2016

SU5902 : Fort Brockhurst - The bridge to the main gate

taken 8 years ago, near to Hardway, Hampshire, England

Fort Brockhurst - The bridge to the main gate
Fort Brockhurst - The bridge to the main gate
Looking along the bridge across the moat surrounding Fort Brockhurst with the fort's main entrance directly ahead. This was supposed to be open as it was the second Saturday in April - unfortunately for some reason it was firmly shut.
See shared description below:
Fort Brockhurst

Fort Brockhurst (SU596020) was built between 1858 and 1862 and is one of a line of five forts which together comprise the "Gosport Advanced Line" which was intended to provide landward protection for the great naval and dockyard establishment at Portsmouth. A nearly identical fort "Fort Rowner" is just a few hundred metres down to the road, and yet another, "Fort Grange" is a little further on. Curiously while both Brockhurst and Grange are scheduled Ancient Monuments, Rowner is not, though it is listed Grade II.
Brockhurst Fort is polygonal in overall plan and measures over 430m north to south by 340m east to west, with a circular main bastion (with an internal circular courtyard) on its WSW flank. The entire structure is surrounded by a moat. It is built mainly of red brick and looks to be in very good condition.
Owned by English Heritage it is open occasionally - supposedly for four hours (11:00-15:00) every second Saturday of the month from April to September LinkExternal link - however when we visited on Sat. 9th April 2016, we (along with several other visitors) found it securely locked with no English Heritage personnel in evidence - I'm glad we hadn't come too far on the day.
The fort's Ancient Monument listing here LinkExternal link which contains a lot more technical information.
See listings also for:
Fort Rowner (SU594011) LinkExternal link
Fort Grange (SU591011) (A.M.) LinkExternal link & (Grade II) LinkExternal link
Also Fort Elson (SU599029)(a slightly different design to the north of Brockhurst) LinkExternal link
Nothing remains of the fifth fort, Fort Gomer, which was to the south of Fort Grange at SZ588993. It was sold to developers in 1964, was entirely demolished and is now covered by a housing estate .
There is a brilliantly informative 30 page pdf about all the Gosport forts here LinkExternal link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Rob Farrow and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Historic sites and artefacts Suburb, Urban fringe Defence, Military Place: Gosport Primary Subject: Fort other tags: Palmerston Fort Fort Brockhurst Bridge Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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SU5902, 175 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Rob Farrow   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Saturday, 9 April, 2016   (more nearby)
Submitted
Tuesday, 19 April, 2016
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SU 597 020 [100m precision]
WGS84: 50:48.8686N 1:9.2124W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SU 597 020
View Direction
West-northwest (about 292 degrees)
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SW S SE
Image classification(about): Geograph
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