Fareham Tourist Guide Shopping Farmers Markets Hampshire

Fareham Shops Markets Tourist Information

Fareham is a traditional market town at the north of Portsmouth Harbour at the confluence of the River Wellington and the harbour. It lies between Southampton and Portsmouth. Traditionally local industries included the production of bricks, tiles and chimney pots using the clay soil underlying the area. Fareham red bricks were used in the construction of the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Today Fareham is a modern shopping centre with a good choice of shops in the town and in the indoor shopping centre with over 100 shops. The Georgian Street is the setting for a range of restaurants and cafe bars. In addition there is the new Market Quay shopping and leisure development with a five screen cinema, bars, leisure facilities and more shops. Fareham is also the place to go for open air markets. Every Monday a market of around fifty stalls takes place in West Street Precinct. West Street is also the location for the Farmers Market that takes place on the first Saturday of the month from 9am-2pm. Here you can choose from a huge range of locally grown and produced food items and crafts.

Fareham has a tourist information centre on the main street through the town. Here you can find out all about the local attractions, pick up a visitor guide and town map. The centre is open Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm. Sat 10am-4pm.

Tourist Information Centre, 84 West Street, Fareham, Hants PO16 0JJ. Tel: 01329 221342. Fax: 01329 282959. Email: farehamtic@tourismse.com

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Westbury Manor Museum

The Tourist Information Centre is in the same building as Wesbury Manor Museum. The Museum was once a seventeenth century farmhouse before the town of Fareham grew to its present proportions. In the eighteenth century Wesbury Manor was gentrified and enlarged with the Georgian facade we see today being added. Past residents have included admirals from the Royal Navy stationed nearby. The gardens to the rear of the property have been restored to include traditional rose beds, cottage garden and the more exotic Chinese Border with plants from around the world.

Westbury Manor Museum tells the story of Fareham's local history through a range of materials including photographs, models and original items collected through the years. The Museum holds regular exhibitions linked to the town's history.

The Museum also holds the Local Studies collection for the area which includes old maps dating back to 1610, parish records, photographs and trade directories from 1784.

The museum is open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. Sat 10am-4pm. Westbury Manor Museum, 84 West Street, Fareham, Hants PO16 0JJ.

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Ashcroft Arts Centre

Fareham is home to Ashcroft Arts Centre. The Arts Centre hosts a varied programme of theatre, music, comedy, film, dance and visual arts.

The 150 seat theatre doubles as a cinema showing the latest award winning a critically acclaimed films that have more depth than your usual blockbuster!

Ashcroft Arts Centre also plays host to a range of themed visual arts exhibitions. The Centre also offers a range of courses for all ages including tai chi, dance and art classes. There is on site parking and a licensed bar. Check the weblink right for up-to-date listings of shows and films.

Ashcroft Arts Centre, Osborn Road, Fareham, Hampshire PO16 7DX. Box office: 01329 223100. Fax: 01329 825661. Email: ashcroft@hants.gov.uk

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