The far south has evidence of a
Roman river jetty or possible crossing to
Clausentum on the east of the river, and certain finds of other Roman archaeology. The area is named after the 12th-century
St. Denys Priory, of minor wealth and size, of which little remains, aside from an archway of the original chapel spanning two back gardens, and a counterpart moved to beside the rear wall of King John's Palace at Tudor House Museum in the city centre. St Denys consisted of a very small hamlet
nucleus and scattered farms throughout the medieval period. Drains and dykes improved the land for habitation and crop agriculture over many centuries.
19th century and later The land here was extensively developed at
low-rise level from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century; by 1895 it had a quite dense grid of streets which preceded most of the larger area west of the north-south railway line, namely
Portswood, apart from its main road. An iron railway bridge crossing the River Itchen opened in 1866, connecting
St Denys railway station (named Portswood Station at the time) to Netley Hospital, via Bitterne and Woolston. This was followed in 1883 by the first Cobden Bridge. A history of large
laundries provided employment, servicing Southampton's
ocean liners until the late 20th century. A number of homes of
Titanic (sank 1912) victims and survivors are in St Denys. Considerable bombing in the
Southampton Blitz due to proximity to the railway connecting London and
docks. ==Demography==