South Western Hotel

The railway arrived in 1840 and the South Western Hotel (now flats) soon followed. Designed with a strong French influence it was originally named the Imperial when opened in 1867. Many of the rich passengers of the Titanic stayed there. In fact that ship’s staircase is said to be a copy of the one in the hotel.

In 1942 it became the HQ for Military Movement Control. Post war it became South Western House being used by the BBC and Cunard.