hampshire on the 5th March 1936. After it had completed its official trials, the RAF ordered 310 aircrafts! This changed the game for Supermarine (British aircraft manufacturer), as prior to this, their biggest order stood at just 12 machines.
4
It's Elementary
Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle wrote the original Sherlock Holmes story (“A Study in Scarlet”) in Southsea, Hampshire. The character Dr. Watson, was based on a real doctor who was president of Portsmouth’s literary and scientific society and was actually a friend of the author.
5
Keeping Possession
A fun fact for any football fan, Portsmouth became the longest holding FA cup champions after their win in 1939. This was due to an interruption caused by World War II. The trophy was not presented again until the competition was resumed in 1946 – meaning they held the title for 7 years!
6
Trenchant Wit
The British luxury fashion house, Burberry, was established in Basingstoke in 1856 by Thomas Burberry. This was after he stumbled across a completely breathable, waterproof fabric called gabardine. His aim was to keep people protected from the (sometimes harsh) British weather, and this resulted in the creation of the iconic Burberry trench coat.
7
Get Fizzical
Bottoms up! Hampshire may actually be better than France… at making champagne. A recent blind-tasting test saw Hambledon Vineyards non-vintage classic cuvee trump famous French champagnes like Veuve Clicquot, Tattinger and Pol Roger!
8
Salad Days
Hampshire is famous for its watercress, having been commercially growing the crop since the 19th century. The county is responsible for the majority of watercress production across the nation. This is pretty impressive considering a bag of watercress is sold every second.
9
You can stand under my..
Jonas Hanway from Portsmouth was the first man in London to use an umbrella, after getting inspiration from parasols used by women in Persia while on a business trip. For almost 30 years people thought he was ridiculous for walking around with a ‘portable roof’, but who's laughing (and dry) now eh Jonas?
10
The Codfather
And to conclude, the most interesting fact about Hampshire… Southampton was the first town to sample fish fingers after they were made in Great Yarmouth!
We hope you enjoyed our Fun Facts round up. There’s lot’s more to discover if you choose to visit Hampshire and its beautiful surrounding areas.
Others in this Blog series:
Hampshire Holidays
Hampshire spans the Solent, and includes the beautiful New Forest. Stunning countryside meets the sea with a host of places to visit, like the historic cities of Winchester, Portsmouth and Southampton. We currently have one holiday park in Hampshire, “Solent Breezes” and it is perfectly positioned to enjoy the many fruits of this rich and beautiful county.
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