Netley Hospital Chapel Victoria Country Park Editorial Image

The Royal Victoria Country Park is a country park in Netley, Hampshire, England, by the shores of Southampton Water. It comprises 200 acres 81 ha of mature woodland and grassy parkland, as well as a small shingle beach.nnFrom 1863 until 1966, the site was home to the Royal Victoria Hospital. The site was acquired by Hampshire County Council in 1969, who opened the park to the public in 1970.nnAll that remains of the hospital is the chapel, which acts as a heritage centre providing history of the hospital. It also has a 150-foot 46 m viewing tower, providing views over the park, and across Southampton Water to Hythe, and on a clear day, as far as Southampton itself.nnThe site also has a park office and tearooms. The building housing this was built using 100 different timbers from around the UK and British Empire. It was originally built in 1940 by the YMCA for entertainment, recreation and relaxation for staff and patients at the hospital. There is also a miniature narrow-gauge railway the Royal Victoria Railway on the site which runs for around 1 mile 1.6 km. The park is home to a large variety of birds, mammals and plants.