Fortress Visit report - Southsea Castle - a good morning's visit

An excellent guide booklet

I would like to start this report with a big thank you to the staff at Southsea Castle. All were helpful and very happy to answer my many questions.

Landward approach over what was the glacis, now flowerbeds.

The keep, squared off and so losing its lookout tower.

Model of the fort as constructed

Model showing 19th century modifications, counterscarp gallery and external batteries

Counterscarp gallery and the 19th century external battery

Caponier connecting the main building to the counterscarp gallery.

Morning mist has lifted, the sun is out, Fort Spitbank in the distance.

This small fort was built as part of Henry VIII's south coast defences. It was enlarged during the period 1812 - 1816 and in the 1860's. The only action seen by the fort - during the English Civil War, in 1642 the fort was seriously undermanned and easily stormed by Parliamentary forces.

A very good visit lasting around three hours. It would have been longer but the counterscarp gallery was closed due to damage caused by flooding during our very wet winter.