New booklet on Havant's old mills '“ Nostalgia

Corn has been grown and milled into flour in the Havant area for hundreds of years. The Domesday Book recorded that Havant had two mills and over time there must have been many more. The Town Mill was still in operation until the early 1900s.Â
Langstone windmill and cottage in the early 1900s.Langstone windmill and cottage in the early 1900s.
Langstone windmill and cottage in the early 1900s.

A new booklet, A History of the Mills at Havant, Langstone and Brockhampton has been researched by Jennifer Bishop and is the subject of the latest Borough of Havant history booklet. It's on sale at the Spring museum in East Street. 

The 92-page booklet, with many photographs and diagrams, costs £6.

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Also on sale are histories of the Bedhampton, Emsworth and Hayling Island mills.

The restored Langstone windmill today. Picture: Bob HindThe restored Langstone windmill today. Picture: Bob Hind
The restored Langstone windmill today. Picture: Bob Hind

They can be read, along with other Havant history booklets, on line at: thespring.co.uk/heritage/local-history-booklets/. They can also be obtained from Ralph Cousins at: [email protected] '“ (023) 9248 4024. 

One of the mills researched is the famous Langstone windmill, much loved by artists and photographers. At high tide it is inaccessible to the owner's cars. 

'¢ Apart from the Guildhall in the centre of this photograph, this would be an almost unrecognisable photograph today.

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In the centre is the Guildhall of course with King Henry V Street (then Park Road) to the left of it.

Havant Town Mill  in 1933. The site is now under Havant bypass.Havant Town Mill  in 1933. The site is now under Havant bypass.
Havant Town Mill in 1933. The site is now under Havant bypass.

I have located where the Norrish Central Library is today with the since-removed statue of Queen Victoria to the right of the caption.

To the left of the word '˜Central' is where Guildhall Walk begins today, although when this picture was taken it was still a continuation of Commercial Road.

In the bottom left hand corner is  the central police station with the Portsmouth courts complex to the left of it. The dark area above it is where the multi-storey car park is today.

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The rear of the once prominent  Sussex Hotel in Guildhall Square, such a landmark in days past, I have captioned.

Portsmouth Guildhall area in the early 1970s.Portsmouth Guildhall area in the early 1970s.
Portsmouth Guildhall area in the early 1970s.

On the far right is Portsmouth and Southsea railway station with the dockyard branch line curving off to the right.

Where the road twists past the columns is where the civic offices now stand.

To the right of the Guildhall can be seen the Cenotaph which at that time was open to public view compared to today when it is partly hidden by parts of the civic offices.

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