Paleolithic artifacts including axes have been found in gravel pits on the common as well as a single Mesolithic axe. It has been suggested that the area's status as a common goes back to the town of Hamwic around 500AD. The designation as Common Land allowed all householders within the borough who were paying "watch and ward" to use the land for fuel, clay, and taking berries and other wild, natural food. The most important use was for grazing, however, and there was a
cowherd, who was paid to be responsible for the cattle on the common. As well as looking after the cattle, it was the cowherd's job to perform maintenance on the gates, fences, and banks on the common. In 1595 the first attempt to supply Southampton with water was made by Roger Pedley. This attempt was only partially successful and was disrupted a year later by a Mr Robert Russell digging on the common. The cowherd ceased to be appointed sometime between 1834 and 1836 with the remaining duties falling to the Haywarden until that office also stopped being filled in 1907. For a period the town gallows were located on the north of Southampton Common with the last execution taking place there in 1785.
19th century In 1814 the town clerk managed to get permission to build a house on the common on the site of the former brickmaker's house. In 1843 of the common was split off by the Southampton Corporation to be used a cemetery. A further was taken from the common and added to the cemetery in 1863. The common became a public park in 1844 as the result of the council using the powers of the
Southampton Marsh Act 1844. The racecourse on the common was rebuilt in 1860 and races continued to be held until 1881. The first agricultural show was held on the common in 1873 in the form of the
Royal Counties Agricultural Society show. The first non-reservoir pond on the common appeared sometime between 1800 and 1846 and was just beyond what was then the Cemetery's north east corner. In 1892 a small hospital was built on the common for cholera and smallpox cases. It was soon judged unsuitable and was removed by the end of the year.
Waterworks In 1803 the first of a number of reservoirs was constructed by the
Southampton Waterworks Commissioners. The reservoir was constructed behind the Cowherd's inn. In 1850 a further pair of reservoirs was constructed on the northern part of the common this time to hold water taken from the
River Itchen at
Mansbridge. This marked the end of golf being played on the common. The common was returned to the council in 1919 and the remaining military buildings were removed over the next two years. On top of this five cricket pitches were constructed between 1926 and 1932. During World War II the common was again taken over by the military and again huts were constructed on the common. In 1961 the Southampton zoo was opened on the common using the site of the former Hawthorn cottage. An application was then made to turn the site into a small theme park based around a
big wheel. In 1968 the council proposed to construct two new car parks on the common. The 1971 act was later replaced with the
Hampshire Act 1983.
Waterworks In 1919 two drownings in the third reservoir (now the model yacht lake or boating lake) resulted in works that reduced its depth to four feet. Towards the end of 1983 and during the start of 1984 the ornamental lake was comprehensively dredged potentially doing significant damage to the wildlife in and around the lake.
21st century The Balloon festival ceased to be held after 2005. The Common People music festival was first held on the common in 2015 and was then held for a further three years. The
Alt-J song "
Bloodflood" makes reference to the Common. The Common is a venue for a
Parkrun; a weekly 5 km run on a Saturday morning starting from near the Hawthorns Centre. ==References==