page_title: History of Southampton
section_title: Post-war (1945–2000)
hierarchical_section_title: History of Southampton / Post-war (1945–2000)
caption_attribution_description: English: A road map of Southampton from 1948 produced by OS
context_page_description: Southampton is a city in Hampshire, England. The area has been settled since the Stone Age. Its history has been affected by its geographical location, on a major estuary on the English Channel coast with an unusual double high-tide, and by its proximity to Winchester and London; the ancient and modern capitals of England. Having been an important regional centre for centuries, Southampton was awarded city status by Queen Elizabeth II in 1964.
  Southampton became an important port in medieval times, experiencing several hundred years of fluctuating fortunes until it was expanded by the Victorians.
  As a centre of commerce, an industrial town and an important military embarkation point, Southampton was a strategic target for the Luftwaffe and was severely damaged in World War II.
  Post-war re-development and the need to accommodate 20th century innovations such as the motor car has significantly altered the character of Southampton.
context_section_description: The Second World War had a profound impact on the city due to the destruction of a lot of the city's buildings, leading to a massive regeneration program. These buildings were cheaply constructed in order to rebuild quickly, having a negative effect on the architectural quality in the city. Southampton was awarded city status in 1964 by Letters Patent. In 1967, Southampton took in part of the Nursling and Rownhams parishes. The boundaries have been largely unchanged since. Southampton lost its County Borough status under the Local Government Act 1972, becoming a non-metropolitan district.
  It became a Unitary Authority in 1997, administratively independent of Hampshire County Council, following the Banham Review.
  On 29 April 1952, the Hartley University College was granted a Royal Charter to give the University of Southampton full university status. The university's Southampton School of Medicine was opened in 1971.
caption: A road map of Southampton from 1948
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