Fort Brockhurst in the Snow: January 2010
Gosport Advanced Lines, Hampshire
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| Fort Brockhurst | ||
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One of a line of five forts to defend the western approaches to Portsmouth Harbour. It was designed, together with its sister forts, Grange and Rowner, by William Crossman. It is an early example of the polygonal fort and features a circular keep of last resort at its gorge. Its main west rampart is built over a series of casemated barrack rooms. The central parade is divided into three sections by two long earth ramps for access to the terreplein. The shoulders of the fort house the main magazines whilst the north and south flanks provide accommodation for officers and NCOs as well as gun casemates for flank defence. The terrepleins of the flanks have two Haxo casemates each. Brockhurst was a recruitment centre and served as a demobilisation centre in 1918. It was the depot and headquarters for a variety of regiments from the 1900s onwards. This included the 4th. Medium Regiment, the Royal Warwicks and finally 245 Armament Battery. The fort was in use by the army until 1957. It was sold in 1962 and English Heritage acquired it in 1984. It has now been refurbished as a museum and has workshops and a training facility for the English Heritage Craftsmen. The south Haxo contains a 64 pr. RML on a traversing carriage. The old Regimental Institute building in the centre of the parade has been converted for storage of artefacts from English Heritage properties across south east England. The fort is not open to the public, except by arrangement with E.H. and the majority of rooms beneath the ramparts now serve as a storage facility. |
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Aerial view of Fort Brockhurst on Flash Earth.
Download a data sheet about Fort Brockhurst
Fortifications of Portsmouth Harbour on Local Live