Woolston is a suburb of
Southampton
Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
, located on the eastern bank of the
River Itchen. It is bounded by the
River Itchen,
Sholing,
Peartree Green, Itchen and
Weston
Weston may refer to:
Places Australia
* Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra
* Weston, New South Wales
* Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra
* Weston Park, Canberra, a park
Canada
* Weston, Nova Scotia
* W ...
.
The area has a strong maritime and aviation history. The former hamlet grew as new industries, roads and railways came to the area in the
Victorian era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...
with Woolston formally incorporated into the borough of Southampton in 1920.
History

Woolston is believed to originate from ''Olafs tun'',
a fortified
tun on the East bank of the River Itchen established by the
Viking
Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...
leader
Olaf I of Norway
Olaf Tryggvason (960s – 9 September 1000) was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken ( Vingulmark, and Rånrike), and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King o ...
in the 10th Century.
In the
Domesday Book
Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...
of 1086, the area is recorded as ''Olvestune''.
[ The area now known as Woolston is certain to have received consignments of wool to be ferried across the ]River Itchen, Hampshire
The River Itchen in Hampshire, England, rises to the south of New Alresford and flows to meet Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge. The Itchen Navigation was constructed in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to enable barges to reach ...
by the inhabitants of Itchen Ferry village. The evolution of ''Olvestune'' into "Woolston" is a result of that trade.
The former hamlet grew as new industries, roads and railways came to the area in the Victorian era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...
with Woolston formally incorporated into the borough of Southampton in 1920. First-class cricket
First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is of three or more days scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officially adju ...
was briefly played at Woolston at Day's Itchen Ground by Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...
from 1848 to 1850; the ground was leased on land owned by the Woolston Hotel, today known as The Cricketers Arms, on Portsmouth Road.
Development of the Itchen Bridge in the 1970s, to link Woolston with the Southampton City Centre, required significant changes. Old terraces had to be demolished to make room for the new structure. However, as the bus terminal that served passengers boarding and departing the Woolston ferry was no longer required, it was demolished and made way for houses to be built.
In the 21st century Woolston's Vosper Thorneycroft shipyard closed and a new development, Centenary Quay, was built on the site.
Governance
Before 1920 Woolston was governed as part of the Itchen Urban District, from when it became part of Southampton
Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
, which later achieved city status
City status is a symbolic and legal designation given by a monarch, national or subnational government. A municipality may receive city status because it already has the qualities of a city, or because it has some special purpose.
Historically, ci ...
and then became a unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local government, local authority in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Unitary authorities are responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are ...
, governed by Southampton City Council.
Woolston is within the Woolston ward
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
which also includes the neighbouring Weston
Weston may refer to:
Places Australia
* Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra
* Weston, New South Wales
* Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra
* Weston Park, Canberra, a park
Canada
* Weston, Nova Scotia
* W ...
. The ward elects three councillors to the city council, currently all Labour members. Many locations generally considered part of Woolston, including the railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
and the Millennium Garden, are in the neighbouring Peartree ward.
The Woolston ward is within the Southampton Itchen parliamentary constituency, represented in the House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
by Darren Paffey of the Labour Party since 2024.
Prior to Brexit
Brexit (, a portmanteau of "Britain" and "Exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU).
Brexit officially took place at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February ...
in 2020, the area was represented in the European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...
within the South East England constituency.
Geography
Woolston is bounded by Sholing, Peartree Green, Itchen and Weston
Weston may refer to:
Places Australia
* Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra
* Weston, New South Wales
* Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra
* Weston Park, Canberra, a park
Canada
* Weston, Nova Scotia
* W ...
; with the western boundary as the River Itchen. Its boundary with Weston is the stream that runs through Mayfield Park.
The nearest motorway is the M27; Woolston is closest to Junctions 7 and 8.
Economy
Woolston has a shopping area centred on the Victoria Rd/Portsmouth Rd crossroads and by the Woolston Floating Bridge.
There had been a shipbuilding site on Victoria Road since 1870, (from 1900 the Vosper Thornycroft shipbuilding company) which was the major employer in Woolston until 31 March 2004 when operations were relocated to Portsmouth.
A large 'supermarket style' Co-op
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democr ...
was opened on Victoria Road in April 2004, to replace a smaller ageing shop on the same road. On Saturday 23 May 2015, the large Co-op
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democr ...
was shut down and the building sold to Lidl
Lidl ( ) is a trademark, used by two Germany, German international discount supermarket, discount retailer chain store, chains that operates over 12,600 stores. The ''LD Stiftung'' operates the stores in Germany and the ''Lidl Stiftung & Co. K ...
, which opened in February 2017.
Woolston Riverside Regeneration
The Victoria Road shipyard site was acquired by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) in March 2003.[SEEDA Board meeting, 22 January 2004] and finally vacated by Vosper Thorneycroft March 2004.
The South East England Development Agency subsequently announced plans for the site, to be split into two sections:
* A residential and retail area, under the brand name Centenary Quay.
* 8.2 hectares for a marine employment quarter at the north of the site providing 820 jobs. This sector will also include an 'upper tier budget hotel'.
The marine and commercial section will include several quays for vessels:
The redevelopment of the waterside site may rejuvenate the shopping area, but has also been predicted to place extra burden on the Itchen Bridge and cause extra congestion in Woolston. Developers of the residential site are reported to be considering the possibility of re-introducing a ferry service to Southampton.
Work started on phase one of the Centenary Quay development July 2010. Phase one consists of creating family housing to the east of the site, as well as establishing a frontage to Victoria Road.
Houses have already been built on the land at Weston Shore where the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
stores once stood. Clearing that brownfield site
Brownfield is previously-developed land that has been abandoned or underused, and which may carry pollution, or a risk of pollution, from industrial use. The specific definition of brownfield land varies and is decided by policy makers and l ...
was a major exercise, complicated by old munitions, including Mustard Gas
Mustard gas or sulfur mustard are names commonly used for the organosulfur compound, organosulfur chemical compound bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide, which has the chemical structure S(CH2CH2Cl)2, as well as other Chemical species, species. In the wi ...
shells which had been buried in the ground and asbestos
Asbestos ( ) is a group of naturally occurring, Toxicity, toxic, carcinogenic and fibrous silicate minerals. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous Crystal habit, crystals, each fibre (particulate with length su ...
. The redeveloped area is now in the district of Woolston
Woolston is thus becoming more of a residential area, though it will still retain some marine industry with facilities to berth vessels of up to 76 m in length.
Landmarks
The Woolston Millennium Garden was created for the residents by a local group. It was completed in 2002. Its focal point is a 10-metre tall metal and recycled glass feather intended to signify Woolston's history of flight and sail. The garden is divided into three areas, signifying the earth, the sky and the sea. Many of the crew of the Titanic came from Woolston and there are bricks in the pathway through the garden that are inscribed with their names.
Centenary Quay also has Southamptons tallest building, on the edge of Woolston.
Education
St. Mark's Infants school in Church Road moved to new premises in Florence Road in 1974, becoming Woolston First School and is now known as Woolston Infant School. Ludlow Infant School is situated on the same site as Ludlow Junior School, the largest Southampton primary school with 600 pupils.
Woolston no longer provides education for pupils over the age of eleven, since Woolston School was controversially closed in July 2008 to make way for the Oasis Academy Mayfield.
Southampton City College operates a ''Marine Skills Centre'' on Hazel Road which runs vocational courses (usually for 16+ pupils).
Religious sites
Woolston has three Christian places of worship. St. Mark's Church, built in 1863[ and a Grade II ]listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
, serves the Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
community; St. Patrick's Church, built in 1884[ serves the ]Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
community (the site also houses a catholic primary school). There is also a Kingdom Hall
A Kingdom Hall is a place of worship used by Jehovah's Witnesses. The term was first suggested in 1935 by Joseph Franklin Rutherford, then president of the Watch Tower Society, for a building in Hawaii. Rutherford's reasoning was that these ...
operated by Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co-fou ...
.
St. Mary's Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
Church was built in 1876[ but was demolished in 1972.][
]
Leisure and community
The Archery Grounds, bounded by Swift Road and Archery Road, consists of a large grass space, with a children's play area. There is a path leading through to Mayfield Park, a partially wooded, partially open recreational area situated on the border of Woolston and neighbouring Weston
Weston may refer to:
Places Australia
* Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra
* Weston, New South Wales
* Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra
* Weston Park, Canberra, a park
Canada
* Weston, Nova Scotia
* W ...
.
The building that was previously St. Mark's Infants School in Church Road is now Woolston Community Centre.
Public services
The fire station in Portsmouth Road was no longer required once the Itchen Bridge provided easy access for the fire crews at St Mary's on the Southampton side of the river. That old building is now a Doctors' surgery.
Across the road are two more doctors surgeries – Woolston Lodge Surgery and Canute Surgery – and a Lloyds pharmacy.
Transport
Woolston railway station is on the West Coastway Line
The West Coastway line is a railway line in England linking the conurbations of Brighton/Hove/Littlehampton and Southampton/Portsmouth. It has short southward branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis, which offer direct services to and from ...
, situated at the end of the Itchen Bridge and operated by South Western Railway
South Western Railway Limited, trading as South Western Railway (SWR), is the British state-owned train operating company that took over the services of the South Western Railway (2017–2025), operator of the same name from FirstGroup and MTR ...
. The line from Southampton
Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
to Woolston was opened on 5 March 1866, accessible from Bridge Road, with an extension opened in November 1867[ to serve the Royal Victoria Military Hospital at Netley, where it originally terminated. The line was extended to ]Fareham
Fareham ( ) is a market town at the north-west tip of Portsmouth Harbour, between the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton in south east Hampshire, England. It gives its name to the Borough of Fareham. It was historically an important manufac ...
on 2 September 1889,[ whereupon it became possible to run through trains to ]Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
via a separate line that had been built to link Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England, between Southampton and Winchester. It is the largest town and the administrative seat of the Borough of Eastleigh, with a population of 24,011 at the United Kingdom 2011 census, 2011 census.
The town ...
and Gosport
Gosport ( ) is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hampshire, England. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census, the town had a population of 70,131 and the district had a pop ...
in 1841.[
]
The Itchen Bridge is a toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge where a monetary charge (or '' toll'') is required to pass over. Generally the private or public owner, builder and maintainer of the bridge uses the toll to recoup their investment, in much the same way as a toll road ...
that crosses the River Itchen, from Woolston to the Chapel area of Southampton near Ocean Village and St Mary's Stadium. The bridge was opened to traffic on 1 June 1977 and formally named on 13 June 1977 by Princess Alexandra.[Southampton Echo, 13 June 1977] Costing £5.7 million, the high-level concrete bridge spans 107 m between its central pillars and carries two lanes of traffic 24 m above the river, allowing large vessels to proceed further upstream to the wharfs and quays in Northam. Tolls are charged for vehicles crossing the bridge, toll booths and a control room are situated at the Woolston end. Buses, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists cross free. A cable ferry served Woolston from 1938 until the opening of the bridge. Prior to the Woolston Floating Bridge, the Itchen ferry boats provided transport across the River Itchen.
There is a major bus stop on the Woolston link road, a separate bus-only access to the Itchen Bridge which by-passes the toll booths, served by a number of bus routes running through the suburb.
References
Further reading
WOOLSTON – SOUTHAMPTON CONSERVATION AREAS APPRAISAL
Southampton City Council and HGP Architects (2010)
{{Districts of Southampton
Wards of Southampton