Southampton Hampshire Southampton Hampshire  Despite mass destruction during the Second World War, causing much of the city to need rebuilding through the 1950’s, Southampton still has a surprising number of historical attractions. Much of the medieval city wall remains intact, including the impressive northern gate known as the Bargate, built in 1180. Whilst the only remaining medieval church is that of St Michael’s on Castle Way, constructed shortly after the Norman Conquest, with later additions including an elegant 18th century stone spire. The world famous port at Southampton, has played a vital role in Britain’s import and export industry for many years. It also has a long association with all the great liners such as the famous Queen Mary, the Mauretania and the Queen Elizabeth who all made regular transatlantic crossings from Southampton in their heyday. Another infamous liner, the Titanic, sailed out of Southampton before meeting its sad fate mid Atlantic> Amongst the dead were around were around 500 Southampton based crew, which obviously had a massive impact on the local community. Today Southampton often sees the QE2 in her docks and proudly plays host to the annual Southampton Boat Show every September along with the Volvo Ocean Race and Global Challenge. In addition, it’s a convenient port for ferry crossings over to France or simply somewhere picturesque to enjoy a few drinks, especially in the summer as you watch the spectacular sunsets. Nearby attractions, that make Southampton a popular base for tourists, include the Isle of Wight and the New Forest.