It may have been consigned to memories when the bulldozers moved in 23 years ago, but recollections of Saints' former ground The Dell will, to many, be as powerful and as cherished as the days they were forged.

Now that Saints will be opening a pub at St Mary's Stadium named "The Dell", and ahead of the Championship play-off final on Sunday which could return them to the Premier League, the Echo looks back at where the name came from?

It all began when the Banister family, originally from Tidworth, acquired large amounts of property in the 13th century.

The estate, then called Banastres Court, was extensive and considered rural compared to the bustle within Southampton’s town walls just less than a mile away.

The spelling of the name varied over time, including Banstres, Banaster, and finally settling on Bannister.

Daily Echo: Banister Court in 1858.

The medieval estate encompassed a large area south of the Common and west of the Avenue, stretching from present-day Cavendish Grove to Hill Lane.

In 1790, William Fitzhugh, son of a local manor owner, acquired the estate. The original house was replaced with a grander residence, and the grounds were enhanced with two small lakes.

By 1867, the house transitioned into a boys' school under the leadership of Reverend George Ellaby.

Daily Echo: Banister Court in 1910.

A notable student from this period, Brazilian sportsman Charles Miller attended in the 1880s. He is often regarded as being the father of football in Brazil.

The 20th century brought significant changes. In 1927, the property was sold and the grand house was demolished to make way for a new speedway and greyhound stadium - Bannister Court Stadium, often called Southampton Stadium.

But this was not the first stadium to be built on the estate.

Daily Echo: The Dell, Southampton.

Nestled in a corner of the property, a dell - a mini valley - existed as a charming nook with a gurgling stream and large trees. This very spot, affectionately called The Dell, would serve as the grounds for Southampton Football Club, which proudly carried on the name when it opened in 1898.

While Banister Court no longer stands, the name lives on. Several streets in the area, Banister Road, Mews, and Gardens, and the designation of Banister Park as an area serve as tributes to the historic Southampton estate with its beautiful dell in one corner.