For a more serious and in-depth look at
Netley's tourist attractions, check out this amazing Netley
Abbey site.
Netley
Abbey
The daddy of Netley's tourist attractions, for obvious reasons.
The Abbey fell into ruin around the time of the Reformation,
when Henry VIII tastefully raided the place for bricks to
build his gaff over the road (see Netley Castle).
Understandably, the Abbey is haunted by a ghostly friar
guarding the monks' hoarded treasure. We never saw the old
boy, but did used to wind each other up down here on countless
summer evening misadventures as kids.
Number two in the tourist stakes, at the other end of Victoria
Road from the Abbey (about a 10-minute walk) is the RVCP,
or "Vicky Park". In the centre of it stands a chapel
- the only remaining building from the war hospital that used
to stand here before it was destroyed in suspicious circumstances
by fire (the chapel only just survived another brush with
disaster years later - see the story here).
The Vicky Park also hosts a peaceful War Cemetery, and offers
several acres of parkland for barbecues, camping, sport and
walking - there is a coastal walk down to the neighbouring
village of Hamble. The Park also has the "prestige"
of hosting the annual Hampshire Fair each summer, just the
job if you want to watch dogs jump through hoops!
Not strictly a tourist attraction, as it has recently been
converted from a hospice to private luxury residences, so
if you go for a butcher's, don't tell them we sent you! Best
reached by parking in the Abbey Hall car park and walking
along the beach towards Southampton for 200 yards.
One of a series of forts built by Henry VIII to protect
the Solent from the French, it raided the Abbey for building
materials and never saw any active service. Apparently the
big man did stay here, but just the once. Money well spent
then!
Just about the only time Netley gets a mention on local
news is when the latest big boat is about to set sail on its
maiden voyage. The slopes of Victoria Rec (next to the Abbey
Hall) and the Vicky Park lawns offer ideal views of Southampton
Water, with the firework shows thrown in for free as well.
Apparently you couldn't move in Netley the day the Oriana
set sail (remember that?), and as for the Titanic...
A hidden gem, Hound Church stands outside the village going
towards Hamble on Hound Lane. It's an 800-year old Norman
Church, and it looks it! Complete with gabled gate (old hang-out
of Hamble School truants) and historic graveyard, its worth
a look if old buildings light your fire.
Not major-league tourist sights, but still
may help to while away the days...
The
Conker Field
The Conker Field sits right on the boundary of Netley and
Weston (Southampton City's southernmost point), and is basically
a recreation ground, but without any road access. The Field
can be reached by walking right along the beach from the Abbey
Hall, or from the other end by parking at Weston Shore (just
don't expect to see your car there when you get back!). There
is a small footpath cut-through from opposite the Abbey.
The Conker Field gets it's name from the horse chestnut
trees that grow there, and there is also some blackberries
growing there as well. It is a very large green area stretching
downhill towards the Water, although there are a lot of very
big dogs to dodge, as their owners let them run around off
leash. This was once a good spot for picnics, however it is
now popular as a "cottaging spot" with the gay community,
so be warned!
Yes, Netley has a beach. And yes, it is tidal and does smell
of seaweed. Although technically a river estuary and penned
in by the Isle of Wight, Southampton Water has two tides a
day and does have a perceivable coast-line. The beach is shingle,
and not particularly clean due to the twin tides and the fact
that the Water is a very busy shipping channel.
The beach is most accessible from the Abbey Hall car park
(at the end of Grange Road, near the Castle). Turn right if
you want to walk towards Southampton - after around 600 yards
you will pass from Netley to Weston inside the City boundary
- note the high-rise flats overlooking Weston Shore. Back
in the 1950's, Weston was Southampton's "resort",
now it's more of a last resort.
Turn right at the Abbey Hall to walk along Netley's shore
towards the Vicky Park - take care of the tide, as if it comes
in you may find yourself stranded for a couple of hours on
the cliffs.
Also, if you do feel the need for a swim, keep your mouth
shut - Woolston Sewage works is only a couple of miles upstream.
Netley cliffs are in-between the Abbey Hall and the Vicky
Park, and are around 30-foot tall in places. There is no official
path, but I remember as a nipper being able to climb/scramble
up the right-hand side in front of Netley Court school, 3
litre bottle of Strongbow tightly grasped in one hand.
The cliffs offered an unsurpassed vista for underage cider
consumption, although once finished there was a mental run
back down the cliff face. Obviously, NATA does not condone
underage drinking, particularly up cliffs, as that would be
stupid.
A legend of Netley folklore - a large concrete sea-wall
that keeps the Vicky Park where it should be, it is a nice
place for a sea-side walk, dodging past suicidal skateboarders/scooters/cyclists
and the like.
A popular place for kids to dive in the sea, I was always
put off by (1) the sight of fresh "Woolston trout"
gently lapping against the wall, (2) the horror stories of
kids jumping into shallow water and breaking their backs and
(3) the fact that I can't swim.
Not recommended for swimming, definitely recommended for
sunset summer strolls with loved ones.
The previous confusion over how the wall got it's name may
have been solved by a Netley resident: "I have always
presumed 'ossie' as in 'ossie wall' to be a Netleyspeak corruption
of 'hospital'." Cheers to Chris for this one, although
I'm a wee bit disappointed, as I always imagined Ossie to
a person's name.
Not big, not clever, just a massive land-fill site marking
the inshore boundary between Netley and Southampton City-Limits.
The first land-fill site is behind the Old Mill House pub,
and as kids at Netley Junior School we used to great views
of dump trucks plying their trade, along with the smells to
match. Now filled and one of a belt of landfill sites on Southampton's
south-east boundary, it's still not really a picnic site!
Many a drunken late-night stagger back from Town (missed
the bus and too skint for a cab) would culminate in a spooky
walk past the tip and over the rail bridge, with only the
low roar of the methane burners for company!
Netley Recreation Ground, off Station Road, is the home
to the once-mighty Netley Central Sports, who defeated all
before them in the Hampshire League glory years of the mid-1980s.
Resplendent in their two-tone blue strips (think Wycombe Wanderers),
Netley CS now occupy the lowest Hants division, hampered by
the fact that they play on a municipal rec (albeit one with
floodlights) and can't charge for admission. In fact, they
even have trouble keeping dogs and errant old people off the
pitch during the game!
The team aside, Netley Rec is best accessed by the front
door - park on Station Road and walk through the wrought iron
gates next to the Surgery, down the tree-lined avenue as it
opens up into a spacious recreation ground. Alternative access
is from Netley's interior - Queensview, The Crescent and Denzil
Avenue.
The roundabout in the kiddies play area was always a favourite
with the Butlocks Boys on the late-night cider sessions (compulsory
for all 16 year-olds), due to the mildly hallucinogenic effects
of a vigorous spinning on a gut-full of Scrumpy Jack. This
is, of course, shameful behavior in no way advocated by NATA.
Not to be outdone by it's oppressive neighbour (read the
story of how Butlocks Heath has been wiped out by Netley's
expansionism here), Butlocks Rec not only boasts swings and
a football pitch, but also has Hound Parish Hall backing onto
it, a half-pipe skate/BMX ramp, some woods AND a reservoir.
No wonder Netley was so keen to claim Butlocks for itself!
I have seen real wild deer sweep majestically out of the
woods that border the Rec, only to see an Alsatian, bottle
it, and sprint back through the woods again. I have had to
deal with stag beetles bigger than my hand after they invaded
my goal when I was playing there, and I've been involved in
an incident where the police were called to investigate some
suspicious "grave-shaped" soil mounds ("Next
time, don't call us lads, we'll call you"). All in all,
a top-deck rec.
The Bunney is a narrow, long strip of woodland in the valley
separating Ingleside and Butlocks Heath. This offered no end
of playing opportunities for us as kids, until our parents
discovered that the land was in fact owned by Southern Water
and was apparently linked to some kind of sewage overflow!
That explains quite a lot...
The Blue Bridge is a footbridge spanning the Southampton-Portsmouth
train line, and contrary to popular mythology, is not blue
but white (with a blue trim). The bridge links the central
footpath through Ingleside from the Whitwell Field with Moore
Crescent in Netley's interior. Over the years, the Bridge
has been in and out of favour with various juvenile delinquents,
but has never had the perennial appeal of three-card brag
sessions outside Circle K (now Alldays).
