Farnborough, Hampshire
| Farnborough | |
| Hampshire | |
|---|---|
 Vulcan at the Farnborough Airshow | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SU871554 |
| Location: | 51°17’24"N, -0°45’0"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 57,147 (2001) |
| Post town: | Farnborough |
| Postcode: | GU14 |
| Dialling code: | 01252, 01276 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Rushmoor |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Aldershot |
Farnborough is a town in north-eastern Hampshire, situated in the crowded valley of the River Blackwater. The town is best known for its association with aviation, for here at Farnborough Aerodrome is held the Farnborough Airshow. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is based at Farnborough also.
Farnborough is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Ferneberga which means "fern hill". The name has appeared through the ages variously as Ferneberga (11th century); Farnburghe, Farenberg (13th century); Farnborowe, Fremborough, Fameborough (16th century).
Geography
Farnborough is in the Blackwater Vallery in north-eastern Hampshire beside the border with Surrey, which the River Blackwater forms at this point. The town stands at the centre of the Blackwater Valley conurbation, which includes Aldershot, Camberley, Yateley, Sandhurst, Frimley and Farnham.
Farnborough is 16 miles east of Basingstoke, directly to the south of junction 4 of the M3 motorway. Farnborough has incorporated several sizeable villages as it has expanded, including Cove and Southwood, both of which are now considered suburbs. It is contiguous with the garrison town of Aldershot to the south and with Frimley to the north.
Farnborough's suburban areas include Southwood, Rafborough, Cove, West Heath, Farnborough Park, Farnborough Street, North Camp, South Farnborough, Fox Lane, Hawley Lane, St John's, St Christopher's.
Within Farnborough the only naturally occurring significant flowing water is Cove Brook, though the Blackwater flows at the town's eastern edge.
History
The crypt of St Peter's Old Parish Church is believed to house the remains of many of the Earls of Anglesey.
The River Blackwater which marks the Hampshire-Surrey border was the location of the first international prize fight between Tom Sayers and John C Heenan, which took place near the location of the Ship Inn pub.[1][2]
In 1880 the widowed Empress Eugénie of France bought an estate here in order to build a religious establishment in memory of her late husband, Napoleon III Emperor of the French, and her son, slain in the Zulu war. The foundation was Farnborough Abbey, a French monastery on British soil. The Abbey contains The Imperial Crypt which is the resting place of Napoleon III (1808–1873), the Empress Eugénie de Montijo, (1826–1920)[3] and also of their son, Napoléon, Prince Imperial.
Closely associated with Farnborough Airfield, situated between Farnborough and Fleet, is Samuel Franklin Cody. Cody, or Col Sam Cody as he was known, was one of the early pioneers of aviation. He died when he crashed his plane on Ball Hill, a site which is now within QinetiQ's Technology Park.
Farnborough Airfield is the site of the historic Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE). In 1922, T E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) was posted to RAF Farnborough for a photography course.[4] It is thought he lived in Farnborough for 6 weeks.
Sir Frank Whittle conducted much of his research into jet aircraft at the RAE. A replica Gloster E.28/39 (based on his prototype) is sited on a roundabout along Ively Road in tribute to its inventor.
Transport
Farnborough is near two junctions of the M3 motorway. The A325 enters the town from Frimley to the north, and continues into Aldershot to the south.
Farnborough is served by three railway stations, the busiest of which is Farnborough (Main) railway station on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Basingstoke and beyond. Farnborough North railway station and North Camp railway station are both on the North Downs Line between Reading and Gatwick Airport. North Camp station is a short distance over the county border, in the Surrey village of Ash.
Farnborough Airfield has been important to aviation since its early days. Since 2003 it has been a business airport operated by TAG Aviation. The Farnborough International Airshow takes place at the airport on even numbered years.
Media
Only some parts of Farnborough are served by two free local newspapers, The Star Courier (published from September 18, 2008 as a combination of the former Surrey Hants Star and the Aldershot Farnborough Courier) and The Rush, along with one local available for purchase, The Farnborough News & Mail.[5] Although the local ITV news region is ITV Meridian and the local BBC TV news region is BBC South, the area is also served from Crystal Palace and Guildford transmitters carrying London programming. Farnborough is covered by BBC radio on BBC Surrey (which covers Surrey & North-East Hampshire on 104.6FM). Local commercial radio stations are 96.4 Eagle Radio and Eagle Extra as well as Heart Thames Valley.
Business
Farnborough Aerospace Centre is a business park south of the airfield, built between 1990 and 1992. Some of the buildings are occupied by BAE Systems.
Adjacent to the airport, IQ Farnborough (formerly Farnborough Business Park),[6] is a development which aims to have around 1,670,000 square feet of new office space. There are plans to make this area a new centrepiece for Farnborough.
On the IQ Farnborough park is the frame of a 1910 Airship Hangar which had previously been dismantled to house wind tunnels, but is now reconstructed - minus its outer skin - to make an impressive centrepiece. The structure has now been listed and protected as a Grade II building.
Farnborough's North Camp district is notable as being the location of Hampshire's only full-throughput abattoir, nestled between housing and a school at Peabody Road. It is licensed to slaughter cows, sheep, pigs and goats.[7]
Town centre
The centre of Farnborough comprises the Kingsmead, Queensmead and Princesmead shopping precincts. In February 2007, in a bid to address local perceptions, the local council unveiled plans to radically renovate the centre of Farnborough over the next two decades.
Work is underway to construct a new retail area with an entertainment complex. Several new blocks of flats have also been built adjacent to the town centre.
On the edge of the town centre, is Farnborough Leisure Centre, which has a swimming pool, gym, indoor bowling, squash courts and ten-pin bowling.
Sport
- Football: Farnborough FC (known as Farnborough Town FC until 2007)
- Cove FC
- Farnborough North End FC
- Rugby
- Farnborough Rugby Football Club, established in 1915 as the Royal Aircraft Factory Rugby Union Football Club
- Cricket:
- Cove Cricket Club, established in 1935
- Frogmore Amateur Cricket Club
- Hockey
- Motorsport
- The Farnborough District Motor Club holds rallies, autocross, sprint, hillclimbing events throughout the year.[8]
Outside links
References
- ↑ Francis Frith - Frimley
- ↑ http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/media/adobepdf/e/6/10walksaroundfarnborough_1.pdf 10 Walks around Farnborough]
- ↑ "Farnborough — Towns and Villages in Hampshire". Visit Hampshire. http://www.visit-hampshire.co.uk/places-to-visit/farnborough-p196051. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
- ↑ T.E. Lawrence at School of Photography in Farnborough
- ↑ Farnborough News and Mail
- ↑ Farnborough Business Park
- ↑ North Camp Abattoir
- ↑ Farnborough District Motor Club