Hythe Station to be a Heritage Centre for the Waterside

THE WATERSIDE HERITAGE CENTRE

Waterside Heritage has now taken over the ownership of Hythe Railway Station and its surroundings through a 99 year lease from the New Forest District Council. The building had previously been in a very dilapidated state with holes in the roof, no ceilings, doors etc. but this was remedied by Swaythling Housing Society as part of their development of housing on the old railway sidings adjacent to Shore Road, Hythe. After securing funding from the New Forest District Council, The Dibden Allotments Charity, Hampshire County Council & Hythe & Dibden Parish Council the conversion work is now in hand to create a Heritage Centre for the Watersidde. The formal opening will be in April 2002.

Once conversion is complete the Heritage Centre will contain:

A reception and small exhibition area in the original entrance and waiting room.

A study centre and library, which can easily convert into a small lecture hall, in the former ticket and parcel office. The room will be equipped with reading and work tables, computer terminals, microfilm and microfiche readers.

A display preparation area, archive rooms, kitchen and new toilet facilities in the remaining third of the building. This part of the building will also be equipped to copy photographs and other documents.


ACCESS HOURS

It is planned to open the Heritage Centre initially on a Saturday and slowly expand until we are open for 6 days a week. The Centre will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for use by the general public for their own personal research. In the evenings Local History Groups and others will be able to use the Centre by prior arrangement.


SERVICES & FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE NEW CENTRE

Library of books, other printed sources, copies of original material held elsewhere, maps, photos etc. available for local history and genealogical research.

Talks and Demonstrations Facility

Exhibitions in the Centre; changed on a regular basis, illustrating the life and history of the Waterside.

A base for Local History Exhibition Units. It is our aim that each of the three main communities will be provided with a small exhibition unit sited in such a position as to be easily accessible by both residents and tourists as well as supporting other commercial or economic ventures in the area.

Outreach Support Unit for Local Schools

Preparation Room - a clean environment which can be used for conservation work, the creation of exhibition materials and the assembly of study modules for schools etc.

Archive Store - housed within a fire-proof and environmentally controlled area.

Storage facilities for the Local History groups
Conservation and Document / Artefact Storage Facilities

Reprographic facilities. All copying of photographs and similar media will be undertaken by the use of computer scanning facilities. However, the facilities for photographic copying will still be incorporated into the layout as a support facility but developing and printing will be undertaken by external suppliers. A photocopier will be available within the building. All these services would be offered at a charge. It is Waterside Heritage’s intention that as well as copies of our own research material being available we will undertake progressive copying of originals held in other local and national archives so that the material will be available for local research.

Postal and E-mail Research Service. The Study Centre will be ideally placed to answer queries from inquirers about their families in the Waterside. A covering charge will be made for this service.

Dedicated Subject Conservation and Exhibition Units.

The Waterside has benefited from the presence of a large group of private and other enterprises whose local tenure has had a considerable impact on Great Britain and even the world. It is Waterside Heritage’s intent that eventually each of these enterprises can be commemorated with an exhibition centre of their own or in conjunction with each other. The enterprises which we wish to see commemorated in this way are:- British Power Boat Company
Hovercraft Development
Imperial Airway/BOAC
Supermarine
Marchwood Magazine


If you would like to know more about Waterside Heritage or the new Heritage Centre for the Waterside please contact us by e-mail and we will be in touch