What's the story here?

Located on the west bank of the River Itchen, 2½ miles and about a ½ mile above its sister MDL marina of Shamrock Quay, Saxon Wharf Marina is a service centre offering facilities specifically focused on superyachts and other large craft. Equipped with a 200-ton boat hoist, it is the ideal location for large-scale craft to attend to any repair and maintenance work, especially if it requires a lift out.




Saxon Wharf Marina can accommodate yachts up to 80 metres in length, with a maximum draught of 2.5 metres. It features heavy-duty pontoons designed to support larger vessels. The River Itchen should provide a draft of 2.5 metres at chart datum up to Saxon Wharf, although this may need to be checked carefully during low Spring Tides.




Besides its floating berths, the marina also offers a dry stack system facility that accommodates boats up to 13 meters (43 feet) in length. It provides secure dry berthing with unlimited on-demand launching and lifting services for stored boats, 365 days a year.

Daily Visitor Berthing [2025] (Excluding electricity):

• • Up to 12.5m: £5.35 per metre


• • 12.6m – 18m: £6.75 per metre


• • 18.1m – 24m: £7.50 per metre


• • 24.0m +: Price on Application (POA)

Visitor berths must typically be vacated by noon on the day of departure. Letting the marina know is good practice if you expect to arrive after 5 p.m..Short Stay Berthing (Up to 4 hours) are also available with fixed prices depending on boat size.




Though its primary focus is on large-scale yachts, the marina welcomes visiting yachts. It is, however, essential to call and make arrangements in advance by contacting the marina on Ch. 80/M [Saxon Wharf], +44 (0)23 8033 9490, saxonwharf@mdlmarinas.co.uk or via the MDL web form .

How to get in?

Coastal guidance waypoints and pilotage for the run-up to the River Itchen, along with river guidance, are available in the Western Approaches or the Eastern Approaches to the Solent and Southampton. Vessels approaching Dock Head should encounter no local hazards if they follow the clear marks of the Solent and Southampton Water, ideally staying close to the inner navigable waters within them and maintaining reasonable soundings to avoid commercial shipping.




Yachts navigating the six-mile stretch of Southampton Water should keep a listening watch for Southampton Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), available via Ch. 12/16 [Southampton VTS], +44 (0)23 8060 8208 (24/7/365). Yield priority to commercial vessels, particularly near the docks. A speed limit of 6 knots is enforced north of a line connecting Hythe Pier and Weston Shelf.




Vessels converging on Dock Head should encounter no local hazards if following the clear marks of the Solent and Southampton Water, preferably staying close to the inner navigable waters within them and maintaining reasonable soundings to avoid commercial shipping. The River Itchen is well-trafficked, and as such, it is advisable to stay well to the starboard side of the river following the marks.




Follow the River Itchen markers for two miles from Dock Head to Kemps Quay. The 28-metre-high Itchen Bridge in Woolston can cause a sharp intake of breath, but there is ample clearance for most leisure yachts. Vessels with an air draft of less than approximately 24m at MHWS or 23 metres HAT will pass easily beneath.




However, exceptionally tall-masted ships that would use Saxon Wharf Marina should check tide heights carefully and take advice from the marina office. With prior arrangement, large vessels can request a 'follow me' boat service upriver to the marina.




Berth as directed by the marina office.

Why visit here?

The name "Saxon Wharf Marina" in Southampton derives from the area's historical connection to the Saxons, who established a settlement on the east bank of the River Itchen around 700 AD. But history here runs even deeper.




The area across the River Itchen was originally the site of the Roman settlement of Clausentum. Situated on the eastern bank of the Itchen, Clausentum faced the marina from the opposite, northern side of the river in what is now Bitterne Manor. Founded around 43 AD, the settlement was recorded in the Antonine Itinerary as being 20 miles west of Chichester (Noviomagus Reginorum) and 10 miles from Winchester (Venta Belgarum). Clausentum was a small defensive outpost and trading community, protected by fortifications. It featured a bathhouse and was inhabited until around 410 AD. Archaeological excavations have uncovered Roman walls, ditches, coins, pottery, and other artefacts there.




After the Roman period, a new Saxon settlement called Hamwic, where "wic" means "trading place" in Old English, emerged on the west bank of the River Itchen. Located downriver from Saxon Wharf, it centred around what is now the St. Mary's area of modern Southampton. This settlement quickly grew into a major hub for manufacturing, trade, farming, and craftsmanship. Hamwic was first recorded in 721 AD as a market settlement, and in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 778 AD, it was noted as a thriving town. Its prominence was partly due to its strategic position at the confluence of rivers, near the coast, and along Roman roads.




By the early medieval period, Hamwic exported wool and imported wine, pottery, and luxury goods to Europe and beyond. At that time, it was one of the largest and most densely populated settlements in England, rivalled only by cities such as London, York, and Canterbury. Concurrently, the west side of the Itchen River became an important centre for shipping and shipbuilding activities from these early settlement days. Viking raids in the 9th century contributed to its decline, and by the 10th century, the population had moved to a more defensible location, which led to the evolution of the name from Hamwic to Hamtun, with "tun" meaning "town" in Old English, and ultimately to Hampton, from which Hampshire and modern Southampton derive. Archaeologists have uncovered homes, roads, a royal mint, farmlands, as well as burials and grave goods at St. Mary's Stadium.




The deep Saxon and maritime history of the region is reflected in the name "Saxon Wharf". Today, Saxon Wharf Marina is owned and operated by Marina Development Limited (MDL), based in Hamble, Hampshire. It is one of MDL's smaller marinas, specialising in shore-based services for superyachts and other large vessels. Its 200-ton boat hoist and large forklift, capable of launching and lifting boats of up to 13 metres on demand, are said to be the largest in the UK. The entire yard acts as a vast commercial trade centre, catering to every need of yachts up to 80 feet. Despite this, Saxon Wharf welcomes visiting yachts warmly.




From a boating perspective, Saxon Wharf is situated on one of the most well-marked and protected waterways in the world, offering complete shelter from all weather and safe access nearly at all times. Its berths have plenty of manoeuvre space, making for easy berthing, and it is an ideal spot for those seeking a quiet, tucked-away berth away from all weather. Yet, it is only a few hours' sail from The Solent, Beaulieu River, and Cowes on the Isle of Wight. It also benefits from a wide range of services immediately ashore or at Shamrock Quay, just a short stroll away, as is the city itself.

What facilities are available?

All the pontoons supply power and water. Domestic facilities such as showers, toilets, and Wifi are available throughout the marina area. Waste disposal facilities for rubbish and waste oil are located ashore near the marina office. Launderette facilities and a large chandlery offering gas exchange, along with a pub and various food outlets, can be found across the road at the sister marina of Shamrock Quay.




Between Saxon Wharf and Shamrock Quay, every repair service a vessel may need is available; marine engineers, riggers, sailmakers, and electrical and electronic specialists are all immediately ashore. If you can't find what you need directly ashore, the friendly marina staff will be happy to assist. A 200-tonne travel hoist and a forklift capable of handling boats up to 13 metres- both reputedly the largest of their kind in the UK- can accommodate almost any vessel. Plenty of hard-standing space is available ashore for a quick lift-out or a major refit. The only service the marina does not provide is diesel fuel filling alongside, but diesel fuel is available at Itchen Marine at American Wharf, just south, or within Hythe Marina Village in Southampton Water.




Saxon Wharf Marina is a taxi ride from central Southampton, a major city and port with excellent transport links. Regular car ferries or fast catamarans operate to Cowes, Isle of Wight, both just a short taxi ride away. Mainline trains run to London Waterloo, 70 minutes away, as well as to Poole, Weymouth, Portsmouth, and Brighton. These are complemented by numerous local and regional bus services. Southampton International Airport, with domestic and international flights, is a 20-minute taxi ride in smooth traffic. The M27 motorway, connecting to the M3 and A3, is about a 20-minute drive.

Any security concerns?

The marina is very attentive to the security of vessels either alongside pontoons or on the hard. Gates are secured with codes and a 24-hour security system is in place with CCTV.

With thanks to:

Michael Harpur S/Y Whistler.