Wymering

Former hamlet with the oldest building in Portsmouth and a strong community identity

An area to the west of central Cosham, historically a separate hamlet before being absorbed into the expanding city of Portsmouth. Wymering retains a distinct identity, partly because of the survival of Wymering Manor, the oldest building in Portsmouth. The manor house dates from at least the twelfth century and possibly earlier, and it stands on Old Wymering Lane surrounded by more modern housing. The area has a mix of interwar and postwar council housing, with some of the estates built by Portsmouth Corporation in the 1920s and 1930s as part of the city's slum clearance and suburban expansion programmes. Upper Wymering Lane and Old Wymering Lane are the main routes through the area, and they give access to the residential streets and cul-de-sacs that characterise modern Wymering. The area has a strong community spirit, and local groups have been active in preserving Wymering Manor and campaigning for its restoration. Wymering is slightly more affordable than central Cosham, and the proximity to Portsdown Hill provides easy access to green space and walking routes.