Belvidere
Belvidere, Southamptoncounty:
coords:
Hampshire
SU4312
BELVIDERE in Southampton
Italian architects of the 16th century invented the 'belvedere' literally 'nice view'; it had two related senses, 'lookout tower or gallery (on a house)', 'gazebo (on a hillock) with all round views'. The Southampton 'Belvidere' with its latinized spelling, is in a heavily industrial area, but a good view up and down the Itchen might be obtained from it by peering between the wharves and other buildings. A typical late 18th early 19th century name in an expanding town. It directly parallels the earlier 'Bellevue House' equally having views over the Itchen, built for Nathaniel St Andre in the early 1700s. An interesting parallel is 'Buonavista Farm' in Milford-on-Sea (1797, 1800 'Boneyvest(ae)').
