@@christophermichaelclarence6003 I mean, if Tesco did a full English in their meal deal i'd be all over it (at least until my heart exploded :). (fair play, some 'Spoons do a fry up for not _that_ much more than a meal deal)
I caught the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander then drove to Granada when I retired. It's so easy to travel in Europe. I have taken a hovercraft to France many years ago.
@janetcurr-ks1gd Sorry, but not in my opinion. It looked like a cobbled together dump. He can and does eat everywhere, but so what unless the food is special or unique in some way. I'm sure he goes to the toilet too but we don't need to see them - seen one and you've seen them all unless it's a gold-plated palatial version. Saddened by something I was looking forward to. Englishman, aged 82, with a few years of military service included.
My grandfather spent his last days of his 35 year Royal Naval career as a guide on HMS Victory. He took great pleasure in my grandmother's annoyance as he insisted in reciting for the umpteenth time, his script to me as an enraptured toddler. Love the way you pack your days
i live in Portsmouth and theres so much more to see here. D-Day museum, Henry VIII’s castle, Fort Widley. if you ever come back be sure to see these places! Portsmouth is so full of history
yes broo fort widely and the forn southwich on portsdown hill are so good to go check out!!! especially places like southsea common are so much better that the london places
You did a great job showing off Portsmouth (my home). I have spent many a time watching the hovercraft coming back and forth and at 63 I still find it amazing. Glad you enjoyed travelling on it.
Joel, you really are a remarkable guy. It is no wonder you found Victory a bit cramped. I think you said in a previous presentation that you are six feet two inches tall. I am taller than both my parents were. I peaked at five feet eight and a half inches but I am now down to five feet six and a half inches. I am now seventy two years old and on the way back down. What I love about your work is that you are always so respectful. If you ever stop posting videos it will leave a big hole in my life. You are the best. Thank you!
I’m from the Isle of Wight, glad you enjoyed Portsmouth and your visit here. I had no idea our hovercraft was the only service, so you taught me something! Great video. And you’re a spoons fan, good man!
Suggest this video forms part of the British Citizenship Test Materials as it covers key information: • Sainsbury's • The Royal Navy • Great British Inventions (hovercraft) • Back ache • Wetherspoons & day drinking • Tesco Red Wine 🇬🇧
Did you miss visiting the Mary Rose - in a building a couple of hundred yards from HMS Victory? It was a King Henry VIII warship ship and sank in 1545, raised in 1982. Also, HMS Warrior that was shown in you video. Built 95 years after HMS Victory with an iron hull and with an engine (plus mast and sails) insides the gun (cannon) decks and living conditions were very much like HMS Victory.
Hey Joel. Portsmouth's my favourite city for military history, the people are great, the beer is great, prices are good, never had bad customer service and they don't skimp on food portions! Can't wait to get back there!
You are right about the portions it's probably why my waistline us expanding 😂 love living here it's got it's very own microclimate long summer days sitting in the still & west forecourt with a cold one
I finally found a place still serving Whitebait in Portsmouth! It's rare to find Whitebait these days, but I highly recommend the Marina Bar and Grill.
@@seanfair1975 The Still and West is, for me, the perfect pub. Been there quite a lot over the years. It’s at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour and you can watch the ships coming and going. They are so massive and close they block the sea and sky views as they go past. I was born and grew up a few miles away and have strong family ties to Portsmouth. I used to go to stay with my grandparents who lived there sometimes. My grandfather used to take me to the beach at Southsea in the summer when I was very young. Those visits are some of the happiest memories from my childhood.
It’s a region tourists generally overlook, but for centuries the London to Portsmouth road was probably the most important road in the country, and very well travelled. Although it was 'replaced' by the A3 in the seventies, the road - sometimes referred to as 'the old Portsmouth Rd' is still intact and still in daily use. Although London was a major port, it took a lot of extra sailing to reach. Portsmouth was far quicker as it cut sailing distance, and the road between the coast and London was relatively short. As a result, towns developed quicker along the route and facilities like Coach Houses and Inns were built. And since everybody travelled along these routes, the accommodations were used by kings and queens and other 'VIPs', while the courtyards were often where people of 'lower standing' might be held for the night. There are pub/hotels along the way that still have rings set into the courtyards that prisoners being transported to Australia were chained over night. Some of these places keep antiques and documents in the building, everything from handcuffs and transportation documents, to records of food and drink served to royals. The biggest town along the way is probably Guildford in Surrey, which still has its coach house and many other historic buildings, including a Norman castle. Many of the buildings are fully intact, while others have had their fronts replaced to 'modernize' them, mostly in the Georgian era. These sorts of renovations were done in many cities in England, but if you go upstairs in many of these buildings, which now are regular stores, you will find that the floors are sloping and sagging, and the walls are often lathe and plaster. Medieval buildings with a new front to make them appear modern. The Georgians had no concept of preservation orders.
Portsmouth is a really cool city: it’s the only one in the UK to be almost entirely on an island (Portsea Island) and is also the most densely populated place in the country outside of London.
yeah certainly feels crowed here. Portsea island is actually only 60% of the land mass of Portsmouth, but holds 80% of Portsmouth's population. The remainder 40% of the land (off the island) is home to the remanding 20% of Portsmouth's population.
Brilliant video. I love to see other people's view of good old Pompey. Although you didn't get the full Hovertravel experience as you missed out travelling on the Hoverbus to get there. Im just a little biased though as I drive it 😂 Keep making great videos. 😊
Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, much larger hovercraft than you were on (passengers + cars) ran regular services between England and France, in just 30 minutes. The Dover to Calais route continued until 2000, but ultimately they were too costly to run and ceased operation.
My parents🙏🙏🙏and I went on a 3 week holiday by coach to Riva Del Garda in 1984. We started our journey from Dover to Calais via Hovercraft - yes around 30 mins. Yes by 2000 way too costly 🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴🏴❤️❤️🤩🤩😃😃
There also used to be a cross-channel hovercraft service running out of Cliffsend ~ 2 miles from Ramsgate in Kent. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsgate_Hoverport
In London’s Trafalgar Square the large central column is called Nelson’s column. Lord Horatio Nelson commanded the British fleet from HMS Victory at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805 where he was wounded and died. His body was put in a brandy barrel and brought back to England and he is buried in St Paul’s Cathedral London.
There's also a Nelson's Column on top of Portsdown Hill overlooking Portsmouth Harbour. This was paid for by the officers and men that served under him as well as others in the Royal Navy. This column was used as a navigational aid in the days of sail by captains seeking a safe passage into Portsmouth. The column in Trafalgar Square was paid for, and erected, by the grateful, proud citizens of the country.
Another great video mate. If you get back to Portsmouth you really should visit the "Warrior" (next to the station) At the time of launch (29th December 1860) she was the fastest and most heavily armoured and armed warship of the age and ushered in a new era of warship design. Having been on board the Victory you would really apreciate just how much she was an advance over the sailing warships of a century earlier. A fascinating ship to visit .... and a lot easier on your back and head 🤣
Great to see you here Joel! My neck of the woods but it was only before COVID I went around the victory and the submarine, really amazing! I really appreciate how you say Portsmeuf ( the British way) and not PortsMOUTH 😊
"Portsmouth!" - camera man, pointing at Gosport! Great video! Fun to see an American discovering a places I grew up around. I'm actually from across the short bit of water! Great video!
What an amazing video Joel. You could sell it to the Portsmouth Tourist Board it’s so interesting and beautifully shot! You have definitely become an honorary Brit!
Hi Joel, great to see you, from South Yorkshire GB. When we appreciate the conditions in which our Royal Navy sailors served for King and Country, the world wide scale of their prowess in sailing the seas was far ahead of their time. The commanding Heritage and prowess of the Royal Navy flagship HMS Victory carries proudly forward, ahead of their time, with the sailors on the bridge and decks of our HMS Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers. Great to see the impressive sight of the aircraft carrier keeping company with HMS Victory. Outstanding Work Joel. ⚓🎥
So nice to see an American doing a feature video on my hometown, and fair play to you visiting the dock yard and taking in the history! I haven't been the iow since 92' I think it was. Haha bless up the Wetherspoons 😂 cheers 🍻
Thank you! I used to live in Southsea which was nice, Portsmouth not at all nice, very seedy. I haven't been back for 30 years so I really enjoyed seeing how much smarter it all is now. They were some of the happiest times in my life so thank you for jogging my memory.
My parents🙏🙏took me on holiday to Southsea and we visited Portsmouth and HMS Victory - this was around 1973/4 My Aunt lives on Hayling Island so has to go to Portsmouth at least once a week 😃😃😃🤩🤩🤩🏴🏴
Brilliant! The Victory is a wonderful ship, but it's the crew that made it successful. All credit to you for getting off the beaten track. Queen Victoria's favourite private home, Osbourne House, is on the Isle of Wight. Well worth a visit, next time.
Absolutely a magnificent and remarkable this HMS Victory. Most likely a National Treasure today and in British Naval History The same Vessel that went up against the French Fleet during the Napoleonic War The same warship that was used in the Battle of Trafalgar 1806 Rule Britannia. Britannia rule the Waves We shall never never never shall be slaves 💪🇬🇧🟥👑🌹💂🐎🎡🚢🍵👊
I loved my tour of the Victory. I thought the plaque that states that "Nelson died here" or wtte was a bit misleading though. HMS Victory was in the bay of Trafalgar at the time 😅.
Love this video! It’s so refreshing to see an American who’s clued up on the UK, and is aware that the UK isn’t just the city of London. There are 4 nations that make up this country. Great video 🇬🇧🇺🇸
As a jaded ex-resident of Portsmouth you've done a great job of showing off some of the best parts of it, all that was missing was a Fratton Park home game. Got a subscribe from me!
Hi Joel, what an action-packed an enjoyable day. Thank you for visiting my home town of Ryde. Must have been an expensive day ( HMS Victory, Spinnaker Tower and a day return on the Hovercraft} but saved money on food and drinks at Spoons! Grerat videos.
We love Ryde and stay there every year as it's a great transport hub for getting anywhere on (or off) the Island. I've been home 2 weeks and am missing it already!
You literally walked past my profile picture when you were walking on the walls, it's the sallygate Nelson walked through before boarding HMS Victory which was moored in the Solent.
Portsmothian here. HMS Victory re: heights. People were much smaller 300 years ago. Our diet is different now, so everybody has grown. 😊 The crossing to the isle on the hovercraft, used to be, per mile, the most expensive water crossing in Europe.
I like a trip down to Portsmouth. Good fishmongers, decent food options, decent shopping and a nice stretch of seafront... was last there a month ago when we also went to the Isle of Shite!!
it feels like being 5 foot tall is already too tall. we should keep in mind they had little boys serving on ships. wasn't rare to encounter a 12yr old on board a warship
@embreis2257 Not just in the 18th century. My granddad joined the Royal Navy in 1914 , as a 14 year-old Boy Seaman, and served through the entire First World War, including Jutland.
Great stuff! There’s a plaque on the deck of the Victory that says Lord Nelson fell here. I’m not surprised, I nearly tripped over the damn thing myself.
I remember in 1969, I crossed the solent on a hovercraft from the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth, having spent the week end enjoying the Isle Of Wight Music Festival.
Hello mate! God, this feels weird seeing a very recent video on Portsmouth. I'm serving in the Royal Navy, especially on the Queen Elizabeth, behind you at 0:58. It's so weird seeing my place of work in this video haha.
Hey! Welcome to where I live - Portsmouth & Southsea! Glad you enjoyed all that this city had to offer! 💙 Lovely to see your travels here in the Uk - glad you had a lovely sunny day for your hovercraft journey!
You are a BRIT now, Joel! Welcome brother. Glad we made you feel at home. We hope we get the same reception when we visit the USA! REMEMBER Americans: "a foreigner could be the friend you just met!" ✌️
You missed seeing the hovercraft deflate when it ‘lands’ on shore before passengers can get off, and then reinflate once everyone’s boarded. But thank you for visiting Portsmouth and the IOW - you did us proud 😁
I’ve been following you for ages. I switched on my iPad a moment ago and there you are in my city! I’m less than 2 miles from you! A good choice. There is a lot to see here.
Depending on when he was there it could've been either "Queen Elizabeth" or "Prince of Wales" (both were in Portsmouth recently and both put to sea recently too) - technically it's the latter that's our _newest_ carrier BTW but they're both pretty new :). (if you can tell them apart from those shots though fair play, you've a better eye than me :)
@Sirjonty18 You are wrong HMS Prince of Wales is the UK's newest air craft and is sister ship to HMS Queen Elizabeth HMS Queen Elizabeth was launched on 17th July 2014 and commissioned on 7th December 2017 HMS Prince of Wales, was launched on 21 December 2017, and was commissioned on 10 December 2019
Hey! I'm in Portsmouth! I love The HMS Warrior, did you do that? There's a lot more headroom! It was the first iron-clad ship. The engine room is really impressive, the engines are huge! Looks like you're having a great time!
It's a great place to go, but you managed to cover HMS Victory without showing the hammocks where the sailors slept - and without mentioning Lord Horatio Nelson!!!!
Hope you enjoy your time in the UK and the history we have to offer.I’m 6’2 so had the same problem when l went on The Victory as with many old buildings here.
If you like military history you definitely must come to pompey (Portsmouth) apart from the dockyard you have the D day museum, tbe Royal artillery @ fort Nelson and a Roman fort that was converted into a Norman castle by King John further out its worth a day trip to Arundel and visit the castle home to the Duke of Norfolk. God I sound like a travel agent 😂😂😂
Nice to see you in the yard where I spent most of my working life . A pity you didn't have time to take on the Mary Rose which is a fascinating museum . The Isle of Wight is quite rural and a lovely place to visit , almost like going back in time a few years . Great you chose to visit Pompey and hope you enjoyed it .
I was born in Portsmouth, lived there from 1993 to 2018. It was a proper working mans city when i was growing up. Its no longer the city it used to be but I am proud where I came from. If ever you visit again take a trip to Portsdown Hill where you can see the whole of Portsmouth plus more.
Ah the isle of wight. My birthplace, A shame you didn't have time to see more of it, but it was super cool to see a guy who i remember sitting there talking about "id love to travel one day" Litterally jumping on the hovercraft i've taken and going to my home. Congrats brother!
Oh welcome to Portsmouth, I was born there (Now in Australia). The Hovercraft was invented on the Isle of Wight and the service, WAS, the only year round Hovercraft service, until Japan restarted its Oita airport service with 3 new craft. Portsmouth is the ONLY English Island city not actually part of mainland England. Portsmouth is encompassed within "Portsea Island", and the only way on to the island is via bridge (Road, or train).
yeah I heard about Japan having them too.😊 I live here. certainly is crowded here. Fun fact: only 60% of Portsmouth is Portsea island. The remaining 40% of the Portsmouth is on the mainland.
@@steviesmiler Are you including the greater area including Portchester, Bedhampton, Havant etc. I'll give you Cosham and Paulsgrove. Are you referring to the Greater Portsmouth Postal area which extends out to Fareham, Titchfield and Stubbington to the West and Bognor Regis to the East ?
Glad that you enjoyed the Hovercraft ride. If you ever revisit Portsmouth, you should consider getting the ferry over to the town of Gosport (it's just a 5 minute ferry ride) and visit the Hovercraft Museum in Lee-On-Solent, Gosport. It has a great collection of Hovercrafts, about 50 or so. I think that might interest you.
Lovely hovercraft ride!! I did it back in the day when I was about your age, across the channel from Hook van Holland to Ramsgate, absolutely memorable. Thanks for sharing!!
What a great video, so interesting to see what other people think of our town, Like many have said you got very lucky with the weather. English summers can be very unpredictable. However you are very kind so such nice words. come back again soon!
My old stomping ground as an adult and Gosport on the other side of the harbour from Portsmouth is also full of military history . Queen Victorias train ran through Gosport onto its own pier to go across to her beloved Osborn House . The I. O. W is a gem to explore. The hover craft use to go to France in the 70’s taking people and vehicles. DDay also left from Portsmouth and Gosport as well as the south coast in general . Many families have stories of grandparents and parents taking tea out to soldiers all hiding out behind house in the hours before DDay . The round structures that could be seen from spiniker tower are forts built around the 1870’s I believe . The History of whole area is great .
I think Im correct in saying that its possible to buy an entry ticket through the dockyard that not only covers the exhibitions there but those in Gosport too. Obviously more expensive but I'm pretty sure it can be used gor more than one visit on one day so if you have the time and inclination maybe the best deal?
We. live just north of Pompey. In 2005 we went to the 200th Anniversary re-enactment of the Battle of Traflagar staged in the Solent just off Portsmouth. It was amazing with , I believe 500,000 people attending. We went by train from Havant and didn't get home until 2am.
Great video, nice to see some of my old stomping grounds from my youth. And I commend your pronunciations, almost all spot-on ! Only "Solent" really stood out, we say it more like "Soulint" (so not 'saul' like the name, more 'soul' like the music :). Fun fact: if you'd stayed there this weekend coming you might've witnessed one of the Solent's quirkier traditions - there's a sandbar called the Bramble Bank between the Isle of Wight and mainland which, weather and tides permitting, is exposed enough for local cricket teams to play an annual match on it, so once a year you can watch people play cricket in, essentially, the middle of the sea :).
It was nice to see parts of City of Portsmouth again. I used to live in Havant a town near Portsmouth and I've done all what you did in the video but that was over 50 years ago. I've been living In Germany for over 50 years, of cause I went back a few times to visit family.
Welcome to Portsmouth! If I knew you were in town, I would have taken you to Portsdown Hill for a burger! Amazing view of Portsmouth and surrounding islands/areas.
I'm from the UK (the North Midlands) and as a kid I holidayed in the Isle of Whight quite a few times, great place to go. Next time you are over try Jersey, it's a lot more closer to France but has a lot of history from the German occupation during WWII, lots of bunkers and an underground hospital which is well interesting, great video 👍
Glad you enjoyed your short stay at Portsmouth and the Isle of White. One can only imagine the adventures the HMS Victory endured and a ride on a Hovercraft to the Island, so cool. I can see you enjoyed downing that pint in the Pub Joel. Yes for sure, Portsmouth Dockyard held significant importance throughout history. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was considered one of the largest industrial sites in the world. This was a period marked by the great age of sail and almost continuous warfare, which necessitated the rapid expansion and development of the dockyard. By 1800, the Royal Navy had 684 ships, and Portsmouth Dockyard played a crucial role in maintaining and building these vessels.
The magical thing about the hovercraft is that it is capable of time travel!
Board in Portsmouth in 2024, and arrives in the IOW in 1984!
1984? Don't you mean 1784?
@KempSimon we like it thankyou!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Perfectly described !
And you gain a finger or two
A meal Deal, Spoons and the British Royal Navy - this guy knows how to embrace culture. Welcome to blighty my friend
It's not the 'British' Royal Navy, just the Royal Navy.
@@mancheetah5610 And the royal navy serves the British crown...
@@mancheetah5610 we aren’t the only country with a royal family mate, quite fair to say British Royal Navy you pedantic doughnut! 🍩
So lovely to see an American taking the time to visit the south coast instead of London or Yorkshire. This country has so much more to offer 😊
More Americans visit the south coast than Yorkshire….
More Americans visit the south coast than Yorkshire…
Ey you, don't you start on Yorkshire. 😅
Rumour has it we gets tens of Americans a year in Yorkshire
Hes not even dipped his toe in Yorkshire or the South coast yet....😊
Joel has truly mastered the art of getting the right British meal deal. It’s an art.
😂👍
You lads mean the Full English breakfast
@@christophermichaelclarence6003 I mean, if Tesco did a full English in their meal deal i'd be all over it (at least until my heart exploded :).
(fair play, some 'Spoons do a fry up for not _that_ much more than a meal deal)
I caught the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander then drove to Granada when I retired. It's so easy to travel in Europe. I have taken a hovercraft to France many years ago.
@@peterdubois4983yeah so easy, that's only almost 2 days on a ferry and a 12 hour drive 😅
Joel you did Portsmouth proud. You're definitely an honorary Brit. I'm looking forward to your next adventure.
I'm sure he has British roots
Janet I'm sure you mean Pompey proud 😎
Who wants to visit Pumpy, when you've got Plymouth just down the Road!🤮
@janetcurr-ks1gd Sorry, but not in my opinion. It looked like a cobbled together dump. He can and does eat everywhere, but so what unless the food is special or unique in some way. I'm sure he goes to the toilet too but we don't need to see them - seen one and you've seen them all unless it's a gold-plated palatial version. Saddened by something I was looking forward to. Englishman, aged 82, with a few years of military service included.
@@timhannah4 Well, maybe because Plymouth Hoe takes on a whole new potential meaning these days.
My grandfather spent his last days of his 35 year Royal Naval career as a guide on HMS Victory. He took great pleasure in my grandmother's annoyance as he insisted in reciting for the umpteenth time, his script to me as an enraptured toddler. Love the way you pack your days
i live in Portsmouth and theres so much more to see here. D-Day museum, Henry VIII’s castle, Fort Widley. if you ever come back be sure to see these places! Portsmouth is so full of history
I'm in Portsmouth too and was about to comment almost word for word until I saw yours and didn't comment my own as you had rightly beat me to it! X
There’s also the submarine museum just across the water in Gosport.
What about fratton park
yes broo fort widely and the forn southwich on portsdown hill are so good to go check out!!! especially places like southsea common are so much better that the london places
And fratton park
The Mary Rose is a definite must see. It is incredible
Yeah, I feel like he missed an opportunity to see the MR and Warrior
Ah good old HMS Driftwood! Lol
My hometown! Born there in 1812.
Happy 222nd birthday!
ha ha ha
😂
😂😂
Oh Joel has mastered the art of chugging a pint of beer successfully! He will be able to show off back home now. Cheers
You did a great job showing off Portsmouth (my home). I have spent many a time watching the hovercraft coming back and forth and at 63 I still find it amazing. Glad you enjoyed travelling on it.
And mine
No he didn't, he showed nothing of Portsmouth.
Joel, you really are a remarkable guy. It is no wonder you found Victory a bit cramped. I think you said in a previous presentation that you are six feet two inches tall. I am taller than both my parents were. I peaked at five feet eight and a half inches but I am now down to five feet six and a half inches. I am now seventy two years old and on the way back down.
What I love about your work is that you are always so respectful. If you ever stop posting videos it will leave a big hole in my life. You are the best. Thank you!
I’m from the Isle of Wight, glad you enjoyed Portsmouth and your visit here. I had no idea our hovercraft was the only service, so you taught me something! Great video. And you’re a spoons fan, good man!
Yes I laughed when you went straight for the Spoons! You're on an island five minutes and you're after a Spoons! You're so British.... 😁👍
Suggest this video forms part of the British Citizenship Test Materials as it covers key information:
• Sainsbury's
• The Royal Navy
• Great British Inventions (hovercraft)
• Back ache
• Wetherspoons & day drinking
• Tesco Red Wine
🇬🇧
Meal deal too
.... and CO OP😊
Did you miss visiting the Mary Rose - in a building a couple of hundred yards from HMS Victory? It was a King Henry VIII warship ship and sank in 1545, raised in 1982. Also, HMS Warrior that was shown in you video. Built 95 years after HMS Victory with an iron hull and with an engine (plus mast and sails) insides the gun (cannon) decks and living conditions were very much like HMS Victory.
And the Mary Rose museum where they display all the artifacts found onboard. Although it does cost extra.
I went to see the Mary Rose exhibits years ago - before they opened the new museum. It blew me away - I thought it was astonishing. Must go back soon.
I saw them all two years ago today
Hey Joel. Portsmouth's my favourite city for military history, the people are great, the beer is great, prices are good, never had bad customer service and they don't skimp on food portions! Can't wait to get back there!
You are right about the portions it's probably why my waistline us expanding 😂 love living here it's got it's very own microclimate long summer days sitting in the still & west forecourt with a cold one
I finally found a place still serving Whitebait in Portsmouth!
It's rare to find Whitebait these days, but I highly recommend the Marina Bar and Grill.
@@seanfair1975 The Still and West is, for me, the perfect pub. Been there quite a lot over the years. It’s at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour and you can watch the ships coming and going. They are so massive and close they block the sea and sky views as they go past.
I was born and grew up a few miles away and have strong family ties to Portsmouth. I used to go to stay with my grandparents who lived there sometimes. My grandfather used to take me to the beach at Southsea in the summer when I was very young. Those visits are some of the happiest memories from my childhood.
It’s a region tourists generally overlook, but for centuries the London to Portsmouth road was probably the most important road in the country, and very well travelled. Although it was 'replaced' by the A3 in the seventies, the road - sometimes referred to as 'the old Portsmouth Rd' is still intact and still in daily use.
Although London was a major port, it took a lot of extra sailing to reach. Portsmouth was far quicker as it cut sailing distance, and the road between the coast and London was relatively short.
As a result, towns developed quicker along the route and facilities like Coach Houses and Inns were built. And since everybody travelled along these routes, the accommodations were used by kings and queens and other 'VIPs', while the courtyards were often where people of 'lower standing' might be held for the night. There are pub/hotels along the way that still have rings set into the courtyards that prisoners being transported to Australia were chained over night. Some of these places keep antiques and documents in the building, everything from handcuffs and transportation documents, to records of food and drink served to royals. The biggest town along the way is probably Guildford in Surrey, which still has its coach house and many other historic buildings, including a Norman castle.
Many of the buildings are fully intact, while others have had their fronts replaced to 'modernize' them, mostly in the Georgian era. These sorts of renovations were done in many cities in England, but if you go upstairs in many of these buildings, which now are regular stores, you will find that the floors are sloping and sagging, and the walls are often lathe and plaster. Medieval buildings with a new front to make them appear modern. The Georgians had no concept of preservation orders.
Portsmouth is a really cool city: it’s the only one in the UK to be almost entirely on an island (Portsea Island) and is also the most densely populated place in the country outside of London.
yeah certainly feels crowed here. Portsea island is actually only 60% of the land mass of Portsmouth, but holds 80% of Portsmouth's population. The remainder 40% of the land (off the island) is home to the remanding 20% of Portsmouth's population.
Brilliant video. I love to see other people's view of good old Pompey. Although you didn't get the full Hovertravel experience as you missed out travelling on the Hoverbus to get there. Im just a little biased though as I drive it 😂 Keep making great videos. 😊
I'm from Portsmouth, born and bred lol so cool to see your fresh perspective on my city and where I live :)
yeah so many people here knock it. I think it's a great city to live in. plenty to see and do if you look into it 🙂
Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, much larger hovercraft than you were on (passengers + cars) ran regular services between England and France, in just 30 minutes.
The Dover to Calais route continued until 2000, but ultimately they were too costly to run and ceased operation.
Been there, done that. Quick...but rough as hell. Only time I've ever been seasick.
My parents🙏🙏🙏and I went on a 3 week holiday by coach to Riva Del Garda in 1984. We started our journey from Dover to Calais via Hovercraft - yes around 30 mins. Yes by 2000 way too costly
🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴🏴❤️❤️🤩🤩😃😃
I went on that with my father back in the day. Sadly both are gone now ♥
There also used to be a cross-channel hovercraft service running out of Cliffsend ~ 2 miles from Ramsgate in Kent. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsgate_Hoverport
@@narabdelamy sister literally went green 🤢.
Kind of crazy to see you around the corner from me. Thanks for covering this. I don't see much on TH-cam around these amazing old ships.
In London’s Trafalgar Square the large central column is called Nelson’s column. Lord Horatio Nelson commanded the British fleet from HMS Victory at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805 where he was wounded and died. His body was put in a brandy barrel and brought back to England and he is buried in St Paul’s Cathedral London.
The journey home to "Blighty" for Nelson via that barrel led to the term
"Tapping the Admiral" ...
(unless that's just an urban myth?!)
There is also a Nelsons column in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk where he was from.
There's also a Nelson's Column on top of Portsdown Hill overlooking Portsmouth Harbour. This was paid for by the officers and men that served under him as well as others in the Royal Navy. This column was used as a navigational aid in the days of sail by captains seeking a safe passage into Portsmouth. The column in Trafalgar Square was paid for, and erected, by the grateful, proud citizens of the country.
The street art at 4:44 is by an artist called "My Dog Sighs", this is one of his signature styles.
What an absolutely awesome dude. So positive and respectful. So refreshing to see nowadays man. Respect!
Another great video mate. If you get back to Portsmouth you really should visit the "Warrior" (next to the station) At the time of launch (29th December 1860) she was the fastest and most heavily armoured and armed warship of the age and ushered in a new era of warship design. Having been on board the Victory you would really apreciate just how much she was an advance over the sailing warships of a century earlier. A fascinating ship to visit .... and a lot easier on your back and head 🤣
Went on a school trip to IOW back in 1979. Even as a primary school child, HMS Victory felt tiny 😂
Glad to see the hovercraft is still running too.
Great to see you here Joel! My neck of the woods but it was only before COVID I went around the victory and the submarine, really amazing! I really appreciate how you say Portsmeuf ( the British way) and not PortsMOUTH 😊
This man has a very good way of putting thing over.
"Portsmouth!" - camera man, pointing at Gosport!
Great video! Fun to see an American discovering a places I grew up around. I'm actually from across the short bit of water! Great video!
What an amazing video Joel. You could sell it to the Portsmouth Tourist Board it’s so interesting and beautifully shot! You have definitely become an honorary Brit!
Hi Joel, great to see you, from South Yorkshire GB. When we appreciate the conditions in which our Royal Navy sailors served for King and Country, the world wide scale of their prowess in sailing the seas was far ahead of their time. The commanding Heritage and prowess of the Royal Navy flagship HMS Victory carries proudly forward, ahead of their time, with the sailors on the bridge and decks of our HMS Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers. Great to see the impressive sight of the aircraft carrier keeping company with HMS Victory. Outstanding Work Joel. ⚓🎥
You’ve been exceptionally lucky with the weather. Isle of Wight is lovely to visit…
Glad you enjoyed your short visit to the Isle of Wight. It was nice to see what you thought of it here. Keep the great videos coming 😊
So nice to see an American doing a feature video on my hometown, and fair play to you visiting the dock yard and taking in the history! I haven't been the iow since 92' I think it was. Haha bless up the Wetherspoons 😂 cheers 🍻
Portsmouth Resident here and navy family (father in navy) hope you enjoyed the Historic dockyard Spent hella time there. Cheers mate 👍
I’m so glad you enjoyed Portsmouth, it has some amazing history and is a great place to live. You need to come back and explore more!
He missed the Mary Rose museum. That's a must
Good content. Man does USA well
Thank you! I used to live in Southsea which was nice, Portsmouth not at all nice, very seedy. I haven't been back for 30 years so I really enjoyed seeing how much smarter it all is now. They were some of the happiest times in my life so thank you for jogging my memory.
My parents🙏🙏took me on holiday to Southsea and we visited Portsmouth and HMS Victory - this was around 1973/4
My Aunt lives on Hayling Island so has to go to Portsmouth at least once a week
😃😃😃🤩🤩🤩🏴🏴
I was travelling on the hovercraft (Hovertravel) way back in the mid 1960's. So pleased to see it is still going.
Brilliant! The Victory is a wonderful ship, but it's the crew that made it successful. All credit to you for getting off the beaten track. Queen Victoria's favourite private home, Osbourne House, is on the Isle of Wight. Well worth a visit, next time.
Absolutely a magnificent and remarkable this HMS Victory.
Most likely a National Treasure today and in British Naval History
The same Vessel that went up against the French Fleet during the Napoleonic War
The same warship that was used in the Battle of Trafalgar 1806
Rule Britannia. Britannia rule the Waves
We shall never never never shall be slaves 💪🇬🇧🟥👑🌹💂🐎🎡🚢🍵👊
I loved my tour of the Victory. I thought the plaque that states that "Nelson died here" or wtte was a bit misleading though. HMS Victory was in the bay of Trafalgar at the time 😅.
Love this video! It’s so refreshing to see an American who’s clued up on the UK, and is aware that the UK isn’t just the city of London. There are 4 nations that make up this country. Great video 🇬🇧🇺🇸
As a jaded ex-resident of Portsmouth you've done a great job of showing off some of the best parts of it, all that was missing was a Fratton Park home game. Got a subscribe from me!
My great grandfather was the cooper (barrel maker) on HMS Victory. They were smaller in those days, like me, I’m just 4ft 11in 😂
Hi Joel, what an action-packed an enjoyable day. Thank you for visiting my home town of Ryde. Must have been an expensive day ( HMS Victory, Spinnaker Tower and a day return on the Hovercraft} but saved money on food and drinks at Spoons! Grerat videos.
We love Ryde and stay there every year as it's a great transport hub for getting anywhere on (or off) the Island. I've been home 2 weeks and am missing it already!
You literally walked past my profile picture when you were walking on the walls, it's the sallygate Nelson walked through before boarding HMS Victory which was moored in the Solent.
Awesome seeing you in Pompey, the city I call home. Glad you enjoyed it.
Portsmothian here. HMS Victory re: heights. People were much smaller 300 years ago. Our diet is different now, so everybody has grown. 😊 The crossing to the isle on the hovercraft, used to be, per mile, the most expensive water crossing in Europe.
I like a trip down to Portsmouth. Good fishmongers, decent food options, decent shopping and a nice stretch of seafront... was last there a month ago when we also went to the Isle of Shite!!
Yes the people on the ships back then were a lot shorter 😂 apparently it was a lack of Tesco meal deals 😂
it feels like being 5 foot tall is already too tall. we should keep in mind they had little boys serving on ships. wasn't rare to encounter a 12yr old on board a warship
@@embreis2257 People were smaller back in those days, we have grown larger and larger. Cottage doors are a struggle for todays people.
@embreis2257
Not just in the 18th century.
My granddad joined the Royal Navy in 1914 , as a 14 year-old Boy Seaman, and served through the entire First World War, including Jutland.
Not boats. Ships. A boat is a submarine.
They say people were a lot shorter in those days, you only have to look at some of the door way's in very old houses.
Great stuff! There’s a plaque on the deck of the Victory that says Lord Nelson fell here. I’m not surprised, I nearly tripped over the damn thing myself.
Welcome to Portsmouth bro!!
So great to see you in the place I’ve called my home for 26 years
Hope you enjoyed it!
I remember in 1969, I crossed the solent on a hovercraft from the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth, having spent the week end enjoying the Isle Of Wight Music Festival.
Hello mate! God, this feels weird seeing a very recent video on Portsmouth. I'm serving in the Royal Navy, especially on the Queen Elizabeth, behind you at 0:58. It's so weird seeing my place of work in this video haha.
Hey! Welcome to where I live - Portsmouth & Southsea! Glad you enjoyed all that this city had to offer! 💙 Lovely to see your travels here in the Uk - glad you had a lovely sunny day for your hovercraft journey!
You are a BRIT now, Joel! Welcome brother. Glad we made you feel at home. We hope we get the same reception when we visit the USA! REMEMBER Americans: "a foreigner could be the friend you just met!" ✌️
You missed seeing the hovercraft deflate when it ‘lands’ on shore before passengers can get off, and then reinflate once everyone’s boarded. But thank you for visiting Portsmouth and the IOW - you did us proud 😁
Portsmouth - especially the Historical Dockyard - is amazing.
I’ve been following you for ages. I switched on my iPad a moment ago and there you are in my city! I’m less than 2 miles from you! A good choice. There is a lot to see here.
The aircraft carrier is HMS Queen Elizabeth, UKs newest carrier.
*HMS QE 2
One of the largest ships on the planet, go Pompey 😂
Depending on when he was there it could've been either "Queen Elizabeth" or "Prince of Wales" (both were in Portsmouth recently and both put to sea recently too) - technically it's the latter that's our _newest_ carrier BTW but they're both pretty new :).
(if you can tell them apart from those shots though fair play, you've a better eye than me :)
@Sirjonty18 You are wrong HMS Prince of Wales is the UK's newest air craft and is sister ship to HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Queen Elizabeth was launched on 17th July 2014 and commissioned on 7th December 2017
HMS Prince of Wales, was launched on 21 December 2017, and was commissioned on 10 December 2019
He didn't seem particularly interested in anything other than Victory!
Not HMS QE 2, just HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Great to see my city. Thank you For your vlogs.
Hey! I'm in Portsmouth! I love The HMS Warrior, did you do that? There's a lot more headroom! It was the first iron-clad ship. The engine room is really impressive, the engines are huge! Looks like you're having a great time!
It's a great place to go, but you managed to cover HMS Victory without showing the hammocks where the sailors slept - and without mentioning Lord Horatio Nelson!!!!
@disappointedenglishman98 Hear Hear Sir. The very reason that most people visit the unique and world-famous HMS Victory.
Hope you enjoy your time in the UK and the history we have to offer.I’m 6’2 so had the same problem when l went on The Victory as with many old buildings here.
I’m English, I live in Devon, not far from Portsmouth, never been but you’ve convinced me I should.
You won't regret it. There is so much to see and do especially if you like ships, castles, forts, pubs and anything historical really😃
Devon not fat from Portsmouth??? 😅 About a 4 hour drive.
@@dailystar1 to an American person Devon to Portsmouth is a short drive down the road😂
If you like military history you definitely must come to pompey (Portsmouth) apart from the dockyard you have the D day museum, tbe Royal artillery @ fort Nelson and a Roman fort that was converted into a Norman castle by King John further out its worth a day trip to Arundel and visit the castle home to the Duke of Norfolk. God I sound like a travel agent 😂😂😂
Go to the Isle of Wight too. Far more to see there than Portsmouth.
Joel's definitely becoming British
I am so glad I was fortunate to be taken on the hovercrafts across the English Channel in the 1980s and 90s
Nice to see you in the yard where I spent most of my working life . A pity you didn't have time to take on the Mary Rose which is a fascinating museum . The Isle of Wight is quite rural and a lovely place to visit , almost like going back in time a few years . Great you chose to visit Pompey and hope you enjoyed it .
I was born in Portsmouth, lived there from 1993 to 2018.
It was a proper working mans city when i was growing up. Its no longer the city it used to be but I am proud where I came from.
If ever you visit again take a trip to Portsdown Hill where you can see the whole of Portsmouth plus more.
Nice review of our Town thanks for taking the time to visit the South coast, ps I got married on HMS Warrior, great venue.
Nice to see you again. Your always so informative and charming to watch x
Ah the isle of wight. My birthplace,
A shame you didn't have time to see more of it, but it was super cool to see a guy who i remember sitting there talking about "id love to travel one day" Litterally jumping on the hovercraft i've taken and going to my home. Congrats brother!
Oh welcome to Portsmouth, I was born there (Now in Australia). The Hovercraft was invented on the Isle of Wight and the service, WAS, the only year round Hovercraft service, until Japan restarted its Oita airport service with 3 new craft.
Portsmouth is the ONLY English Island city not actually part of mainland England. Portsmouth is encompassed within "Portsea Island", and the only way on to the island is via bridge (Road, or train).
Gosport and Hayling ferries too.
@@morini500dave International passenger ferry too :)
yeah I heard about Japan having them too.😊
I live here. certainly is crowded here.
Fun fact: only 60% of Portsmouth is Portsea island. The remaining 40% of the Portsmouth is on the mainland.
@@steviesmiler Are you including the greater area including Portchester, Bedhampton, Havant etc. I'll give you Cosham and Paulsgrove.
Are you referring to the Greater Portsmouth Postal area which extends out to Fareham, Titchfield and Stubbington to the West and Bognor Regis to the East ?
Your video tours get better and better. Lots of knowledge and description. Very good for future tourists.
Nice vlog of Portsmouth you're definitely good at editing too
Glad that you enjoyed the Hovercraft ride. If you ever revisit Portsmouth, you should consider getting the ferry over to the town of Gosport (it's just a 5 minute ferry ride) and visit the Hovercraft Museum in Lee-On-Solent, Gosport. It has a great collection of Hovercrafts, about 50 or so. I think that might interest you.
Lovely hovercraft ride!! I did it back in the day when I was about your age, across the channel from Hook van Holland to Ramsgate, absolutely memorable. Thanks for sharing!!
What a great video, so interesting to see what other people think of our town, Like many have said you got very lucky with the weather. English summers can be very unpredictable. However you are very kind so such nice words. come back again soon!
You have proven to the rest of the USA that it doesn't always rain in the UK. and well done for visiting somewhere other than London. Good job.
My old stomping ground as an adult and Gosport on the other side of the harbour from Portsmouth is also full of military history . Queen Victorias train ran through Gosport onto its own pier to go across to her beloved Osborn House . The I. O. W is a gem to explore. The hover craft use to go to France in the 70’s taking people and vehicles. DDay also left from Portsmouth and Gosport as well as the south coast in general . Many families have stories of grandparents and parents taking tea out to soldiers all hiding out behind house in the hours before DDay . The round structures that could be seen from spiniker tower are forts built around the 1870’s I believe . The History of whole area is great .
I think Im correct in saying that its possible to buy an entry ticket through the dockyard that not only covers the exhibitions there but those in Gosport too. Obviously more expensive but I'm pretty sure it can be used gor more than one visit on one day so if you have the time and inclination maybe the best deal?
I like the way the audio tour works on the Victory. I was there last month, and really enjoyed it.
So glad you enjoyed my City. So much more to see!!
Amazing you came to the Isle of Wight! It's my home town! Thank you for showing us off :D
We. live just north of Pompey. In 2005 we went to the 200th Anniversary re-enactment of the Battle of Traflagar staged in the Solent just off Portsmouth. It was amazing with , I believe 500,000 people attending. We went by train from Havant and didn't get home until 2am.
I was wondering if anyone else would mention Trafalgar 200. It was amazing indeed! 😍
Born and raised in Portsmouth and i am yet to visit the isle of wight in my 26 years here. Great video ❤
Great little video of Portsmouth & the Isle of Wight. Happy memories of the early sixties when I was there. Looking forward your next video. 😊.
Brought up in Portsmouth, there is so much more to see, hope you can get to see more.
Great video, nice to see some of my old stomping grounds from my youth. And I commend your pronunciations, almost all spot-on ! Only "Solent" really stood out, we say it more like "Soulint" (so not 'saul' like the name, more 'soul' like the music :).
Fun fact: if you'd stayed there this weekend coming you might've witnessed one of the Solent's quirkier traditions - there's a sandbar called the Bramble Bank between the Isle of Wight and mainland which, weather and tides permitting, is exposed enough for local cricket teams to play an annual match on it, so once a year you can watch people play cricket in, essentially, the middle of the sea :).
Well you learn something everyday! Thank you, I live in the area but didn't know that. 😁
It was nice to see parts of City of Portsmouth again. I used to live in Havant a town near Portsmouth and I've done all what you did in the video but that was over 50 years ago. I've been living In Germany for over 50 years, of cause I went back a few times to visit family.
Welcome to Portsmouth! If I knew you were in town, I would have taken you to Portsdown Hill for a burger! Amazing view of Portsmouth and surrounding islands/areas.
I'm from the UK (the North Midlands) and as a kid I holidayed in the Isle of Whight quite a few times, great place to go. Next time you are over try Jersey, it's a lot more closer to France but has a lot of history from the German occupation during WWII, lots of bunkers and an underground hospital which is well interesting, great video 👍
Blackgang Chine for the win ! :)
Im on the Isle of Wight and lived in Portsmouth. So much to see
Wayyyy! Went to my hometown Isle of Wight. Everyone always reacts to funny when I tell them I used to ride the hover craft.
What about Gosport and the boat HMS Alliance?
At least you're not subjecting us to the tourist spots of London.😮💨
He visits Tory and Brexit wastelands too
@@budapestkeletistationvoicesoh dear 😪😪🤣
Glad you enjoyed your short stay at Portsmouth and the Isle of White. One can only imagine the adventures the HMS Victory endured and a ride on a Hovercraft to the Island, so cool. I can see you enjoyed downing that pint in the Pub Joel. Yes for sure, Portsmouth Dockyard held significant importance throughout history. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was considered one of the largest industrial sites in the world. This was a period marked by the great age of sail and almost continuous warfare, which necessitated the rapid expansion and development of the dockyard. By 1800, the Royal Navy had 684 ships, and Portsmouth Dockyard played a crucial role in maintaining and building these vessels.
Nice to sea one of our American cousins Enjoying him self and Appreciating some British History🇮🇪🇬🇧🌏♥️💯🙏🙏🏿🇺🇸🙏🏽
Did you go into see the Mary Rose and HMS Worrier ? I live about 3 miles from where you were filming. And I love it
That was a question I was going to ask. A trip to Portsmouth, Mary Rose is the best thing there. Surely he did not miss seeing that.