Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone on, concealing underneath a copy of the plans, the first Victoria Cross, a Crimea Medal and coins of the realm. Later that year, developing plans meant that further land was required, which was compulsorily purchased from Chamberlayne. 109 acres (0.44 km 2) of land was purchased from Thomas Chamberlayne's Netley Grange Estate on 3 January 1856. O'Brien, the Deputy Quartermaster General, and was to keep closely in touch with Smith to ensure that the views of medical officers on the design were respected. The board in charge of the project was appointed by Lord Panmure and chaired by Colonel T. Netley on the shore of Southampton Water was first suggested as a site for the new hospital by Sir Andrew Smith, and was settled on after the rejection of co-location with the Naval Hospital at Haslar. Encouraged by Queen Victoria and aided by the friendship between Florence Nightingale and the new Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, the fresh political climate allowed a large military hospital to be planned and constructed. That term was subsequently used by wounded soldiers and prisoners of war to describe the location of the hospital.ĭuring the Crimean War (1854–1856), news of dreadful conditions in military hospitals in the Crimea caused political concern in England, and contributed to the fall of the government in 1855 due to 'Mismanagement of the War'. The hospital was situated within the larger area of land bounded by the River Itchen and River Hamble, particularly around Sholing that had become known locally as Spike Island. The site of the hospital can be seen and explored in Royal Victoria Country Park.

The extensive outbuildings, which once occupied a vast acreage of land to the rear of the main building, finally succumbed in 1978. The main building – the world's longest building when it was completed – was entirely demolished in 1966, except for the chapel and former YMCA building, which still survive. It became the 28th US General Hospital during the invasion of mainland Europe in the Second World War. Often visited by Queen Victoria, the hospital was extensively used during the First World War.

Construction started in 1856 at the suggestion of Queen Victoria but its design caused some controversy, chiefly from Florence Nightingale. The Royal Victoria Hospital or Netley Hospital was a large military hospital in Netley, near Southampton, Hampshire, England.

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