SOUTHERN SEES

Titanic struggles, medieval halls and playful otters are among the highlights of Victor Charles' Hampshire tour.

When we arrived at Mercury Yacht Harbour and Holiday Park in Hamble, Hampshire, the campsite was looking waterlogged after heavy rain. The warden put us on one of the few dry pitches available and told us to keep to the road, so we wouldn't get stuck in the mud! Undaunted, we set out to explore the area and stopped at Netley Abbey (parking at Abbey Hall Car Park), a medieval monastery founded in 1239 by Cistercian monks. Today, the abbey is a romantic ruin, owned by English Heritage. We saw the Abbot's House, where he entertained important guests, and admired the ornate ruins of the Abbey Church. Like many such religious institutions, the abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1536, and later became a private residence to Sir William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester.

It was occupied until 1704, then sold off for building materials. The abbey only survived because a man involved in the demolition was sadly killed in an accident, so work ceased.

Military and medical history

A mile down the road is the Royal Victoria Country Park, where from 1863 until 1966, the Royal Victoria Hospital stood. This former military hospital was in ruins following two fires and a flood, so the authorities demolished it, leaving just the hospital church, which is now a museum. It houses many exhibits and curiosities exploring medicinal treatments of the past.

The hospital cared for many casualties during the two World Wars. Today, a timeline highlights significant events, and exhibitions explore the history of medicine. One especially moving display describes the asylum where soldiers suffering from shell shock endured the added barbarism of being treated with electric shock therapy.