Why visit Wickham
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 11 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Fort Nelson, Westbury Manor Museum and Segensworth.
Weather in Wickham
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Wickham
Wickham () is a village in the civil parish of Wickham and Knowle, in the Winchester district, in the county of Hampshire, England. It is about 3 miles north of Fareham. In 2021 it had a population of 2,173. At the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 4,816, falling to 4,299 at the 2011 Census.
From the Wikipedia article Wickham, Hampshire (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks3
Fort Nelson
Museum · 3.4 mi
Grade I listed military museum in Hampshire, England, UK
Westbury Manor Museum
Museum · 3.3 mi
Local museum in Fareham, Hampshire, UK
The Dip Hole
Monument and historic site
These steps were built around 1820 to allow the villagers to draw water from the river before Wickham had a piped water supply. Restored...
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Segensworth
Park · 3.4 mi
Area of business parks in Hampshire, England, UK
Restaurants and cafes11
History
The Romans established a settlement at Wickham, on the road from the Roman centres of Chichester and Winchester. Iron works have been found northeast of the village, and various Roman finds to the southwest.
It was in Saxon Britain that the first written mention of the village appears, in a Royal Charter document dated 826. Recent excavation (1965–70) at the Manor House showed its grounds had dwellings and huts, evidence of Saxon settlement.
After the Norman Conquest, King William granted the Manor of Wickham to Hugo de Port, and the village appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, as part of the Titchfield Hundred. The present church of St Nicholas dates from 1126 and was run by the Canons of Titchfield. In 1269, King Henry III granted a charter to Roger de Scures, the Lord of The Manor at the time, for markets to be held on a Thursday. It is from this time that the layout of the village as we now know it began to emerge. Wickham also had a fair which attracted buyers and sellers from a wide area. Wickham fair (often referred to Wickham Horse Fair) is still held each year on 20 May.
The Church of St Nicholas in Wickham was built in the early 12th century (although there has probably been a church on the site since the 7th century when the people of Hampshire were first converted to Christianity), however the church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century.
Read more of the history
In the 18th century, there was a tanning industry in Wickham and in the 18th and 19th centuries a brewing industry. Both needed a supply of fresh water, which was readily available from the River Meon. In 1801, Wickham had a population of 901 and compared to most of the villages in Hampshire it was a large community. In 1820, Chesapeake Mill was built with timber taken from an American ship USS Chesapeake, which was captured in the War of 1812. Sir Richard Grindall who commanded HMS Prince at the Battle of Trafalgar is buried in Wickham churchyard.
In 1903, a branch railway was built from Fareham through Wickham, to Droxford and Alton. It was closed to passengers in 1955 and the line converted to a footpath. The original station platforms can still be found.
In 1978, Wickham was twinned with the French village of Villers-sur-Mer. Wickham Vineyard opened in 1984.
In 1990, an old brewery and village hall in Wickham were converted into flats called Riverside Mews. The brewery had shut in 1910 and the buildings were given to Wickham Parish Council to use as a village hall.
From the History section of Wickham, Hampshire on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Wickham
Arts and culture
Farmland north of Wickham serves as the venue for the award-winning Wickham Festival, which is an annual four-day music event. The first Wickham Festival was held from 3 to 6 August 2006 in the Community Centre and environs. Artists performing included Daby Blade from Senegal, Spiers and Boden, Los Pacaminos, Richard Thompson, Shooglenifty, Sparks, Oysterband, Fiddlers' Bid, Osibisa, Flook, Steeleye Span and The Larry Love Showband.
After briefly moving to Stokes Bay in 2008 and 2009, the festival returned to Wickham in 2010, where it has remained ever since. Wickham Festival has expanded over the years, and has featured performances from such artists as James Blunt, 10cc, Wilko Johnson, The Proclaimers, KT Tunstall, Hugh Cornwell and Lightning Seeds.
Taste of Wickham is a food festival, first held in Wickham's medieval square in 2014. The festival offers local produce, barbecues, tasters and cookery demonstrations, and has attracted crowds of over 4,000 people to the village. Taste of Wickham returned in 2015, with increased numbers of stalls, crafts and musical displays.
From the Wikipedia article Wickham, Hampshire, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Wickham
- William of WykehamBishop of Winchester; Lord Privy Seal of England; Lord Chancellor of England (1324-1404)
- John CarterChurch of England clergyman
- Joe BeckettEnglish boxer
- Mark Carpenter-GarnierAnglican bishop
- John WainwrightRoyal Navy officer
- Thomas Revell ShiversBritish Royal Navy officer (1751–1827)
Born in Wickham, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries1
Healthcare2
Map of Wickham
33 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southampton Airport (SOU) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Fareham 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- Hedge End 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- Fair Oak 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Waterlooville 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Cosham 7 mi southeast, about 11 min by car
- Gosport 8 mi south, about 12 min by car
- Portsmouth 8 mi southeast, about 13 min by car
- Bishopstoke 8 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Eastleigh 8 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
- Southampton 9 mi west, about 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Wickham
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Fort nelson entrance, en:User:Geni, CC BY 2.5
- St John the Baptist's Church, St John's Lane, Shedfield (NHLE Code 1301876) (July 2019) (3), Hassocks5489, CC0
- Westbury Manor Museum, Fareham, Tim Sheerman-Chase, CC BY 2.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
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