History of Woolston, suburb of Southampton, Hampshire. Early history Woolston is believed to originate from Olafs tun and it remained part of the Itchen Urban District Council, a fortified tun on the East bank of the River Itchen established by the Viking leader Olaf I of Norway in the 10th Century. The small hill in the area surrounding modern day Defender Road conveniently overlooks the Saxon port of Hamwic. This area would thus have been a good strategic location for the Vikings in 994 AD, when they were known to have camped in the Itchen area. Toponymy In the Domesday Book of 1086, the area is recorded as Olvestune. Medieval trade in Southampton included the export of wool produced across a large part of Southern England. The "Wool House" still survives in Southampton and was very accessible via the crossing of the River Itchen, Hampshire from Itchen Ferry village. With the next available crossing of the River Itchen, Hampshire several miles upstream at Mansbridge, the area now known as Woolston is certain to have received consignments of wool to be ferried across the River Itchen, Hampshire by the inhabitants of Itchen Ferry village. The evolution of Olvestune into "Woolston" is a result of that trade. Occupants In 1424, Richard Inkpen conveyed an estate on the east bank of the River Itchen, Hampshire to his daughter Alice, wife of Richard Chamberlayne. At least part of that estate was to return to the Chamberlayne name in the late 18th century. In 1536, Niccolo de Marini de Egra, a Genoese merchant, is recorded as purchasing the Manor of Woolston. In 1631, Sir George Rivers conveyed of land and the rights to the passage over the river Itchen to Nathaniel Mills. This transaction appears to have been Woolston Manor. The rights to the passage over the River Itchen, was owned by the Lords of the Manors of Southampton and Woolston, but those rights were exercised by the fishermen of Itchen Ferry village who paid for that privilege in cash, providing a useful income for the Lord of the Manor. In 1781, William Chamberlayne inherited the estates owned by Thomas Dummer, of Woolston House. In 1802 his son, William Chamberlayne (MP) established the Weston Grove Estate on land neighbouring Woolston. The Dummer/Chamberlayne estate covered a large area, extending as far as Netley and including Netley Abbey. On 3 January 1856, Thomas Chamberlayne sold land that