Eastleigh, a small railway Hampshire town in England, lies on the River Itchen. It comes under the Southampton urban area neighbouring the town of Winchester. this town is protected by the Special Scientific Interest due to presence of endangered species that make home in these habitats. they include rare species like the water vole and the white-clawed crayfish. Eastleigh has some of the best well-preserved natural beauty which is seen at the new Forest, Isle of Wight and Dorset Coastline.
The name Eastleigh is thought to have been derived from a Saxon Village ‘East Leah’ which was supposed to have existed in those parts. Eastleigh’s history goes even back in time when the Romans had built roads between Winchester and Bitterne. The town is famous for the railway station that was built way back in 1838 to cater to the London and South Western Railway Company.
Eastleigh is known for the infamous ‘Spitfire’ Aircraft, which played an active role in the World War, was built in the Southampton Aerodrome. The now defunct aircraft is only seen in the form of a replica at the Southampton Airport entrance roundabout.
The town is well connected by Bus, rail and Air. There are 17 bus routes, a modern railway station and the Southampton International Airport to cater to the Eastleigh population. The M3 and M27 motorway connects Eastleigh to important location like Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester.
Eastleigh has a rapidly growing economy due to the presence of steady commercial and industrial development. In 2006, it was voted the 9th position for “Best place to Live in the UK”. this has led to increase in population in these parts and therefore many new centres for art and entertainment have sprung up. Most notable is The Swan Centre which is centrally located and boasts a number of famous establishment in-house, namely Tesco, Vue Cinema, W H Smith and NEXT. The Museum is a temple of information on the town and also holds history of the surrounding areas as well.