Alton, Hampshire
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Template:GBdot Alton is a small town in Hampshire, England, to the southwest of Farnham. It has a population of about 15,000, and is administered by East Hampshire district council. it also is home to Treloar College, the National Specialist college for Young Disabled People
Jane Austen lived at the nearby village of Chawton.
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The Battle of Alton
A battle was fought in Alton during the English Civil War. A small Royalist force were quartered in the town when on 13 December 1643 they were surprised by a Parliamentary army of around 5,000 men. The Royalist cavalry fled, leaving Sir Richard Bolle and his infantry to fight. Outnumbered, the Royalists were forced in St Lawrence Church, where Bolle was killed along with many of his men.
Over 700 Royalist soldiers were captured.
For more information see the Battle of Alton.
Bullet holes from the battle are still visible in the church today.
Fanny Adams
The Victorian era also left its mark when, on Saturday, August 24th, 1867 a young girl called Fanny Adams was murdered. Her assailant Frederick Baker, a local solicitors clerk, was one of the last criminals to be executed in Winchester, and one of the original public notices advertising his forthcoming execution hangs in the Crown Public House. Fanny Adams' grave can still be seen in Alton cemetery. The brutal murder, so the story goes, coincided with the introduction of tinned meat in the Royal Navy, and the sailors who did not like the new food said the tins contained the remains of "Sweet Fanny Adams", hence the expression which for over a century has meant "sweet nothing".
Education in Alton
Former students of Alton College include Arthur Roberts. The State secondary schools in Alton are Eggars (formally the grammar school), and Amery Hill. There is also a private secondary school for girls, Alton Convent.
Recreational Facilities
Alton has the following facilities:
- Allen Gallery
- Alton Cinema
- Alton Sports Centre (swimming pool, gym, indoor and outdoor courts)
- Curtis Museum
- Town Gardens, with bandstand and children's playground
Rail connections
Alton is located on the National Rail network. Its rail station also serves as a terminal for the Mid Hants Watercress Railway, a steam railway running between Alton and Alresford.
Geography
Alton is located at Template:Coor dms (51.1500, -0.9833)1.
External links
- The Jane Austen Museum (http://www.janeaustenmuseum.org.uk/)
- Curtis Museum (http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/curtis/index.html)
- East Hampshire District Council (http://www.easthants.gov.uk)