Saxon Settlement at Cosham

c. 700-900 AD

The name Cosham derives from the Old English 'Cossaham', meaning Cossa's homestead or enclosure. A small Saxon farming settlement was established on the low-lying ground between Portsdown Hill and the creeks of the harbour. The site was well placed for agriculture, with fertile land on the coastal plain and access to the tidal waters of the harbour for fishing and trade. The settlement sat on the route between the mainland and the emerging settlement on Portsea Island to the south.