Fratton

Fratton
Fratton
 Fratton shown within Hampshire
OS grid referenceSU655005
Unitary authorityPortsmouth
Ceremonial countyHampshire
RegionSouth East
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town PORTSMOUTH
Postcode district PO1
Dialling code 023
Police Hampshire
Fire Hampshire
Ambulance South Central
EU Parliament South East England
UK ParliamentPortsmouth South
List of places
UK
England
Hampshire

Coordinates: 50°48′03″N 1°04′16″W / 50.8008°N 1.0711°W

Fratton is a residential and formerly industrial area of Portsmouth, Hampshire. It consists of mostly Victorian terraced houses, and is typical of the residential areas in the city. In the past it housed a huge railway depot, but this has mostly been dismantled now, making way for a shopping complex and the redevelopment of Portsmouth F.C.'s stadium, Fratton Park.

There is also a modest shopping centre on Fratton Road, called The Bridge Centre, which is dominated by a large Asda supermarket and in atmosphere reflects the working class roots of the neighbourhood, with local, low-budget shops and cafes.

Fratton is also one of the four railway stations on Portsea Island. Due to its location as the last stop before the main Portsmouth railway station (Portsmouth & Southsea) Fratton has been adopted in naval slang as a euphemism for the withdrawal method of contraception "getting off at Fratton".

History

Goldsmith's Farm and Fratton Common were part of the original small rural village originally called Froddington, the only visible evidence of this being the presence of a public house, "The Froddington Arms" on the western side of Fratton Road. Due to developments during the Industrial age, more of the surrounding land was absorbed by Portsmouth in the 1870s and 1880s, principally by new housing developments.