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{{bdm}}{{About|the town|the local government district|Borough of Fareham}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{infobox UK place
|country = England
|latitude= 50.85
|longitude= -1.18
|official_name=Fareham
| population = 42,210
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 Census]])
|shire_district = [[Fareham (borough)|Fareham]]
|shire_county = [[Hampshire]]
|region= South East England
|constituency_westminster= [[Fareham (UK Parliament constituency)|Fareham]]
|post_town= FAREHAM
|postcode_district = PO14 - PO17
|postcode_area= PO
|dial_code= 01329
|os_grid_reference= SU578048
|static_image_name = FarehamCreek.jpg
|static_image_alt = Fareham
|static_image_caption = Fareham Creek
}}
'''Fareham''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|f|ɛər|əm}} is a [[market town]] at the north-west tip of [[Portsmouth Harbour]], between the cities of [[Portsmouth]] and [[Southampton]] in the south east of [[Hampshire]], [[England]]. It gives its name to the [[Borough of Fareham|borough]] that comprises the town and its surrounding area. It was historically an important manufacturer of bricks (notably used to build the [[Royal Albert Hall]], [[London]]) and a grower of strawberries. Current employment includes retail (including [[Fareham Shopping Centre]] with around 100 shops), small-scale manufacturing, and defence (with the [[Royal Navy]]'s {{HMS|Collingwood|shore establishment|6}} and the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]'s [[Defence Science and Technology Laboratory]] nearby).
== History ==
[[File:Cams Hall North Front.jpg|thumb|left|Cams Hall North Front]]
Archaeological excavations around the old High Street area and the church of St Peter & Paul on high ground over the Wallington Estuary have yielded evidence of settlement on the site contemporary with the Roman occupation. No extensive programme of investigation has been possible due to the historic nature of the buildings in this area. {{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}
The town has a documented history dating back to the [[Norman Conquest of England|Norman]] era, when a part of William's army marched up from Fareham Creek before continuing to the Saxon capital of England, Winchester.<ref>[http://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.asp?PgID=63739&ClubCtteeID=3690&ClubID=653] ''Sept 2001 Portsmouth News article concerning the Norman Invasion, as reported by the Fareham Meon Rotary Club - "....and Fareham Creek was the landing site for 1,000 men whose mission it was to capture the ancient Saxon capital of Winchester." ''</ref> Originally known as ''Ferneham'' (hence the name of the entertainment venue Ferneham Hall<ref>[http://www.fareham.gov.uk/town/activities/fernehamhall/ http://www.fareham.gov.uk/town/activities/fernehamhall/] ''fareham.gov.uk''</ref>), it was listed in the [[Domesday Book]] as having 90 households.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://opendomesday.org/place/SU5806/fareham/|title=Fareham - Domesday Book|author=Anna Powell-Smith|publisher=}}</ref> The ford of Fareham Creek (at the top of [[Portsmouth Harbour]]) was the location of the [[Bishop of Winchester]]'s [[Mill (grinding)|mills]]; the foundations were subsumed in the A27 near the railway viaduct. Commercial activity continued at the port until the 1970s, and continues on a smaller scale. By the beginning of the 20th century, Fareham had developed into a major market town.
In the 1960s, Fareham experienced a huge amount of development, as it was one of the areas highlighted for major expansion in the [[South Hampshire Plan]]. The idea was to create many thousands of homes as a base for the many people who were looking to move away from the traditional urban centres of Portsmouth and Southampton. During this era that the large housing areas of Hill Park, Miller Drive, and much of [[Portchester]] grew until there was a continuous urban conurbation from [[Portsmouth]] to [[Southampton]]. By this time Fareham had expanded to almost encompass the surrounding villages of [[Funtley]], [[Titchfield]], [[Catisfield]] and [[Portchester]].
In the late 1990s, a settlement called [[Whiteley]], straddling the boundaries of Fareham Borough and the [[City of Winchester]], was developed to the north of Junction 9 of the [[M27 motorway]]. It is predominantly residential, but it includes the extensive [[Solent Business Park]].
In 1995 [[Cams Hall]] and [[Cams Estate]] were improved and turned into a modern technology park.
[[File:Anvil Man Fareham 2004.jpg|thumb|right|Anvil Man at the Henry Cort Sculpture Park]]
An urban renewal initiative began in 1999, renovating the town centre and historic buildings to include a new entertainment and shopping complex. It featured a major iron sculpture park<ref>[http://www.fareham.gov.uk/council/general/henrycort/intro.aspx Council website]</ref> installed in 2001 to celebrate the work of influential Lancastrian iron pioneer, [[Henry Cort]], who lived in neighbouring [[Gosport]] but who had an iron rolling mill in Funtley (or Fontley), on the outskirts of Fareham. There is a sculpture park and a school named after him, [[Henry Cort Community College]].
==Arts and Culture==
Fareham is home to Fernham Hall, a multi purpose venue with a capacity of over 700. The hall opened in 1982 and has hosted live music, theatre shows, comedy, [[pantomimes]] and conventions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/lifestyle/real-life/venue-to-the-stars-boasts-a-proud-30-year-history-1-4336797|title=Venue to the stars boasts a proud 30-year history|publisher=}}</ref>
The Ashcroft Arts Centre, on Osborn Road, has a 150-seat theatre, a gallery, a dance/music studio and a fully licensed bar. It offers a varied programme of events including films, theatre, comedy and workshops.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/discover_fareham/ashcroft.aspx|title=Ashcroft Arts Centre|author=Fareham Borough Council|publisher=}}</ref>
The pedestrianised area of West Street, in the town centre, is home to a permanent exhibition of the work of 12 [[blacksmith]] artists celebrating the achievements of [[Henry Cort]], the 18th century ‘man of iron’ who pioneered the iron refining process at [[Funtley]] near Fareham. The puddled wrought iron sculptures are themed on Fareham’s market town history and the exhibition is the largest of its type in Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.farehamtowncentre.co.uk/to-see-do/henry-cort/|title=Henry Cort Sculpture Park|work=Fareham Town Centre}}</ref>
The village of [[Wickham]], 3 miles north of Fareham, is host to the annual [[Wickham Festival]]. The first festival was held from 3–6 August 2006 in the Community Centre and environs. Artists performing included [[Spiers and Boden]], [[Richard Thompson (musician)|Richard Thompson]], Shooglenifty, [[Sparks (band)|Sparks]], [[Oysterband]], [[Steeleye Span]] and The Larry Love Showband. After briely moving to [[Stokes Bay]] in 2008 and 2009, the festival returned to Wickham in 2010, and has since featured [[James Blunt]], [[10CC]], [[Lightning Seeds]], [[KT Tunstall]], [[Steve Earle]] and [[Jools Holland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wickhamfestival.co.uk/|title=Home - Wickham Festival|work=Wickham Festival}}</ref>
==Sport and leisure==
Fareham has a hockey club, which play at Henry Cort Community College. They are currently in the Men's Conference West Division.
Fareham has a [[Non-League football]] club, [[Fareham Town F.C.]], which plays at Cams Alders.
It also has a cricket club, Fareham and Crofton, which plays at Bath Lane.
The town also has a Rugby Union club, Fareham Heathens, which plays at Cams Alders.
There is a competitive swimming club, Fareham Nomads Swimming Club (FNSC), that is affiliated to the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA), ASA South East Region and Hampshire County ASA (HCASA). The Club was formed in 1974 before there was a public swimming pool in Fareham. Due to the lack of a home pool the club took its name because in the early days it led a 'nomadic' existence, using various pools throughout the area for training until 1980 when Fareham Leisure Centre was opened. Since then, the Club has grown considerably and today has a membership of around 250 children, young adults and masters swimmers.
Additionally it also has a tchukeball ball club based at fareham academy called fareham rhinos
== Transport ==
Fareham is well served by road and rail networks. The [[M27 motorway]] passes around the northern edge, and is the main traffic [[Arterial road|artery]] into and out of the area. It provides easy access to both [[Portsmouth]] and [[Southampton]], and from there to [[London]] via the [[M3 motorway (Great Britain)|M3]] and [[A3 road|A3(M)]].
The [[A27 road|A27]] was the original route along the south coast before the building of the M27, and runs from [[Brighton]] to [[Southampton]], passing through the centre of Fareham. The [[A32 road|A32]] passes through Fareham at the Quay Street roundabout, a notorious bottleneck, on its way from [[Gosport]] to [[Wickham]] and through the picturesque [[River Meon|Meon Valley]] to [[Alton, Hampshire|Alton]].
Fareham was named the most car-dependent town in the UK by the Office for National Statistics in July 2014 with 538.7 cars registered to addresses in the town for every 1,000 residents.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/10986871/Fareham-named-as-Britains-most-car-dependent-town.html] ''telegraph.co.uk''</ref>
[[Fareham railway station]] is on the [[West Coastway Line]], with regular services to [[Portsmouth]], [[Southampton]], [[Brighton]], [[Cardiff]] and [[London]]. Until 1953 passenger services also ran south to [[Gosport]].[[File:FarehamStation-Platforms.jpg|thumb|right|Fareham Railway Station]]
Bus transport in the town is provided by [[First Hampshire & Dorset]], which runs nearly all bus routes. Services run as far as [[Winchester]]. The [[Bus stop|bus station]] is adjacent to the Market Quay development, and replaced an older station that was demolished in the late 1980s.
== Places of interest ==
* [[Portchester Castle]]
* [[Titchfield Abbey]] and The [[Tithe Barn]]
* [[Westbury Manor Museum]]
* [[Fort Fareham]]
* [[Bursledon|Bursledon Brickworks]] - the last surviving Victorian steam-powered brickworks
* [[Titchfield Canal]] - Britain's second-oldest man-made waterway
* Fareham High Street - historic Georgian buildings
* [[Fareham Shopping Centre]] - Medium-sized shopping centre
== Local media ==
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2015}}
Fareham is home to the local ITV franchise, covering the South and South-East of England, called [[ITV Meridian]], based at [[Whiteley]], with the BBC region being [[BBC South]], based in [[Southampton]]. All BBC and ITV Services are available in Fareham, with transmissions from the [[Rowridge transmitting station|Rowridge Transmitter]] on the [[Isle of Wight]], although signals from the [[Hannington transmitting station|Hannington]] and [[Midhurst transmitting station|Midhurst]] Transmitter's can be picked up from certain areas of the town. Also, the town is served by a local television station, named [[That's Solent]], it was launched as part of a UK wide roll out of local Freeview channels, being broadcast from the Rowridge Transmitter.
The local commercial radio station is [[Wave 105]] on 105.2FM, also [[Heart Solent]] is based in the town, on 97.5FM, plus [[Capital South Coast]] on 103.2FM. while the town also has . Other radio stations based outside of Fareham, with [[The Breeze (radio network)|The Breeze]] on 107.4FM, [[BBC Radio Solent]] on 96.1FM and [[Jack FM]] (formerly Original 106 & The Coast) on 106.6FM, and a non-profit community radio station Express FM on 93.7FM.
The town has two daily local newspapers, the ''[[Southern Daily Echo]]'' and ''[[Portsmouth News]]'', together with a free weekly newspaper, from the same publisher, [[Johnston Press]], called ''Fareham View''.
== Welborne ==
Welborne is a proposed new development to the north of the town, intended to include 6,000 houses with businesses and community facilities.
A plan for the development was submitted for central Government examination on 23 June 2014,<ref>[http://www.fareham.gov.uk/pdf/planning/WelborneCoreDocuments/SD01_Welborne_Submission_Plan.pdf]</ref> and modifications were published in January 2015 following the inspector's preliminary comments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fareham.gov.uk/planning/new_community/welborneplanmodifications.aspx|title=Welborne Plan: Modifications|author=Fareham Borough Council|publisher=}}</ref> Fareham Borough Council formally adopted the plan for Welborne as part of its statutory Local Plan for the Borough on 8 June 2015.<ref>[http://www.fareham.gov.uk/PDF/planning/LP3WelborneAdopted.pdf Fareham Council Welborne Plan]</ref> Construction is scheduled in phases between 2015 and 2036.<ref>[http://www.fareham.gov.uk/PDF/planning/new_community/StandingConferencePresentation.pdf Fareham Council Planning Update]</ref> Transport plans include an upgrade to Junction 10 of the M27 Motorway and a [[Bus Rapid Transit]] route.
The [[Campaign to Protect Rural England]] Hampshire (supported by a number of community organisations under the name "South Hampshire's Unheard Voices") has opposed the plans due to concerns about building on countryside, possible increased risk of flooding, and the impact on local infrastructure.<ref>[http://www.cprehampshire.org.uk/megadevs/nfsda.html CPRE Hampshire opposes Fareham development]</ref> It has also criticised the planning and consultation process. In 2011, a petition with 1,400 signatures objecting to a new town was submitted to the Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/campaigns/petition-handed-in-against-new-eco-town-1-2358812|title=Petition handed in against new eco-town|publisher=}}</ref>
== Twin towns ==
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Pulheim]] in [[Germany]]
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Vannes]] in [[France]]<ref name="Archant twinning 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns |title=British towns twinned with French towns ''[via WaybackMachine.com]'' |accessdate=2013-07-12 |work=Archant Community Media Ltd |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705094933/http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns |archivedate=5 July 2013 }}</ref>
== Notable residents ==
[[Randal Cremer]] (1828 - 1908), [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Haggerston (UK Parliament constituency)|Haggerston]] from 1885 to 1908, and the receiver of the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 1903 for his work with the international arbitration movement, was born and educated in Fareham.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1903/cremer-bio.html|title=The Nobel Peace Prize 1903 Randal Cremer|work=nobelprize.org}}</ref>
[[Brendan O'Dowda]], (1925 - 2002), an Irish tenor, lived in Fareham.
[[Tom Oliver]] (1938 - ), actor, most famous for playing "[[Lou Carpenter]]" in the Australian soap opera ''[[Neighbours]]'', was born in [[Chandler's Ford]] and grew up in Fareham.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://archive.thisishampshire.net/2001/2/1/79062.html | title = From Fareham to Ramsay Street | accessdate = 2010-07-19 | last = Lamb | first = Rachel | date = 2001-02-01 | publisher = thisishampshire.net | location = Hampshire, United Kingdom | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071011084220/http://archive.thisishampshire.net/2001/2/1/79062.html | archivedate = 2007-10-11 | quote = Actor Tom Oliver is known to millions of viewers as wheeler-dealer Lou Carpenter in Aussie soap, Neighbours. Although the 62-year-old actor has made his name in a show produced in the Antipodes, he was born in London and grew up in Fareham, Hampshire.}}</ref>
[[Steve Claridge]] (1966 - ), English football pundit, manager and former player grew up in [[Titchfield]] and started his career at [[Fareham Town F.C.|Fareham Town]].
[[Andy Vernon]] (1986 - ), British [[long-distance runner]] was born in Fareham, and attended [[Cams Hill School]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/athletics/vernon-claims-victory-in-battle-of-the-brits-1-5633361|title=Vernon claims victory in battle of the Brits|publisher=}}</ref>
[[Anjali Thakker]] (1993 - ), [[New Zealand]] international ice and inline hockey player. Lived in Fareham while playing for the Solent Lizards at [[Solent Arena]].
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
== External links ==
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [http://www.fareham.gov.uk Fareham Borough Council]
{{Hampshire}}
[[Category:Fareham| ]]
[[Category:Market towns in Hampshire]]
[[Category:Towns in Hampshire]]
{{usedwps}}