Hampshire has a very interesting history. For a long time after the Romans left, the area that today consists of Hampshire was the scene of several conflicts between indigenous tribal groups and invading Germanic tribes. After the establishment of Saxon control, Hampshire became the centre of the Kingdom of Wessex before the Norman invasion of 1066. After this the area continued to be important with the New Forest becoming a favoured hunting ground and Hampshire’s ports became increasingly busy.

Southampton and Portsmouth prospered over the centuries, due to the advantageous facts that they had both deep water and shelter from open sea because of the Isle of Wight across the Solent. Portsmouth became a key naval port, and many of the defensive works built to protect it are still around today. Southampton itself developed as a vital trade port of the country, and still handles much shipping today. During the Second World War, both cities were heavily bombed due to their military and economic importance respectively.