On Tuesday 4th October members of Brockenhurst WI, partners and friends embarked on a guided tour of Southampton with a guide from See Southampton. This came about after our July Speaker whetted our appetite about the history of Southampton.

The guide took us to the monument to the Pilgrim Fathers (and mothers!).

We looked at the wall and learnt how the water used to come up to it. We also found pout that the stone came from the Isle of Wight.

We were taken to the Wool House and found out how important our wool was and how it was traded.

The saw the Medieval Merchants House and learnt about this and how we imported wine from France.

We learnt the history of St Michael’s church and how it had adapted over the years.

We were taken into a vault and its possible uses were discussed. Vaults were also used as air raid shelters in the wars and it is thought that this kept the death toll of Southampton lower than other port cities.

We also found out a lot more about Southampton, including where Henry VIII was thought to have met Anne Boleyn in secret, where Jane Austin lived, about powerful businesswomen and about American soldiers stationed in Southampton before taking part in Operation Overlord.

We were told about other tours that are run at weekends during April and September and many of us were keen to find out more about the history of Southampton.

We found the tour very interesting and it made us look at Southampton in a new light!

Afterwards we enjoyed a meal at a nearly restaurant before hotfooting it back to the car park before it closed for the night!

Our thanks go to Issy for organising the tour and the meal.