About Eastleigh

The green, leafy Hampshire town of Eastleigh has a number of features to recommend it to the potential visitor: from the town museum which exhibits articles pertinent to local history, to the nearby miniature steam railway which takes in the best of the surrounding countryside.

The museum itself showcases the home-life and workplace of a typical local railwayman and his family, highlighting the original residents of the Victorian terraces the town is known for. In fact, for anyone with a penchant for all things railway-related, the town station and rail-yard are also of interest.

If you're after some retail therapy, then Eastleigh's Swan Shopping Centre with its wide range of high street names alongside smaller retailers is just for you. The town also has a number of specialist shops for the more discerning customer.

Eastleigh's most famous export (or a replica of it, at least) takes pride of place at the entrance to what is now Southampton Airport: the then Eastleigh Aerodrome was the birthplace of one of the most iconic aircraft of the 20th century - the Supermarine Spitfire. The aircraft were built in neighbouring Southampton, but flew from Eastleigh throughout the war.

The town's other famous resident is altogether more human - the comedian Benny Hill - in fact, Eastleigh council have recently named a street in his honour, much to the chagrin of some local residents!

At the last election Eastleigh's residents voted Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne in as their local MP who, until recently, was little known as a minister, but since throwing his hat into the ring for the upcoming party leadership contest, he is likely to become a lot more famous.