SO postcode area

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The SO postcode area, also known as the Southampton postcode area,[2] is a group of 23 postcode districts in southern England, within nine post towns. These cover south and central Hampshire, including Southampton, Winchester, Alresford, Brockenhurst, Eastleigh, Lymington, Lyndhurst, Romsey and Stockbridge.

Southampton
SO is located in the United Kingdom
SO
SO
Coordinates: 50°56′17″N 1°23′20″W / 50.938°N 1.389°W / 50.938; -1.389
CountryUnited Kingdom
Postcode area
SO
Postcode area name
Southampton
Post towns9
Postcode districts30
Postcode sectors179
Postcodes (live)18,298
Postcodes (total)40,011
Statistics as at May 2020[1]

The SO area originally had both single and double-digit postcode districts.[3] From the inception of postcodes in Southampton, "large users" within the SO1 and SO2 postcode areas (which broadly covered the area of the city) were allocated SO9 postcodes.[4] In the early 1990s, a shortage of available postcodes occurred due to increased demand.[5] On 1 December 1993 Royal Mail took the step of dividing each of the existing single-digit districts, the numbers of the new subdivisions containing two digits rather than one. For example, the SO1 and SO2 districts were divided into SO14-19.[6] At the same time, ordinary "geographical" postcodes replaced the SO9 codes. Whilst this created thousands more possible postcode combinations, it resulted in the unusual situation where the centre of the postcode area, Southampton, lacks a district numbered 1. The area is one of only a few in the country where this is the case.

Coverage

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The approximate coverage of the postcode districts:

Postcode districtPost townCoverageLocal authority area(s)
SO14SOUTHAMPTONCity Centre, St. Mary's, Newtown, Nicholstown, Northam, Ocean Village, Chapel, Eastern Docks, Bevois ValleySouthampton
SO15SOUTHAMPTONShirley, Freemantle, Regents Park, Banister Park, Polygon, Millbrook, Maybush RedbridgeSouthampton
SO16SOUTHAMPTONBassett, Lordswood, Lordshill, Redbridge, Rownhams, Nursling, Chilworth, Shirley WarrenSouthampton, Test Valley
SO17SOUTHAMPTONHighfield, Portswood, St Denys, SwaythlingSouthampton
SO18SOUTHAMPTONBitterne, Bitterne Park, Harefield, Townhill Park, Chartwell Green, Mansbridge, Southampton AirportEastleigh, Southampton
SO19SOUTHAMPTONSholing, Merry Oak, Thornhill, Woolston, WestonSouthampton
SO20STOCKBRIDGEStockbridge, King's Somborne, Middle WallopTest Valley
SO21WINCHESTERCompton, Colden Common, Easton, Hursley, Itchen Abbas, Martyr Worthy, Micheldever, Owslebury, Shawford, South Wonston, Sutton Scotney, Sparsholt, TwyfordWinchester
SO22WINCHESTERBadger Farm, Fulflood, Hursley, Littleton and Harestock, Olivers Battery, Pitt, St Cross (W), Stanmore, WeekeWinchester
SO23WINCHESTERCity Centre, Abbotts Barton, Bar End, Highcliffe, Hyde, St Cross (E), WinnallWinchester
SO24ALRESFORDNew Alresford, Old Alresford, Cheriton, Tichborne, RopleyWinchester
SO25WINCHESTERBulk usersnon-geographic
SO30SOUTHAMPTONBotley, Hedge End, West End, CurbridgeEastleigh, Winchester
SO31SOUTHAMPTONWarsash, Hamble-le-Rice, Locks Heath Netley AbbeyEastleigh, Fareham
SO32SOUTHAMPTONBishop's Waltham, Corhampton, Curdridge, Droxford, Durley, Exton, Meonstoke, Shedfield, Soberton, Swanmore, Upham, Warnford, WickhamEastleigh, Winchester
SO40SOUTHAMPTONTotton, Cadnam, MarchwoodNew Forest
LYNDHURSTLyndhurst
SO41LYMINGTONLymington, Milford-on-Sea, Pennington, Boldre, Hordle, SwayNew Forest
SO42BROCKENHURSTBeaulieu, Brockenhurst, East BoldreNew Forest
SO43LYNDHURSTLyndhurst, Minstead, BramshawNew Forest
SO45SOUTHAMPTONHythe, Fawley, Blackfield, Calshot, HardleyNew Forest
SO50EASTLEIGHTown Centre, Boyatt Wood, Fair Oak, Bishopstoke, Horton HeathEastleigh
SO51ROMSEYRomsey, Ampfield, Lockerley, Mottisfont, WellowTest Valley
SO52SOUTHAMPTONNorth BaddesleyTest Valley
SO53EASTLEIGHChandler's FordEastleigh, Test Valley
SO97SOUTHAMPTONJobcentre Plusnon-geographic
KML is from Wikidata
BH postcode areaGU postcode areaPO postcode areaRG postcode areaSP postcode area
SO postcode area map, showing postcode districts in red and post towns in grey text, with links to nearby BH, GU, PO, RG and SP postcode areas.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "ONS Postcode Directory Version Notes" (ZIP). National Statistics Postcode Products. Office for National Statistics. May 2020. Table 2. Retrieved 19 June 2020. Coordinates from mean of unit postcode points, "Code-Point Open". OS OpenData. Ordnance Survey. February 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  2. ^ Royal Mail, Address Management Guide, (2004)
  3. ^ Geographers' A-Z Map Co., Ltd, Street Atlas of Southampton, (1991)
  4. ^ Kelly's Directory (1970) gives the address of the Head Post Office as 59 High Street, SO9 1AA.
  5. ^ "Postcodes". Geographical Referencing Learning Resources. National Centre for Research Methods / University of Southampton. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  6. ^ Geographers' A-Z Map Co., Ltd, Street Atlas of Southampton, (1991)
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