Widley

Widley
Hampshire
Location
Grid reference:	SU671068
Location:	50°51’25"N, 1°2’53"W
Data
Post town:	Portsmouth
Postcode:	PO7
Dialling code:	023
Local Government
Council:	Havant

Widley is a village in the south of Hampshire, which has become a southerly extension of Purbrook, itself attached to near Waterlooville. The village is on the dip slope of the South Downs just north of the ridge called Portsdown Hill. Its development in the Victorian age was affected by the building nearby of forts of Portsdown: in particular Fort Widley and Fort Purbrook and are just to the southwest and south-east respectively on the hill ridge.

By Widley runs the A3 trunk road, which runs from Portsmouth to London. The main A3, at this point the A3(M) motorway, is very close by, making it commutable by road. Widley is served by Cosham or Havant rail stations.

History

The Norman manor of Widley was held by the De Port and St John families of Cosham, and later passed to the Earls of Albemarle. In 1293, Isabel countess of Albemarle died without heirs and the manor passed back to the St John family. Later it was in the ownership of the Clynton and Uvedale families although the latter lost the manor temporarily in 1605, when accused of recusancy. It stayed in their family until 1766, when it was sold, and then passed by sale rather than inheritance.

The original village of Widley stood about a mile to the west of the current centre, around the site of the present Widley Farm. The settlement moved to be sited on the then newly built Cosham to Horndean turnpike road at the time of the building of the Portsdown forts and Christ Church, which was built as a place of worship for soldiers based in the forts.

The new church of St Mary Magdalen was built in 1849. Remains of the village's former chapel can be found close to Widley Farm; members of the family of Charles Dickens are buried in the graveyard.

Outside links

• Christ Church Portsdown
• Portsdown Tunnels
• Subterranea Britannica:
  • Fort Southwick
  • Fort Widley