This four-acre open area near the Platform was in the medieval period called Porter's Meadow or Porter's Mead, presumably because the town’s porters congregated here.
Although owned by Queen's College, Oxford, the land was designated lammas land, i.e. for six months of the year it was used as common land, after which it reverted to college ownership. In 1885 ownership was transferred to the town council via a 999 year lease and it was converted into a public park to be known as Queen's Park. The opening ceremony took place on 23rd May 1885. The monument to General Gordon which stands near the centre of the park was unveiled in October 1885 to commemorate Gordon’s death at Khartoum.
Queen's Park
Queen’s park and Gordon Memorial, c2000
Queen's Park×
Further reading:
Public Life in Southampton, Volume 1, by James Lemon, p173-174. (HS/l)
Navigation
Browse A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y-Z
Get Involved
If you wish to
- suggest additional information for this entry
- suggest amendments to this entry
- offer your own research
- make a comment
then fill in the form on the Contact page.