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Summary

The former Northam Wharf was part of the Itchen Navigation system (MSH3885), the place where cargo was transferred from ships onto barges. The wharf was on the north side of the Northam peninsula, just downstream from Northam Bridge. It probably changed much over the Navigation's 200 years between 1665 and 1869. Any remains of the wharf will now be buried beneath reclamation deposits.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• WHARF (Post Medieval - 1665 AD to 1869 AD)

Full description

[1][5]: The Itchen Navigation (MSH3885), established by Act of Parliament in 1665, extended northwards from Woodmill to Winchester. The powers of the Navigation extended downstream to Northam, in the tidal stretch of the River Itchen. The main traffic was coal, but culm, corn, iron, stone and timber was also transported. Cargo was transhipped onto barges at Northam. Plate 5 is a c1850 illustration showing probable collier brigs at Northam Wharf. Another Act of 1795 gave powers to extend the Navigation to Northam; this would have facilitated through traffic to the proposed Salisbury and Southampton Canal (MSH2954), however the powers were never used. The Navigation was last used in 1869. Nothing survives of the wharf.

[3]: The Navigation wharf at Northam Quay was situated just downstream of the bridge. Due to reclamation, the northern end of the quay is very close to the face of the current quay. This was the furthest that sea-going vessels could reliably go up the river. From 1840 the quay was connected by the new Northam Quay Tramway to the main line railway. The tramway was soon extended to serve adjacent wharves, etc. (Further details in source.)

HER 1/9/10: The 1846 map [2] shows a "Wharf" immediately downstream from Northam Bridge, on the north side of the Northam peninsula, served by tramlines. If [3] is correct, this was the wharf belonging to the Itchen Navigation; this has been used to plot the location in the GIS mapping. The map also shows another wharf downstream to the east, labelled "Old Wharf". The wharf probably changed much over the c200 years of the Navigation. Earlier historic maps have not yet been checked. Since 1846 the shoreline has been extended northwards by reclamation. Structures of the former wharf may survive beneath reclamation deposits.

See Portcities Southampton web site for photos of Northam Wharf (see associated links).

ESH2016 (2005 desk-based assessment of Itchen Navigation):
[4]: Northam Wharf recorded as not extant. No further details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESH2016 - Conservation assessment (desk-based assessment) of the Itchen Navigation in 2005 (Ref: /)

Related records

Associated Links

• Portcities Southampton web site

If you have any feedback or new information about this record, please email the Southampton HER (her@southampton.gov.uk).

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