Swanwick

The area of Swanwick has is home to NATS (National Air Traffic Services) which started operating in 2002; this covers most of the commercial air traffic control for the South coast and London airports and also includes facilities for military aviation.

The marina now known as Swanwick marina was formally Moody’s and had been owned and run by the family of the same name for many generations, initially starting off with boat building and maintenance and subsequently pontoon berthing and facilities for larger boats and yachts for recreational purposes.

The Bursledon brickworks situated on Coal Park Lane, off Swanwick Lane were founded in 1897 and the site was ideal for both river and rail transport links. The clay was also in abundance and initially the pits which were up to 40ft deep and close proximity to the site were dug by hand and transported to the yard by narrow gauge railway waggons; mechanical diggers were not introduced till the 1930s. As demand grew the clay was sourced from what is now known as the Swanwick nature reserve; commercial production ceased in 1974 due to several factors that included the site being divided by the M27 and also introduction of new health and safety requirements making the costs commercially not viable to update the facilities which remained as they were when first founded. The building is now a steam museum and open to the public on certain days of the year.

On Swanwick Shore Road there are a number of older character properties, some listed; these include the Victory Cottages that were originally not individual homes, but a workshop where they built the wooden masts and spars for the Royal Navy fleet. There is also a public slipway for launching small pleasure craft and a lovely walk adjacent to the River Hamble and this takes you all the way to Warsash.

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