Around two thousand visitors turned out in the scorching summer sun on Saturday 30th June for Royal Victoria Country Park’s inaugural Armed Forces Day event. Featuring displays by The Diehard Company, activities from Hysterical History and performances by Ocean Brass, Southampton Operatic Society and the Lindy Club, this free family event was a celebration of the long history of the military at Netley, where the vast Royal Victoria Military Hospital once stood. More than 20 military museums, heritage, charity and community organisations set up stalls with historic artefacts and displays about their role supporting members of the Armed Forces past and present, including 4th Itchen South (Netley) Sea Scout Group whose members in the First World War acted as messengers at the hospital.
The RVCP chapel will reopen 1st August.
This summer sees the reopening of the iconic Royal Victoria Chapel in the Country Park at Netley following a major conservation project funded by Hampshire County Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Chapel has undergone a major makeover, including replacing the roof, restoring the hand-painted windows and returning the interior of this Victorian-era building to its original colour scheme. A new exhibition is now being installed both in the Chapel and outside in the Park to bring to life the history of the Royal Victoria Military Hospital and the people who worked and were treated there.
For information about our opening date and times, please see our website www.hants.gov.uk/rvchapel or follow us on Twitter @RoyalVictoriaCP, Instagram @royalvictoriacountrypark or Facebook.
The RVCP chapel will be reopening 1st August.