Life At The Crossroads

Emma Caulton considers the changing fortunes of Waterlooville

- Emma Caulton

NAMED after the battle and lying a few miles north of Portsmouth, Waterlooville started out as little more than a settlement at a crossroads, as shown on maps of 1895 and 1909. Later maps, dated 1933 and 1945, indicate a little more development, strung out along the main roads – but that’s it.

Well, look at Waterlooville now – all roads, roundabouts and housing estates. It has grown and spilled over into surrounding villages, among them Cowplain, Lovedean and Purbrook, making it difficult to distinguish where one stops and another starts.

Waterlooville is found on the south-east edge of Hampshire, close to where the county brushes up against West Sussex, and positioned at a juncture between town and country. Heading north from Portsmouth along the A3, the land rises to Portsdown Hill, a high chalkland ridge, home to a row of 19th century forts, including Fort Purbrook and Fort Widley, now residential areas. Along the main road is a meagre sprinkling of old flint knap cottages among houses built between the Wars with bays and mock Tudor detailing. Behind stretch housing estates.