Havant provides a unique setting in urban south Hampshire, between the South Downs and the sea. It offers a highly skilled and adaptable labour force with companies at the forefront of new technology. Modern and traditional skills are supported by first class training and educational facilities.

It has excellent communications for a rapidly modernising local economy at the hub of road, rail and sea transport networks. The M27 / A27 coastal trunk route and the A3(M) London route meet in Havant, and link the south coast towns and their expanding ports, with London and the rest of the south east. Further west the M3 motorway links to the Midlands and the south west.

The rail network provides fast coastal and London bound trains, and the major international cargo and passenger port at Portsmouth is literally minutes away. Southampton’s port, one of the UK’s premier freight terminals, is within 30 minutes drive time. Southampton International Airport is just 20 minutes drive time away and provides links to regional centres as well as an expanding programme of daily flights to Europe destinations. London Heathrow and Gatwick Airports are about 75 minutes drive away.

Most of the Town Centre is a conservation area, which developed from a junction of ancient thoroughfares dating from Roman times. The route went from Arundel, along the south coast through Chichester and then towards Winchester, crossing a road from Hayling Island to Rowlands Castle and probably on towards London, joining what is now the A3. The Homewell Spring attracted the Romans to Havant, and those who succeeded them. This spring had never been known to freeze even in the hardest winter, and until 1970 it had never run dry.

Several traces of Roman life can still be found here - the remains of a villa was discovered in 1926 in the garden of a house in Langstone. Coins, rings, brooches and combs were also found together with an almost intact hypocaust, which was the Roman system of central heating. Further remains exist at Warblington and Bedhampton, and there are also some Roman foundations under St Faiths Church in the heart of Havant town centre.

The hamlet of Havenhunte was later established and by 1086, when the Domesday survey was made, it boasted two mills and three salterns.

In the reign of King John a charter was granted authorising a weekly sheep and cattle market, and in the 15th century the town was granted the right to hold a two-day fair on the Feast of St Faith (6 October). The fair was abolished in 1871 but Fairfield Road, which took its name from the market, is still in existence.
Havant is now a thriving Market Town, characterised by its fine Georgian buildings and narrow weaving footpaths called "Twittens". Perfect for relaxed shopping; with an interesting blend of specialist retailers and major high street names. A modern indoor shopping mall, the Meridian Centre, fronts onto an attractive pedestrian precinct in part of West Street. Close by is Havant Park, around 100 years old with some magnificent trees, which provides excellent facilities for the town's cricket and hockey clubs.


Read about the Havant Heritage Trail HERE