Bevois ( ) is an

Electoral Ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...

in the

Unitary Authority A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

comprising the suburbs

Bevois Valley Bevois Valley ( ) is an inner city area of Southampton, England, within Bevois Electoral Ward, and includes areas called Bevois Town and Bevois Mount. The area lies south of and adjoins Portswood and is within easy walking distance of the city ...

Nicholstown Nicholstown-Newtown (usually called Nicholstown or Newtown) is a small area to the north-east of Southampton's city centre. To the north is Bevois Valley, to the east Northam and to the west and south is St Mary's. In the north of Newtown is t ...

and Northam, with a population of 16,844. The ward is bounded by (clockwise from north) Portswood Ward, Bitterne Park Ward, Peartree Ward, Bargate Ward and Freemantle Ward. The ward is part of the

Southampton Test Southampton Test is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Alan Whitehead, a member of the Labour Party. History The constituency was created for the 1950 general election, when the previous two-m ...

constituency.

Origins

The ward was created by the Boundary Committee Review in 2002 out of parts of the old St Lukes Ward and Bargate Ward to the south. The name change was proposed by

Southampton City Council Southampton City Council is the local authority of the city of Southampton. It is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It provides a full range of local ...

and the Liberal Democrats, the latter arguing that “the conversion of St Lukes Church to a Sikh temple has removed the sole surviving landmark bearing the former ward name," and that the new name better reflected local community ties. In contrast with ''St Lukes'', the name ''Bevois'' has a strong attachment to the area, which contains landmarks such as Bevois Town Primary School and Church, and Bevois Castle Pub and Hotel. These landmarks, like the area, gleaned their names from the legend of

Bevis of Hampton Bevis of Hampton ( fro, Beuve(s) or or ; Anglo-Norman: ; it, Buovo d'Antona) or Sir Bevois, was a legendary English hero and the subject of Anglo-Norman, Dutch, French, English, Venetian,Hasenohr, 173–4. and other medieval metrical chivalr ...

, who was said to have thrown up the mound of dirt that became Bevois Mount to obstruct the Danes in their endeavours to cross the River Itchen. In the 2011 Census 39.2% of the population of Bevois Ward was born outside the UK.

References

Wards of Southampton {{hampshire-geo-stub