Knowle, Hampshire

Knowle
Hampshire
Location
Grid reference:	SU559095
Location:	50°52’59"N, 1°12’18"W
Data
Population:	1,511  (2011)
Post town:	Fareham
Postcode:	PO17
Dialling code:	01329
Local Government
Council:	Winchester
Parliamentary constituency:	Meon Valley

Knowle is a village with mainly 21st century shops and businesses in Hampshire, standing high on the left bank of the River Meon between the Southampton and Portsmouth conurbations. Its nearest town is Fareham, adjoining an inlet of Portsmouth Harbour approximately three miles to the south-east.

History

Knowle is built on land which, until 1849 was Knowle Farm. The farm and a little surrounding woodland which remains, was between Fareham's nearly att ched hamlet Funtley, and another farm associated with Wickham. The original timber framed farmhouse, dating from the 17th century was converted into two cottages in the 20th century and is now a Grade II listed building. It stands as part of the cluster of houses known as Farm Cottages, on Mayles Lane, north of the former hospital site.

Knowle Hospital

A committee of nine justices of the peace were appointed at the Easter Quarter Sessions in 1846 to superintend the erecting or providing of a lunatic asylum. They selected part of Knowle Farm as most suitable, namely 108 acress.

In December 1852, after two years building, Hampshire's first County Lunatic Asylum was completed on Knowle Hill in the north of the present village. By 1856 it had taken its original capacity of 400 patients; growth ensued and by 1900 it housed over 1,000. It was named 'Knowle Mental Hospital' from c.1923 to 1948, when it was renamed 'Knowle Hospital'; it closed in 1996.

The hospital's successor is Ravenswood House, a medium-security mental health hospital which opened in 1985 to care for those afflicted by serious mental illnesses or personality disorders. It can accommodate 77 patients and is complemented by the Southfield Low Security Hospital in the New Forest. Ravenswood is the base of the Wessex Forensic Psychiatric Service.

Birth of the village

From 2000 onward the former complex of buildings was redeveloped by a group of developers (Berkeley Homes (lead developer), Bovis Homes, Westbury Homes, Try Homes, Barry Jupe and A2Dominion) adding to Knowle Village (village). This comprised 130 apartments (using the former hospital buildings) houses over 53 acres. The principal northern (east-west) building, northern administration building, south block, superintendent's house, chapel and staff cottages were retained and converted to other uses, whilst the central north–south connecting structure and other periphery buildings were demolished.

The redevelopment, coupled with the hamlet which pre-dates, created the first village in Hampshire in over a century, one without a church but with many other amenities.

Demolished station

Knowle for many decades had Knowle Halt, a halt with platforms, on the Eastleigh to Fareham and Meon Valley lines. The station closed on the 6 April 1964 with the platforms demolished shortly thereafter.

Chapel

The Chapel

Part of the old hospital was a red brick Chapel, with small belfry dressed in stone, built in 1875 to free up space in the main building.

As part of the redevelopment of the complex, the chapel was refurbished by Berkeley Homes, and was later leased by the Knowle Communuity Buildings Association for community use.