01. Flora and Funerary at Ann’s Hill Cemetery
IN PERSON Guided Walk Ann’s Hill Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3JX Enjoy a guided walk around Ann’s Hill old Victorian cemetery. You’ll learn about its history, the meaning of symbology on the headstones, the layout and the purpose of the buildings, the importance of the landscaping, and the hidden meaning of the flora in this […]
02. Feeding the Navy – Royal Clarence Victualing Yard
IN PERSON Guided Walk The Pump House Cafe, Cooperage Green, Weevil Lane, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1AX Enjoy a guided walk of Royal Clarence Victualling Yard, the former supply base for the Navy. Hear about how this victualling yard developed over time from the mid-1700s, with a focus on the supply of food and drink to […]
05. The Smell of Old Gosport
In Person Talk Gosport Museum and Art Gallery, The Roberts Room, 19 Walpole Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1NS How did Gosport smell 50, 100, or 150 years ago? Why are smells, perfumes, odours, and fragrances so evocative? In this light-hearted session, Peter Cardy invites you to remember once-familiar smells like Jeyes Fluid, Lifebuoy Soap, town […]
06. Gosport’s Secret Garden: history and plant life
In Person Guided Walk Meet at the Cricket Pavilion, Privett Park, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3S Discover the beauty and history of Ann’s Hill Cemetery, and explore The Hermitage Wildlife Garden on this circular guided walk. Starting from Privett Park, your enthusiastic Guide will lead you through Anns Hill Cemetery, where you will pass by graves […]
08. Alverstoke’s Regency Garden
Crescent Garden, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2DH Discover the gardens’ significance to the building of Angleseyville, how this historic Regency garden fell into abandonment, and the subsequent resurrection to its former glory with wonderful planting. This garden has been cared for by a dedicated team of volunteers, the Friends of Crescent Garden, for over 30 […]
09. St Mark’s Churchyard Tour
IN PERSON Guided Tour St Marks Road, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2DA Join a guided tour of St Mark’s Cemetery, covering the history of the site of St Mark’s church and some of the famous people buried there. You’ll learn about the influence of Robert Cruickshank in the building of St Mark’s church as part […]
10. Royal Hospital Haslar: Past & Present
IN PERSON Guided Walk Main Gate of Haslar Hospital site (Guides will direct you to St Lukes Church), Haslar Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2FB Learn of Haslar Hospital’s history and current-day development on this tour of the grounds and Church. Royal Haslar Hospital was the first naval hospital in the country, receiving its first patients […]
11. WW2 ARP ‘Bunker’
In Person Guided Tour ARP Bunker, The Avenue, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2JU Visit the WWII Air Raid Precaution Building, which was used as a headquarters for various organisations during the Second World War. Known locally as the ‘Bunker’, this building is currently used by the Historical Diving Society to store items usually held in The […]
13. Hovercraft Chronicles: From Invention to Modern Marvels
In Person Talk Onboard the Princess Anne at Hovercraft Museum, Marine Parade West, Lee on Solent, Gosport, Hampshire, PO13 9NS Journey through the intriguing history of hovercrafts at the world’s only Hovercraft Museum. Learn about their creation, the innovators who brought them to life, and the obstacles they faced. Explore the diverse and unexpected applications […]
14. In the Centre of Lee-on-the-Solent
IN PERSON Guided Tour St. Faiths Church, Victoria Square, Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, PO13 9NF Enjoy a guided tour around Victoria Square to hear the intertwined history of this Victorian new town and St Faith’s Church. Prepare to be ‘wowed’ as you enter this art deco inspired grade II listed building. This tour is a wonderful introduction […]
15.Gosport’s Victorian Gardens
In Person Guided Walk Meet by dial sculpture and memorial, Walpole Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1RR Visit some of Gosport’s lesser-known but glorious gardens on this circular guided walk, laced with lots of snippets of local history along the route. Starting at the top of the High Street, you’ll be guided past a fine George […]
16. Institute of Naval Medicine (INM)
In Person Guided Tour Institute of Naval Medicine, Crescent Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2DL An introduction to the history of INM and the Historic Collections displayed in Monckton House, a Grade II listed building. After a brief presentation, you will see displays of heritage materials related to the history and practice of naval medicine. The […]
19.Castles, schools and velodromes
In Person Guided Walk The White Hart Pub, 195 Stoke Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1SE Discover the story of Gosport Park and the area on this circular guided walk, laced with lots of snippets of local history along the route. Your Guide will lead you past the sites of Hasleworth Castle and Gosport’s velodrome. You’ll […]
20. Arthur Upfield, Gosport’s Forgotten Author
In Person Talk The Snape Room Gosport Museum and Art Gallery, Gosport Museum and Art Gallery, 19 Walpole Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1NS The eldest son of a Gosport draper and his Birmingham-born wife, Arthur Upfield left Gosport in 1910 to live in Australia. He became well-known for the detective novels he wrote featuring a […]
22. Railways and Prisons
In Person Guided Walk Forton Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3JP You’ll hear lots of local history snippets on this circular guided walk along the course of the old railway line from Gosport to Fort Brockhurst Station. Amongst other things pointed out along the way, you’ll hear Railway Station Master’s stories, and see former crossing gates, […]
24. Training Boy Sailors at St Vincent
IN PERSON Illustrated Talk First Light Café, 68 High Street, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1DR Enjoy this light-hearted, musically entuned, presentation of professional photographs including the history of the site of Forton Barracks, latterly HMS St Vincent (now St Vincent College), and particularly the training the Boy Sailors endured. From 1928 to 1968, 700 Boy Sailors […]
25. Berengaria of Navarre, Queen and Lord: Making Connections in Medieval Europe
In Person Talk Gosport Museum and Art Gallery, The Roberts Room, 19 Walpole Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1NS Berengaria of Navarre, often forgotten queen of England, forged partnerships and connections across Western Europe during her marriage and beyond. This talk explores connections, friendships, and alliances in medieval Europe. Wife of Richard I, Berengaria of Navarre’s […]
26. HMS Medusa – a D-Day Survivor
IN-PERSON Guided Tour HMS Medusa: a D Day veteran! Meet at at Marina Gate, adjacent to The Creek Restaurant, HMS Medusa, Haslar Marina, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1NU Harbour Defence Motor Launch, HMS Medusa is the last of her class in sea-going condition. Medusa was a navigational leader for Omaha Beach on D-Day. Come aboard for […]
30. HMS Sultan – Marine Engineering Museum
In Person Guided Tour HMS Sultan, Military Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3BY The Airfield Museum gives the history of the surrounding area used as an airfield from 1909-1956. Learn about the world’s first “Top Gun” establishment 1917-19, and how the ‘Gosport’ method of flying training was adopted by the world. Look out for one of […]
31. HMS SULTAN – Airfield Museum Tour
In Person Guided Tour HMS Sultan, Military Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3BY Explore this fascinating museum within the grounds of HMS Sultan. The Airfield Museum gives the history of the surrounding area used as an airfield from 1909-1956. Learn about the world’s first “Top Gun” establishment 1917-19, and how the ‘Gosport’ method of flying training […]
32. HMS SULTAN – Fort Rowner Tour
In Person Guided Tour Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3BY Enjoy a guided tour around one of the Palmerston Forts, built to defend Portsmouth from a possible French invasion… Visit the Tunnels, Caponiers, haunted Keep, and Fort Museum within the grounds of the Royal Navy training establishment HMS Sultan. Family-friendly but children must be fully supervised. Not […]
33. HMS SULTAN – Aircraft Tours
In Person Guided Tour HMS Sultan, Military Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3BY Enjoy a guided tour around the different aircraft used for training at HMS SULTAN. The types represent the different aircraft flown by the Royal Navy from the 1960s. Although many are no longer in active service, they still have a valuable role in […]
37. Shipwrecks of the Royal Navy
In Person Talk Lee Hub, 14 High Street, Lee on Solent, Gosport, Hampshire, PO13 9BZ Richard will call on his experience in the Royal Navy along with his detailed research into disasters at sea, to bring you this illustrated talk packed with information and detail, as always, with deepest respect to those who were impacted… […]
45. Rowner Parish Church – a long history
IN PERSON Self-led Tour Rowner Lane, Gosport, Hampshire, PO13 9SU St Mary’s Church in Rowner has been a part of local history for over 1000 years. Come and visit this hidden gem, a Grade 1 Listed church. St Mary’s Church is one of the oldest buildings in this local area. The church is mentioned […]
47. Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery
IN PERSON Guided Walk 51 Clayhall Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2BB Since 1753, ‘Dead Man’s Mile’ was the much-traveled funeral procession route from Haslar RN Hospital to the nearby cemetery. This talk and guided tour explore the history and the beauty of this site… Gather in the Chapel to first enjoy a brief oral history […]
50. Shore Leave Haslar: A Haven for Veterans
IN PERSON Show / Display The Memorial Gardens, Haslar Hospital, Haslar Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2FA Visit the Memorial Garden at Haslar to find out about the historic past of the garden and the present-day work of horticultural therapy for veterans. The Memorial Garden at Haslar is a walled 3-acre hidden gem where healing continues […]
55. The Dark Side of Gosport
In Person Guided Walk Outside The Conservative Club, 2 Walpole Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1NG Be thrilled by this guided walk along Gosport High Street, listening to stories about slavery, ghosts, suicide, baby farming, poisoning, and under-the-counter Victorian photography! This event is for over 18’s only. Your guide will tell you about key buildings in […]
56. The World’s Only Hovercraft Museum!
IN PERSON Show / Display The Hovercraft Museum, Marine Parade West, Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, PO13 9NS The Hovercraft Museum’s collection is unique, irreplaceable, and inspiring, including five craft listed on The National Historic Ships register. It’s a great visit for fact-loving enthusiasts and also families who just wanna have fun… Situated on a Transport Heritage Site, […]
57. Model Boats and Tanks at Explosion!
IN PERSON Show / Display Royal Naval Armament Depot, Priddys Hard, Heritage Way, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 4LE Enjoy a fascinating display of radio controlled model boats and tanks, with the use of pyrotechnics! Presented by the Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team. There will also be a large static display of models of all types with […]
58. Gosport Pubs: Past & Present
IN PERSON Illustrated Talk The Alverbank Hotel, Stokes Bay Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2QT Enjoy this illustrated talk on the history of pubs throughout the Gosport town area, those no longer standing and some still serving beers… How many will you remember? In its third year, the Gosport Pubs: Past & Present talk details the […]
59. Coastwatch: Eyes Along the Coast (talk)
In Person Talk The Alverbank Hotel, off Stokes Bay Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2QT The National Coastwatch Institution was created 30 years ago to provide Visual and Radio support to the Maritime Coastguard Agency through watch towers around the coast of the United Kingdom. This illustrated talk covers the history and function of Coastwatch and […]
63. Wot THAT Walpole!
IN PERSON Talk Alverstoke Parish Centre, Green Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2ET The story of Thomas Walpole, former Rector of St. Mary Alverstoke, and his relationship with the First Prime Minister of Great Britain… Did you know that Walpole Road and Walpole Park are named after Thomas Walpole (1805 – 1881)? He was an interesting […]
64 & 65. Friday the 13th @ Slaughterhouse
In Person Activity The Slaughterhouse, Royal Clarence Marina, Weevil Lane, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1AX The event will showcase the plans to revitalise this historic building into a vibrant cradle for creative expression and community engagement. It will include an exhibition of those plans and the building’s rich history, various partners, Artisan demonstrations, and a print-making […]
67. Shipwreck Archaeology on the Beach
In Person Activity On the beach close to Jolly Roger Pub, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 4LQ Try your hand at shipwreck archaeology on the beach! Under guidance from the Nautical Archaeology Society learn how to record a real shipwreck, then use that information to discover the history of the vessel when it was still afloat… At […]
68. Compton Cinema Organ – last of its type!
IN PERSON Show / Display Presentation The Ballroom, Thorngate Halls, Bury Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 3PX Be transported back to the time of silent films with the history and sound of this unique Compton Cinema Organ, usually hidden away behind the stage! .. The Compton Cinema Organ has been in the Ballroom at Thorngate Hall […]
69. Gosport’s Green Buses – Provincial over the years
IN PERSON Show / Display Explosion! the Museum of Naval Firepower, Royal Naval Armament Depot, Priddys Hard, Heritage Way, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 4LE The Provincial Society again presents a gathering of the famous green and cream buses of the Provincial Bus Company, within the grounds of Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower. Come and join us […]