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Message: <blockquote data-quote="garyh" data-source="post: 1052634" data-attributes="member: 6078">From <a href="http://www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/visitguide/heintro.htm" target="_blank">http://www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/visitguide/heintro.htm</a> :If history and heritage excite you, Southampton is steeped in it.  From the time of the Saxons to the voyage of the Titanic, clearly history has left its mark on the city.  For example, the medieval town walls are some of the best preserved in the UK with over half still intact and 13 of the original 29 towers still standing.  Walk along them and follow in the footsteps of the Pilgrim Fathers who left for America through the Westgate, and Henry V who sallied forth through the same gate en route to his famous victory at the battle of Agincourt. The poignant story of the maiden voyage of RMS Titanic has been told in many ways.  You can follow the story on a Titanic Trail around the city, taking in all the key memorials and landmarks.  The full story of the doomed liner is told in the Maritime Museum, housed in a  former medieval warehouse.  The museum also maps the importance of the sea in Southampton's past and chronicles its development as a port in the 19th century and during the age of the great liners. The Medieval Merchant's House in French Street has been faithfully restored and furnished to look as it might have done in 1290.  Tudor House Museum and Garden is currently closed for planned refurbishment. It was built in 1495 for Sir Dawtrey, the Controller of Customs in Southampton. It was restored in the end of the 19th century and was then opened as the town’s very first museum in 1912. Some of the objects previously displayed at the Tudor House are now on display at the Southampton Museum of Archaeology. God’s House Tower Museum of Archaelogy consists of a 13th century gatehouse of the city’s original walls and an early 15th century two-storey gallery and three- storey tower.  The museum’s collections illustrate important periods in Southampton’s history. Roman, Saxon, and Medieval times all have their own displays. It also runs exhibitions and has an interactive computer from which the Archaeological Collections Database can be accessed.  Coming closer to today, the Hall of Aviation holds some fascinating full size exhibits.  Among them the legendary Spitfire, developed by local aviation pioneer RJ Mitchell.Perhaps the best way to bring the past to life, and to make the most of modern day Southampton, is to take part in a guided tour.  There are many available, including free walking tours around the city walls with registered Blue Badge Guides.  Tours leave the Bargate, with a choice of two routes, and take about one and a half hours.  Guided tours around the city's magnificent parks are also available.  However, if you prefer to strike out on your own, you'll find plenty of information boards with easy-to-use reference maps sited around the city centre.</blockquote>

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