Portsmouth is a city of about 189,000 people located in the county of Hampshire on the southern coast of Great Britain. The administrative unit itself forms part of the wider Portsmouth conurbation, with an estimated population of 442,252 residents within its boundaries, making it the 11th largest urban area in England. A significant naval port for centuries, it is home to the world's oldest dry dock still in use and to many famous ships.
Although there have been settlements in the area since before Roman times, mostly being offshoots of Portchester, Portsmouth is commonly regarded as having been founded in 1180 by John of Gisors (Jean de Gisors). Most early records of Portsmouth are thought to have been destroyed by Norman invaders following the Norman Conquest. The earliest detailed references to Portsmouth can be found in the Southwick Cartularies.
While in the primary diocese of Portsea there was a small church prior to 1166 (now St Mary's in Fratton) Portsmouth's first real church came into being in 1181 when John of Gisors granted an acre (4,000 m²) of land to Augustinian monks at the Southwick Priory to build a chapel dedicated to Thomas Becket. This chapel continued to be run by the monks of Southwick Priory until the Reformation after which its possession was transferred to Winchester College. The modern Portsmouth Anglican Cathedral is built on the original location of the chapel
Portsmouth has declined as a military port in recent years but remains a major dockyard and base for the Royal Navy. There is a commercial port serving destinations on the continent for freight and passenger traffic.
Most of Portsmouth's tourist attractions are related to its naval history. In the last decade Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard has been given a much needed face-lift. Among the attractions are the D-Day museum (which holds the Overlord embroidery) and, in the dockyard, HMS Victory, the remains of the Mary Rose raised from the sea-bed in recent years, HMS Warrior and the Royal Naval Museum.
The much-troubled millennium project to build the Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays was finally completed in 2005. The tower is 165 m tall, features viewing decks at sea level, 100 m, 105 m, and 110 m. A high speed internal lift runs up one leg, and a panoramic external glass lift runs up the outside of the opposite leg.
Other tourist attractions include the birthplace of Charles Dickens, the Blue Reef Centre (formerly Sea Life Centre), Cumberland House (a natural history museum), and Southsea castle.
Portsmouth's regeneration is being continued in the city centre with the controversial demolition of the Tricorn Centre, a long abandoned shopping mall and car park, described as a "concrete monstrosity".
The rebuilding of Fratton Park, home to Portsmouth Football Club is set to hold 35,000 fans. The stadium will be built to allow Portsmouth to compete successfully in the English Football's Premier League. Along with the stadium, 500 houses will be built in a development called Pompey Village. This is currently at a planning stage
Portsmouth includes the districts of Baffins, Buckland, Copnor, Eastney, Fratton, Hilsea, Kingston, Landport, Milton, North End, Old Portsmouth, Portsea, Rudmore, Somerstown, Southsea, Stamshaw, Tipner, Cosham, Drayton, Farlington, Paulsgrove, Widley and Wymering
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