Fratton


Fratton is a residential and formerly industrial area of Portsmouth, in Hampshire, England. It consists of mostly Victorian terraced houses, and is typical of the residential areas in the city.
There is also a modest shopping centre on Fratton Road, called The Bridge Centre, which is dominated by a large Asda supermarket and various vacant units, and in atmosphere reflects the working-class roots of the neighbourhood, with local, low-budget shops and cafes.
Fratton railway station is one of the four railway stations on Portsea Island. Due to its location as the last stop before the main Portsmouth & Southsea railway station, Fratton has been adopted in naval slang as a euphemism for the withdrawal method of contraception, "getting off at Fratton".

History

The name Fratton was once Froddington, a Saxon name which originally meant "Frodda's Farm" or "Frodda's village". A pub on Fratton Road is still named "The Froddington Arms".
Goldsmith's Farm and Fratton Common were part of the original small rural village originally called Froddington, the only visible evidence of this being the presence of a public house, "The Froddington Arms" on the western side of Fratton Road. Froddington was one of the three small settlements on Portsea Island mentioned in the Domesday Book. Due to developments during the Industrial age, more of the surrounding land was absorbed by Portsmouth in the 1870s and 1880s, principally by new housing developments.

Governance

Fratton is a Portsmouth City Council ward within the Portsmouth South parliamentary constituency. It was formed for the 2002 Portsmouth City Council election as the successor of the pre-2002 Fratton ward.
indicates seat up for election.

Trivia