The SO postcode area, also known as the Southampton postcode area, is a group of 23 postcode districts in southern

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

, within nine

post town A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system.Royal Mail, ''Address Management Guide'', (2004) Including the correct post town in the address increases ...

s. These cover south and central

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

, including

Southampton Southampton () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire, S ...

, Winchester, Alresford,

Brockenhurst Brockenhurst is the largest village by population within the New Forest in Hampshire, England. The nearest city is Southampton some to the North East, while Bournemouth is also nearby, South West. Surrounding towns and villages include Beauli ...

Eastleigh Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England, between Southampton and Winchester. It is the largest town and the administrative seat of the Borough of Eastleigh, with a population of 24,011 at the 2011 census. The town lies on the River Itchen, ...

Lymington Lymington is a port town on the west bank of the Lymington River on the Solent, in the New Forest district of Hampshire, England. It faces Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, to which there is a car ferry service operated by Wightlink. It is within the ...

, Lyndhurst,

Romsey Romsey ( ) is a historic market town in the county of Hampshire, England. Romsey was home to the 17th-century philosopher and economist William Petty and the 19th-century British prime minister, Lord Palmerston, whose statue has stood in the t ...

and Stockbridge. The SO area originally had both single and double-digit postcode districts. 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. In the early 1990s, a shortage of available postcodes occurred due to increased demand. 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.Geographers' A-Z Map Co., Ltd, ''Street Atlas of Southampton'', (1991) 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. __TOC__

Coverage

The approximate coverage of the postcode districts: , - ! SO14 , SOUTHAMPTON ,

City Centre A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...

, St. Mary's, Newtown, Nicholstown, Northam, Ocean Village, Chapel, Eastern Docks, Bevois Valley ,

, - ! SO15 , SOUTHAMPTON , Shirley,

Freemantle Freemantle is a suburb and electoral ward in Southampton, England. There are similarly named places in Hampshire: notably Henry II's hunting lodge in Kingsclere; a suburb of Hannington; and Freemantle Common in Bitterne. These were formerly t ...

, Regents Park, Banister Park,

Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed '' polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two t ...

, Millbrook, Redbridge , Southampton , - ! SO16 , SOUTHAMPTON , Bassett, Lordswood, Lordshill, Redbridge, Rownhams,

Nursling Nursling is a village in Hampshire, England, situated in the parish of Nursling and Rownhams, about north-west of the city of Southampton. Formerly called Nhutscelle (in an 8th-century life of Saint Boniface), then Nutsall, Nutshalling or Nutsh ...

, Chilworth, Shirley Warren , Southampton,

Test Valley Test Valley is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England, named after the valley of the River Test. Its council is based in Andover. The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by a merger of the boroughs of Andover and Romsey, a ...

, - ! SO17 , SOUTHAMPTON ,

Highfield Highfield may refer to: Places ;Places in England * Highfield, Bolton * Highfield, Derbyshire * Highfield, Gloucestershire *Highfield, Southampton *Highfield, Hertfordshire a neighbourhood in Hemel Hempstead * Highfield, Oxfordshire * Highfield, S ...

Portswood Portswood is a suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England. The suburb lies to the north-north-east of the city centre and is bounded by (clockwise from west) Freemantle, Highfield, Swaythling, St. Denys and Bevois Valley. Portswood W ...

, St Denys,

Swaythling Swaythling is a suburb and electoral ward of the city of Southampton in Hampshire, England. The ward has a population of 13,664. Swaythling is predominantly residential in character, and noted for its large student population due to its prox ...

, Southampton , - ! SO18 , SOUTHAMPTON ,

Bitterne Bitterne is an eastern suburb and ward of Southampton, England. Bitterne derives its name not from the similarly named bird, the bittern, but probably from the bend in the River Itchen; the Old English words ''byht'' and ''ærn'' together mea ...

, Bitterne Park,

Harefield Harefield is a village in the London Borough of Hillingdon, England, northwest of Charing Cross near Greater London's boundary with Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the north. The population at the 2011 Census was 7,399. Ha ...

, Townhill Park, Chartwell Green,

Mansbridge Mansbridge is a suburb on the northern perimeter of Southampton, England. The area is named after the Mans Bridge which spans the River Itchen, Hampshire, River Itchen. For a considerable time, this was the southernmost crossing point of the r ...

Southampton Airport Southampton Airport is an international airport located in both Eastleigh and Southampton, Hampshire in the United Kingdom. The airport is located north-north-east of central Southampton. The southern tip of the runway lies within the Sout ...

, Southampton , - ! SO19 , SOUTHAMPTON ,

Sholing Sholing, previously Scholing, is a district on the eastern side of the city of Southampton in Southern England. It is located between the districts of Bitterne, Thornhill and Woolston. Various explanations from where the name derives ...

, Merry Oak, Thornhill,

Woolston Woolston may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Woolston, Cheshire, a village and civil parish in Warrington * Woolston, Devon, on the list of United Kingdom locations: Woof-Wy near Kingsbridge, Devon * Woolston, Southampton, a city suburb in Ha ...

Weston Weston may refer to: Places Australia * Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Weston, New South Wales * Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra * Weston Park, Canberra, a park Canada * Weston, Nova Scotia * ...

, Southampton , - ! SO20 , STOCKBRIDGE , Stockbridge,

King's Somborne King's Somborne is a village in Hampshire, England. The village lies on the edge of the valley of the River Test. Location King's Somborne is a large parish covers , of which are covered by water. Most of the ground is low-lying, with a high p ...

, Middle Wallop , Test Valley , - ! SO21 , WINCHESTER , Compton,

Colden Common Colden Common is a civil parish in the Winchester District of Hampshire, England, approximately 5 miles south of the city of Winchester, covering an area of with a resident population of approximately 4,000 people. It includes the village of Col ...

, Easton,

Hursley Hursley is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England with a population of around 900 in 2011. It is located roughly midway between Romsey and Winchester on the A3090. Besides the village the parish includes the hamlets of Standon and P ...

Itchen Abbas Itchen Abbas is a village on the River Itchen about north-east of Winchester in Hampshire, England. The village is part of the Itchen Valley civil parish. A major oil pipeline from Hamble to Aldermaston runs through Itchen Abbas. Parish c ...

, Martyr Worthy, Micheldever,

Owslebury Owslebury is a village and civil parish in the county of Hampshire, in the south of England approximately southeast of Winchester. It lies within the administrative district of the City of Winchester. Geography The village lies at the top of a ...

, Shawford, South Wonston,

Sutton Scotney Sutton Scotney is a village in Hampshire, England, north of Winchester in the civil parish of Wonston. It lies alongside the River Dever and is now bypassed by the A34 trunk road. It is notable for having been the site of numerous Spitfire cra ...

, Sparsholt, Twyford , Winchester , - ! SO22 , WINCHESTER , Badger Farm, Fulflood,

, Littleton and Harestock, Olivers Battery, Pitt, St Cross (W),

Stanmore Stanmore is part of the London Borough of Harrow in London. It is centred northwest of Charing Cross, lies on the outskirts of the London urban area and includes Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points of London, at high. The district, whi ...

, Weeke , Winchester , - ! SO23 , WINCHESTER , City Centre, Abbotts Barton,

Bar End Bar End is an area of Winchester, Hampshire, England. It lies on the east bank of the River Itchen to the north of St. Catherine's Hill and is the location of a park and ride A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, ...

, Highcliffe, Hyde, St Cross (E), Winnall , Winchester , - ! SO24 , ALRESFORD ,

New Alresford New Alresford or simply Alresford ( or ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It is northeast of Winchester and southwest of the town of Alton, Hampshire, Alt ...

Old Alresford Old Alresford ( or ) is a village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population ...

, Cheriton, Tichborne,

Ropley Ropley is a village and large civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It has an acreage of , situated east from New Alresford, and is served by a station on the Mid Hants Railway heritage line at Ropley Dean, just o ...

, Winchester , - ! style="background:#FFFFFF;", SO25 , style="background:#FFFFFF;", WINCHESTER , style="background:#FFFFFF;", ''Bulk users'' , style="background:#FFFFFF;", ''non-geographic'' , - ! SO30 , SOUTHAMPTON , Botley, Hedge End,

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

, Curbridge , Eastleigh, Winchester , - ! SO31 , SOUTHAMPTON ,

Warsash Warsash is a village in southern Hampshire, England, situated at the mouth of the River Hamble, west of the area known as Locks Heath. Boating plays an important part in the village's economy, and the village has a sailing club. It is also home ...

Hamble-le-Rice Hamble-le-Rice is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Eastleigh in Hampshire, England. It is best known for being an aircraft training centre during the Second World War and is a popular yachting location. The village and the River H ...

Locks Heath Locks Heath is a western residential suburb of Fareham, in the south of Hampshire, England. Locks Heath is immediately surrounded by a collection of villages including Sarisbury to the West, Swanwick, Park Gate and Whiteley to the North, Warsash ...

Netley Abbey (Happy Place), Lieu-Saint-Edward, Letley , order= Cistercians , established= 1239 , disestablished= 1536/7 , mother= Beaulieu Abbey , diocese= Diocese of Winchester , founder= Peter des Roches and Henry III , dedication= Virgin Mary ...

, Eastleigh,

Fareham Fareham ( ) is a market town at the north-west tip of Portsmouth Harbour, between the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton in south east Hampshire, England. It gives its name to the Borough of Fareham. It was historically an important manufac ...

, - ! SO32 , SOUTHAMPTON ,

Bishop's Waltham Bishop's Waltham (or Bishops Waltham) is a medieval market town situated at the source of the River Hamble in Hampshire, England. It has a foot in the South Downs National Park and is located at the midpoint of a long-established route betw ...

, Corhampton,

Curdridge Curdridge is a village and civil parish within the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. The parish also contains the similarly-named village of Curbridge. The village has a small school. The parish is located eight miles to the ea ...

Droxford Droxford ( Drokensford) is a village in Hampshire, England. Geography The village is clustered with slight ribbon development along its main, north–south, undulating road. It is entirely on the lower half of the western slopes of the Meon v ...

, Durley, Exton, Meonstoke, Shedfield, Soberton,

Swanmore Swanmore is a rural village and civil parish situated in the Meon Valley, Hampshire, England. It is very near to Bishop's Waltham. Swanmore was originally set up to provide homes for workers in local brickworks. As such, the houses in the villa ...

, Upham, Warnford, Wickham , Eastleigh, Winchester , - !rowspan=2, SO40 , SOUTHAMPTON , Totton,

Cadnam Cadnam is a village situated in Hampshire, England, within the boundaries of the New Forest National Park. The village has existed since the medieval period, when it was (and still is) an important crossroads between Southampton and the towns ...

Marchwood Marchwood is a village and civil parish located in Hampshire, England, United Kingdom. It lies between Totton and Hythe on the western shore of Southampton Water and directly east of the New Forest. The population of the village in the 20 ...

, rowspan=2,

New Forest The New Forest is one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in Southern England, covering southwest Hampshire and southeast Wiltshire. It was proclaimed a royal forest by William the Conquero ...

, - , LYNDHURST , Lyndhurst , - ! SO41 , LYMINGTON ,

, Milford-on-Sea, Pennington, Boldre, Hordle, Sway , New Forest , - ! SO42 , BROCKENHURST , Beaulieu,

, East Boldre , New Forest , - ! SO43 , LYNDHURST , Lyndhurst, Minstead, Bramshaw , New Forest , - ! SO45 , SOUTHAMPTON , Hythe, Fawley, Blackfield,

Calshot Calshot is a coastal village in Hampshire, England at the west corner of Southampton Water where it joins the Solent.OS Explorer Map, New Forest, Scale: 1:25 000.Publisher: Ordnance Survey B4 edition (2013). History In 1539, Henry VIII order ...

, Hardley , New Forest , - ! SO50 , EASTLEIGH , Town Centre, Boyatt Wood, Fair Oak,

Bishopstoke Bishopstoke, a village recorded in the Domesday Book, is a civil parish in the borough of Eastleigh in Hampshire, England. Bishopstoke was also mentioned when King Alfred the Great's grandson King Eadred, granted land at "Stohes" to Thegn Aelfr ...

, Horton Heath , Eastleigh , - ! SO51 , ROMSEY ,

, Ampfield, Lockerley,

Mottisfont Mottisfont is a village and civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England, approximately 7 km north west of Romsey. The village is best known as the location of Mottisfont Abbey. Much of the surrounding land, which is part o ...

, Wellow , Test Valley , - ! SO52 , SOUTHAMPTON ,

North Baddesley North Baddesley is a large village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is situated east of the town of Romsey and north of Southampton. It occupies an area of approximately , and is home to a population of just over 10,000 people, reduci ...

, Test Valley , - ! SO53 , EASTLEIGH ,

Chandler's Ford Chandler's Ford (originally The Ford and historically Chandlersford) is a largely residential area and civil parish in the Borough of Eastleigh in Hampshire, England. It has a population of 21,436 in the 2011 UK Census. Chandler's Ford lies on ...

, Eastleigh, Test Valley , - ! style="background:#FFFFFF;", SO97 , style="background:#FFFFFF;", SOUTHAMPTON , style="background:#FFFFFF;", ''

Jobcentre Plus Jobcentre Plus ( cy, Canolfan byd Gwaith; gd, Ionad Obrach is Eile) is a brand used by the Department for Work and Pensions in the United Kingdom. From 2002 to 2011, Jobcentre Plus was an executive agency which reported directly to the Minis ...

'' , style="background:#FFFFFF;", ''non-geographic''

Map

References

External links

Royal Mail's Postcode Address FileA quick introduction to Royal Mail's Postcode Address File (PAF)
{{Postcode areas in the United Kingdom Postcode areas covering South East England

Coverage

Map

See also

References

External links