Old Ordnance Survey Maps of Hampshire

This page summarises the local government organisation of Hampshire since 1889.

  • Hampshire County Council was formed in 1889 and from 1894 a network of boroughs, urban district councils and rural district councils was formed. Portsmouth and Southampton were county boroughs, giving them relative autonomy.
  • The more urban areas were covered by Boroughs or Urban Districts. Boroughs had the right to appoint mayors and aldermen; they generally had more prestige and many larger urban districts aspired to become boroughs. The following were Hampshire's Municipal Boroughs in 1894: Andover, Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Lymington, Romsey, City of Winchester. Bournemouth became a County Borough in 1900.
  • Urban Districts covered major towns, had councillors, and provided a growing range of services. In Hampshire these were: Aldershot, Alton, Eastleigh (for some years renamed Eastleigh & Bishopstoke), Fareham, Gosport & Alverstoke, Havant, Petersfield, Shirley & Freemantle, Warblington. Shirley & Freemantle was almost immediately absorbed by Southampton County Borough. Warblington UDC was abolished in 1932 and largely absorbed by an enlarged and renamed Havant & Waterloo UDC.
  • As towns grew, so further urban districts were established: Pokesdown (1895, but absorbed by Bournemouth in 1901), Farnborough (1896), Itchen (1898, but absorbed by Southampton in 1920), Fleet (1904), New Milton (1926, but absorbed by Lymington in 1932). Meanwhile Aldershot and Gosport both became Municipal Boroughs in 1922, as did Eastleigh in 1936.
  • By the 1970s Hampshire had 3 County Boroughs: Bournemouth, Portsmouth, and Southampton; 9 Municipal Boroughs: Aldershot, Andover, Basingstoke, Christchurch, Eastleigh, Gosport, Lymington, Romsey, and City of Winchester; and just 6 Urban Districts: Alton, Fareham, Farnborough, Fleet, Havant & Waterloo, and Petersfield.
  • Across the county there were more than 20 Rural District Councils (RDCs). Though their powers gradually increased, they replaced Sanitary Boards and in the early days generally met at the local Workhouse, and often shared the Union's officials. The Catherington RDC, for instance, met "at the Workhouse, after the Guardians' meeting". The Rural Districts were: Alresford, Alton, Andover, Basingstoke, Catherington, Christchurch, Dockenfield, Droxford, Fareham, Fordingbridge, Hartley Wintney, Havant, Hursley, Kingsclere, Lymington, New Forest, Petersfield, Portsea Island, Ringwood, Romsey, South Stoneham, Stockbridge, Whitchurch, Winchester. Of these Dockenfield and Portsea Island had been abolished within a year, the first absorbed by Farnham RDC (in Surrey), the second by Portsmouth County Borough.
  • Many of these Rural Districts were abolished or merged in 1932, leaving just 12: Alton, Andover, Basingstoke, Droxford, Hartley Wintney, Kingsclere & Whitchurch, New Forest, Petersfield, Ringwood & Fordingbridge, Romsey, Stockbridge, and Winchester.
  • The Isle of Wight was still regarded as part of Hampshire for ceremonial and some other purposes. The Ordnance Survey used to list its maps as Hampshire (Isle of Wight).
  • In 1974 further reorganisation saw major changes. Bournemouth, Christchurch and part of Ringwood & Fordingbridge RDC were transferred to Dorset. The Isle of Wight was formally recognised as a separate county.The bulk of Hampshire became a non-metropolitan county, with 13 Districts: Basingstoke & Deane, East Hampshire, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Hart, Havant, New Forest, City of Portsmouth, Rushmoor, City of Southampton, Test Valley, and City of Winchester. In 1997 Portsmouth and Southampton became unitary authorities.
  • For a list of our Hampshire (including Southampton) maps go to the Hampshire page, for Portsmouth go to the Portsmouth page, for Bournemouth go to the Bournemouth page, for the Isle of Wight to the Isle of Wight page. A full list of our maps for the South West is given here.
  • Most maps in the Godfrey Edition are taken from the 25 inch to the mile map and reduced to about 15 inches to the mile. They cost just £ 3.00 each (Coloured editions £ 4.00). For a full list of English maps, return to the England page
  • You can order maps direct from our On-line Mapshop.
    Minor changes are not listed here, but please advise us of any significant errors or omissions.
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    The Godfrey Edition / sales@alangodfreymaps.co.uk / 25 November 2016