Southampton Parish
| Sandys Parish | |
| Bermuda | |
|---|---|
 Horseshoe Bay | |
 | |
| Location: | 32°15’0"N, 64°51’-0"W |
Southampton Parish is one of the nine parishes of Bermuda. It is named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton (1573-1624), who was one of the nine chief investors in the Somers islands Company.
Wriothesley in his younger days was an early patron of William Shakespeare, and Shakespeare dedicated his Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece to him. Shakespeare's last complete play, The Tempest is believed to have been inspired by the wreck of the Sea Venture on Bermuda.
The parish is in the southwest of the island chain, occupying all of the western part of the main island, except for the westernmost tip (which is part of Sandys Parish). It includes the chain's southernmost point, and its north coast comprises much of the coast of the Little Sound (an arm of the Great Sound, the large expanse of water which dominates the geography of western Bermuda). In the east it is joined to Warwick Parish.
In commons with the other parishes, Southampton Parish covers just over 2.3 square miles or 1,500 acres; the area allocated to each of Bermuda's parishes.
About the parish
Natural features in Southampton include Horseshoe Bay, the islands’ most famous beach. It also contains Whale Bay, Church Bay, and Riddell's Bay.
Notable buildings include the Whale Bay Fort, and Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, which stands on the territory's highest point.
Outside links
| Parishes of Bermuda |
|---|
|
Devonshire • Hamilton • Paget • Pembroke • St George's • Sandys • Smith's • Southampton • Warwick |
Coordinates: 32°15′00″N 64°51′00″W / 32.25°N 64.85°W
