Despite having lived here for three years, I was surprised at the new historical knowledge I learned about my new home! Who knew there was more to know!
Tudor House and Garden
First up was the Tudor House, one of Southampton’s most significant historic buildings. It alone encompasses over 800 years of history in one site.
The Tudor House in the sunniest city in the UK. I felt like I was holidaying in the south of France with that cerulean blue sky.
Much history has been uncovered about the Tudor house over the years. It was built in 1492 and has been home to a prominent Tudor lawyer, an artist, and a Victorian bonnet-maker. Interestingly, the house has been deemed by many as haunted because of alleged eerie noises and shapes that can be felt during the night. It is worth noting that the house is built on the site of earlier medieval properties.
Ready for a night out in town… in a classic Tudor dress
A Tudor kitchen
Looks like a boring old wall with scratches right? These marks actually date back to about 1570 and 1620 and show caricatures of people, ships, animals and more. The house was owned by ship-owners at some point so these are likely etched in by sailors.
A real air-raid shelter in the cellars of the house where a family took refuge in during WWII. This was a wine cellar during the Tudor times.
King John’s Palace. Built as part of King Edward III’s efforts to strengthen the town’s defences against the French in the 1300s. Over time, it has been formed as part of the Tudor House structure.
Bugle Street: the view from the window in the 1800s
Bugle Street: the view from the window today
Zany Zebras
Next stop was the Zany Zebra trail. Brought to the city by local Marwell Zoo, this interactive and free art trail aims to raise the profile of Grevy’s zebras and the conservation that the zoo carries out. Marwell Zoo’s hope is to inspire the generations to come to take an active interest in wildlife conservation. Overall, there are 150 sculptures scattered throughout the city, some are big and some small. The University of Southampton even has a zebra in the city! Here are those that we came across on our day out…
A Zany Zebra outside the Tudor House
A little one inside the house called ‘Zippy’
Outside the Holyrood Church ruins. It was originally destroyed by the 1940s blitz which heavily damaged the city. Its shell was subsequently dedicated to the Merchant Navy sailors who sacrificed their lives during the war
Outside the O2 Guildhall where many bands such as the Foo Fighters have played in recent times
My mum posing with this artistic nod to one of the biggest names in music
After traversing through the city, it was high time for some lunch! It took us no longer than a lovely five-minute stroll to get to Old Town to the modern areas of West Quay and the Marlands. Two shopping centres at the centre of Southampton which when combined together has around 200 shops!
Lunch with a view of the docks. The Harmony of the Seas, the world’s biggest cruise ship, set sail from here on her maiden voyage.
Our day was simply amazing. Until now, I never really had a fuller grasp of the rich and vast history Southampton really has. The stories displayed in the Tudor house has given me a glimpse of the city, its people and the wider world throughout the years. On the other hand, the Zany Zebra trail was a brilliant interactive activity for the whole family which my five-year-old brother certainly enjoyed. It didn’t hurt to have the shops and restaurants close by either.
If you’re about to join the University of Southampton in the next academic year or plan to stay in the city during the summer, don’t hesitate to do a little research on what else you can get up to.
Southampton certainly has plenty of shops for you to choose from but there is more to it than meets the eye.
Rylyn
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