Broadlands Park
BROADLANDS PARK: Hot Air Balloon Festival
These three pictures are from my Google Earth © derived database.
Location: Within the Broadlands Estate, S of the A3090, W of the A27 and just S of Romsey town centre
Note: I do not know where in the park this event took place. My guess is that it might have been held in the north eastern area where events such as the Romsey Show take place?
Period of operation: 18th, 19th and 20th July 2025
These great pictures are from the Hampshire Chronicle.
NOTES: We have Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for pointing out this location.
It may well not be widely appreciated that during the 19th century the U.K. led the world in ballooning, the first ascents taking place at the end of the 18th century. It was of course the Montgolfier brothers in France who were the pioneers, using initially hot-air balloons. However, it was the establishment of gas works in towns around the U.K. that led to our dominence in ballooning. Coal gas is not the best lifting agent for balloons by any means - but, it was available and relatively cheap.
Huge crowds would gather to witness one balloon ascent and a special launch site was selected, as a gas main had to be installed in advance. The central area within a castle, or similar semi-enclosed open space was much favoured, but, often wooden arenas were built. In their way, resembling mini 'Cape Canaveral' space launches. Because, nobody, (or very few), had ever seen a man in the sky!
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