Southampton's final years as a spa town

By 1830, Southampton had all but ceased to be a Spa Town but many of the changes that had occurred during that period remained and provided a continuing benefit to the town and its people.

In 1796 an act was passed for the construction of a bridge across the Itchen at Northam which reduced considerably the travelling time to Portsmouth and Brighton and gave the new and expanding parishes to the east better access to the town. The bridge proved so successful that it has been replaced twice since then.

During the Spa period two Pavement Commissioners’ Acts were passed which gave powers to the commissioners to improve the town in terms of lighting, security, building construction and cleanliness.

The Corporation had neglected these matters focusing instead on the management of Corporation property. The Pavement Commissioners were not popular as they could raise rates to fund their work and, while not strictly introducing town planning, they were able to prevent the construction of property or alterations that presented a risk to the public such as cellar hatches, doorsteps and bay windows protruding onto the pavement.

New accommodation was now needed to oversee the administration of the town as the Medieval Audit House outside Holyrood Church was inadequate and in poor repair.

A site in the High Street was purchased on which a new Audit House was constructed. The first stone was laid in September 1771.

The old Audit House was demolished thus improving access in the High Street.

Important announcements were now made from the Audit House balcony.

The Audit House was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War by which time the administration of the Town had outgrown its limited space and had moved to the newly constructed Civic Centre completed in 1939.

Many of the hotels in the High Street were redeveloped to cater for the Spa visitors and despite the Second World War bombing we can still enjoy the Georgian frontage of the Star and the Dolphin Hotels. Both remain an important part of the city’s landscape.

The medieval church of All Hallows in the High Street at the top of East Street had fallen into disrepair and in 1770 an Act of parliament enabled it to be demolished. It was replaced with a much larger and more impressive church known as All Saints which was completed in 1795.

Sadly this magnificent church was destroyed by bombing in December 1940.

The cavalry Barracks which became the Ordnance Survey offices in 1841 and today part of the law courts were constructed in 1794.

Nearby there are many fine houses constructed towards the end of the Spa period by Samuel Toomer for the wealthy and their servants and which can be seen along Carlton Crescent.

Perhaps the most enduring legacy of the Spa period is Southampton’s superb Central Parks.

As the spa period ended there were fears that the tranquility and rural feel of Southampton at that time would be lost as the railway arrived and the docks expanded.

The decision was taken in 1844 following the Marsh Act to drain and sell off the land for development between the Eastern Town Walls and the river Itchen.

The money raised was used to purchase the Lammas fields to create East and West Park, Palmerston Park, Hoglands and Houndwell Park.

In the late 1700s, a Mr Hutchinson suggested reclaiming land forming the bay from West Quay to Millbrook Point. He proposed to build an embankment of chalk across the bay and to create pasture land behind it. At the time, the Corporation declined his proposal but suggested it be postponed rather than abandoned.

Just over a hundred years later his idea created the New Docks.

A statue of King George III, dressed as the Emperor Hadrian in a niche on the south of the Bargate, serves as a permanent reminder that his siblings were regular visitors to Southampton’s Spa.

Goddfrey Collyer is a tour guide with SeeSouthampton.co.uk .