Closeup map of Portsea Island |
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Portsea Island (Hampshire)
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Solent |
| Country | |
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England
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| County | Hampshire |
| City | Portsmouth |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 147,088 |
Portsea Island is a small, flat and low lying island just off the south coast of England. The island is totally within, and contains a large proportion of, the city of Portsmouth. It has the third-largest population of any island in the British Isles, after the mainlands of Great Britain and Ireland.
To the east lies Langstone Harbour, and to the west is Portsmouth Harbour. To the south it faces into the Solent. A small channel, known as Portsbridge Creek, separates the island from the mainland, Great Britain.[1]
Three road bridges (the M275 motorway, the A3 and the A2030), a pedestrian and cycle bridge, and a rail bridge connect the island to the mainland, and a small road bridge joins it to Whale Island. In addition there are ferry services to Gosport (on the mainland), Hayling Island and the Isle of Wight.
There have been two Bronze Age hoards found on the island.[2] A hoard of Roman coins has also been found.[3] At the time of the Domesday Book 3 manors were recorded as being on the island.[4]
The name of Portsea is also used for an administrative district of Portsmouth, located in the south-west corner of the island.