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{{Short description|Village and parish in Hampshire, England}}
{{For|the village in New York|Port Chester}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country =                 England
|type =                    [[Village]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.842|-1.12|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|official_name=            Portchester
|shire_district =          [[Fareham (borough)|Fareham]]
|shire_county =      [[Hampshire]]
|region=                   South East England
|constituency_westminster= [[Fareham and Waterlooville (UK Parliament constituency)|Fareham and Waterlooville]]
|population=               17,789
|population_ref = (2011 Census. Wards)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13694039&c=PORCHESTER&d=14&e=62&g=6457111&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1483541949433&enc=1|title=Ward population 2011|access-date=4 January 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics |work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}</ref>
|post_town=		   FAREHAM
|postcode_district =       PO16 - PO17
|postcode_area=            PO
|dial_code=                023/01329
|os_grid_reference=        SU6105
|static_image_name = Church within Portchester Castle.jpg
|static_image_caption = Aerial view of St Mary's Church, Portchester, with Portsmouth city skyline in background.
}}
'''Portchester''' is a village in the borough of [[Fareham (borough)|Fareham]] in [[Hampshire]], England. It is {{convert|4|mi|km}} northwest of [[Portsmouth]] and around 18 miles east of [[Southampton]] on the [[A27 road]]. Its population according to the [[2011 United Kingdom census]] was 17,789.

==Name==
Portchester is derived from its former [[Latin]] name '''Portus Adurni''' and the [[Old English]] [[suffix]] ''ceaster'' ("fort; fortified town"), itself derived from the Latin word "castrum."

==History==
{{main article|Portus Adurni}}
The fort of [[Portus Adurni]] is considered the best-preserved [[Roman fort]] north of [[the Alps]].<ref>{{citation |last=Goodall |first=John |author-link=John Goodall (author) |title=Portchester Castle |publisher=[[English Heritage]] |year=2008 |orig-year=2003 |location=London |isbn=978-1-84802-007-8 |page=3}}</ref> It is sometimes identified as the ''Caer Peris''<ref name=mommy>[[Nennius]] ({{abbr|attrib.|Traditional attribution}}). [[Theodor Mommsen]] ({{abbr|ed.|Editor}}). [[s:la:Historia Brittonum#VI. CIVITATES BRITANNIAE|''Historia Brittonum'', VI.]] Composed after AD&nbsp;830. {{in lang|la}} Hosted at [[s:la:Main Page|Latin Wikisource]].</ref> listed by the 9th-century ''[[Historia Brittonum|History of the Britons]]'' as among the 28 [[civitas|cities]] of [[Sub-Roman Britain|Britain]].<ref name=nashford>Ford, David Nash. "[http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html The 28 Cities of Britain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415120312/http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html |date=15 April 2016 }}" at Britannia. 2000.</ref><ref name=shusher>Newman, John Henry &&nbsp;al. [http://www.mocavo.co.uk/Lives-of-the-English-Saints-St-Gilbert-Prior-of-Sempringham-Volume-3/527392/459 ''Lives of the English Saints: St. German, Bishop of Auxerre'', Ch.&nbsp;X: "Britain in 429, A.&nbsp;D.",<!--sic--> p.&nbsp;92.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321234154/http://www.mocavo.co.uk/Lives-of-the-English-Saints-St-Gilbert-Prior-of-Sempringham-Volume-3/527392/459 |date=21 March 2016 }} James Toovey (London), 1844.</ref> The medieval [[Portchester Castle]] was built within the Roman fort.

In 1931 the [[civil parish]] had a population of 2267.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10083357/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Portchester CP/AP through time|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=23 April 2024}}</ref> On 1 April 1932 the parish was abolished and merged with Fareham and Portsmouth.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10083357|title=Relationships and changes Portchester CP/AP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=23 April 2024}}</ref> It is now in the [[unparished area]] of Fareham.

==Amenities==
As well as the castle, its [[parish church]] {{nowrap|St Mary's}}<ref>[http://www.stmary-portchester.org.uk/ St Mary's Portchester].</ref> is listed as a Grade I protected building.<ref name="english-heritage">{{NHLE|num=1339235|desc=CHURCH OF ST MARY |access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="telegraph">{{cite journal|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/12/nvicar112.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117083758/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/12/nvicar112.xml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 November 2007|title=News: Breaking stories & updates |journal= Sunday Telegraph |issue=2,409|date= 12 August 2007 |publisher=telegraph.co.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref> There are also many historic houses in Castle Street. This suburb is well placed for waterfront leisure activities, only a short distance from the UK's 3rd-largest marina at [[Port Solent]], from the historic city of [[Portsmouth]], and from the market town of [[Fareham]].

===Public open spaces===
* [[Portchester Castle]]
* [[Portsdown Hill]] – Including Portchester Common<ref name="fareham">{{cite web|url=http://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/parks_and_open_spaces/portchestercommon.aspx|title=Portchester Common|publisher=fareham.gov.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref> a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI)
* Wicor Recreation Ground<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/sport_and_fitness/recgrounds.aspx |title=Recreation Grounds |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131013122522/http://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/sport_and_fitness/recgrounds.aspx |archive-date=13 October 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> – Home to [[A.F.C. Portchester]] and Wicor Skate Park.<ref name="fareham2">{{cite web|url=http://www.fareham.gov.uk/leisure/parks_and_open_spaces/skate_parks/wicorskate.aspx|title=Wicor Skate Park|publisher=fareham.gov.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref>
* Wicor Shore

===Schools===
* [[Portchester Community School]], a mixed comprehensive community school for 11- to 16-year-olds.
* Wicor Primary School<ref name="wicor">{{cite web|url=http://www.wicor.hants.sch.uk|title=Wicor Primary School: Home|publisher=wicor.hants.sch.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref>
* Northern Infant School<ref name="northern-inf">{{cite web|url=http://www.northern-inf.hants.sch.uk|title=Northern Infant School|publisher=northern-inf.hants.sch.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref>
* Northern Junior School<ref name="northern-jun">{{cite web|url=http://www.northern-jun.hants.sch.uk|title=Northern Junior School|publisher=northern-jun.hants.sch.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref>
* Red Barn Primary School<ref name="redbarnprimaryschool">{{cite web|url=http://www.redbarnprimaryschool.co.uk|title=Home - Red Barn Community Primary School|publisher=redbarnprimaryschool.co.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref>
* Castle Primary School<ref name="castleprimaryschool">{{cite web|url=http://www.castleprimaryschool.co.uk|title=Home &#124; Castle Primary School|publisher=castleprimaryschool.co.uk|access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref>

===Crematorium===
Opened in 1958, it is on the lower slopes of Portsdown Hill. It is owned by a Joint Committee representing the City of Portsmouth and the Boroughs of Fareham, Havant and Gosport. It has two chapels, the North (added 1969) and South (original).<ref name="portchestercrematorium">{{cite web|url=http://portchestercrematorium.org/|title=Crematorium website.|publisher=portchestercrematorium.org|access-date=28 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802022510/http://www.portchestercrematorium.org/|archive-date=2 August 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>  Those cremated there include two [[World War I]] [[Victoria Cross]] recipients, [[Norman Augustus Finch]] and [[James Ockendon]] who both died in 1966.<ref name="victoriacross">{{cite web|url=http://www.victoriacross.org/cohampsh.htm|title= Burial locations of VC holders in Hampshire. |publisher=victoriacross.org|access-date=28 July 2016}}</ref>

==Sport and leisure==

Portchester has a [[Non-League football]] club [[A.F.C. Portchester]], which plays at Wicor Recreation Ground.

==Notable residents==
*[[Neil Astley]], publisher and founding editor of Bloodaxe Books, born in Portchester
*[[Emily Farmer]], watercolour painter<ref>B. S. Long, "Farmer, Emily (1826–1905)", rev. Charlotte Yeldham, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/33080 accessed 8 Aug 2007]
</ref>
*[[Neil Gaiman]], author, born in Portchester<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/books/whats-fame-got-to-do-with-it/2005/07/23/1121539192285.html%3Foneclick=true What's fame got to do with it?], Frances Atkinson, ''The Age'', 24 July 2005</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Flood|first1=Alison|title=Neil Gaiman novel inspires Portsmouth street name|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jun/21/neil-gaiman-portsmouth-street-ocean|website=[[The Guardian]]|date=21 June 2013|access-date=30 April 2015}}</ref>
*[[Steve Ridgway]], Chief Executive, Virgin Atlantic Airways
*[[Mike Hancock (UK politician)|Mike Hancock]], former MP for Portsmouth South and former Councilor for Fratton ward, has lived in Portchester for over 30 years

==Transport==

===Rail===

[[Portchester railway station]] is managed and operated by [[South Western Railway (train operating company)|South Western Railway]] with frequent [[Southern (train operating company)|Southern Railway]] services. Services run along the coast to [[Southampton Central railway station|Southampton]], [[Fareham railway station|Fareham]], [[Portsmouth Harbour railway station|Portsmouth]], [[Havant railway station|Havant]], [[Chichester railway station|Chichester]] and [[Brighton railway station|Brighton]]. London services to [[London Waterloo railway station|London Waterloo]] (via Fareham) and [[London Victoria railway station|London Victoria]] (via Barnham) also stop at the station.

===Bus services===

[[First Hampshire & Dorset]] services to [[Portsmouth]], [[Havant]], [[Fareham]], [[Titchfield]], [[Locks Heath]] and [[Warsash]].

===Road===

The [[A27 road]] bisects Portchester east–west between Fareham and Cosham on the northern outskirts of Portsmouth. Access to the [[M27 motorway]] is via Junction 11 at Fareham or Junction 12 at [[Port Solent]].

==See also==
*[[A.F.C. Portchester]]
*[[List of places of worship in the Borough of Fareham]]
*[[Portchester Community School]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Hampshire}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Hampshire]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in Hampshire]]
[[Category:Borough of Fareham]]