Stock images for sale of The
River Hamble is a
river in
Hampshire, England. It
rises near
Bishop's Waltham and flows for some
7.5 miles (12 km) through
Botley,
Bursledon and
Swanwick before entering
Southampton Water near
Hamble-le-Rice and
Warsash.
The
Hamble is tidal for approximately half its length and is navigable in its lower reaches, which have facilitated shipbuilding activities since medieval times. Leisure craft are still built there today.
One of these builders was
Luke & co, later
Luke Bros, a reputed yard at Hamble from around 1890 to 1945. The river, and its shipbuilding yards, have also been used for military purposes, particularly during
World War II. Its lower reaches are now very popular for boating, being known throughout the
sailing world as
The Heart of British Yachting