Lee on the Solent in Hampshire
Lee on the Solent gained its name from the river Lee,
a small stream that flows from Peel Common into the
Solent.
From the 19th century there were attempts to develop Lee-on-the-Solent as a resort
and between 1884 and 1894 the Marine Parade, a pier, railway connection along with
a number of impressive
red brick villas were built. The railway service was discontinued in the 1930s
and the pier was demolished in 1958.
Lee-on-the Solent has had a long association with flying. Seaplane trials took place at
Lee-on-the-Solent as early as 1915. A base for Seaplane training was established
in 1917 on the
current Daedalus site.
In early May 2006 20 unexploded pipe mines were found under HMS Daedalus during
runway repairs. 60 feet (20 metres) long, they were left over from 265, packed with a
total of 2,400lb of gelignite, planted in World War II to make the airfield unusable
in the event of a Nazi invasion. The subsequent removal, thought to be the largest of
its kind in peacetime Britain, led to the evacuation of some 900 homes staggered.
Lee-on-the-Solent is the home to
the Hovercraft Museum which
houses the world's largest collection of rare Hovercraft including some of the earliest
and largest. It can be found on the main road along the seafront and hosts an open
day every summer.
Browndown at Lee is a former naval firing range with many old relics to explore and it's
possible to see large
jellyfish washed up on the shore. Browndown army camp was the setting for the television
series Bad Lads Army.
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Solent Sites Hampshire Business Directory & Hampshire Information
