Why hamble le rice

It is home to Southampton Solent University's 'Maritime Academy' providing training for merchant seamen, a sailing club, restaurants, pubs and shops. Skip To Main Content. Official Tourism Website for Hampshire. Favourites Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Share this with x. Submit Event. Copyright Visit Hampshire. Because of its maritime advantages Hamble first attracted seaplanes, and even the local boat builders "Lukes" tried to develop their own model.

During the First World War A. Roe, who already built aircraft in Manchester, came to the village and set up a factory.

To encourage his workers to live near the plant he built 24 houses, in what is now Verdon Avenue. Another company which became established at this time was Fairey Aviation. Many famous aviation people have been connected with Hamble. Nevil Shute also worked at the airfield and Hamble features in several of his novels. In the airfield was taken over by Air Service Training, an aviation school which was to become known as 'Britain's Air University.

Many famous aircraft have been connected with Hamble, including the "Ensign" which was built by Armstrong Whitworth and A. T in the late 's and was the the largest airliner ever produced in Britain at that time. Then, during the Second World War, Hamble became a repair shop for warplanes and 2, damaged Spitfires were serviced here. F aerobatic team, and the Harrier jump jet. Another significant industry to come to Hamble was oil storage and distribution.

Originally a ship named 'British Maple' was moored in Southampton Water as a floating storage facility, but by the mid 's an oil terminal and jetty had been built.

Today, among its many other tasks, there are pipelines from the depot to Gatwick and Heathrow airports to supply aviation fuel. As well as having aviation educational facilities, Hamble also had a nautical training school known as T. This was founded in by Charles Hoare to train boys for the Royal and Merchant navies, and consisted of a shore establishment and a ship moored on the river.

In the famous scholar and sportsman C. Fry became the principal and, together with his wife, ran the school for 42 years, during which many notable cricketers came to play in Hamble. Students endured a tough regime to prepare them for a career at sea, but they also enjoyed sporting and other activities, and the T. Mercury marching band and rugby team were famous in the area. Unfortunately, because of financial difficulties, the school closed in and the grounds became a housing estate.

In spite of the loss of T. Mercury, maritime activity still continues in Hamble. Known locally as Hamble, the village has been in the boatbuilding and yachting business since the 14th century. At that time this river port was even more important for trade than neighbouring Portsmouth and it was once famous for its crab and lobster fishing. One of the oldest buildings in the village is the Church of St Andrew which dates back to Norman times.

It was the location for an aircraft training centre during World War II and many hundreds of Spitfires, Wellington and Lancaster bombers have taken off from this charming area. The airport is now abandoned and overgrown and parts of it have been developed as a smart new housing estate. Only the local Hamble Aerostructures factory, a major local employer, continues the local connection with aviation. Hamble-le-Rice was also very well-known to viewers of the TV boating series Howard's Way which was screened in the late s.

Present Day Hamble-le-Rice Hamble-le-Rice is best known for its yachting fraternity and the River Hamble is always busy with local yachts and boating enthusiasts out on the water.

The first Hamble Regatta was held in and is still an annual traditional which the village enthusiastically embraces. Sailing masts seem to outnumber the small red brick cottages and houses which make up this historic waterfront community of around residents. Although serene and peaceful, Hamble-le-Rice is easily reached from the M27 along the winding B which ends in the village square where there is plenty of car parking.

It has a village common, plenty of birds and wildlife on the estuary and many scenic footpaths around the area. Things to do in Hamble-le-Rice Hamble-le-Rice is a sailing Mecca and is ideal for those who have an interest in any type of boats and watersports.