© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)
Calshot Castle is a low artillery fortification constructed around 1539-1540 under the direction of Henry VIII as part of his strategic programme to defend the English coast against foreign invasion. The castle occupies a spit of land at the entrance to Southampton Water in Hampshire and exemplifies the characteristic features of Tudor military architecture, with its distinctive circular keep surrounded by angular bastions designed to mount and support heavy cannon. Built from locally sourced materials with a brick and stone construction, the fortress represents a significant evolution in English defensive design, marking the transition from medieval vertical fortification to the geometric, low-profile layouts required for effective artillery warfare. The castle remains substantially preserved and continues to demonstrate the military sophistication and investment Henry VIII devoted to coastal defence during the mid-sixteenth century.
Calshot Castle: a 16th century artillery castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1014619. View the official record →
Calshot Castle is a low artillery fortification constructed around 1539-1540 under the direction of Henry VIII as part of his strategic programme to defend the English coast against foreign invasion. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1014619.
Calshot Castle: a 16th century artillery castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1014619.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Promontory defined by an Iron Age linear earthwork, St Andrew's Castle and additional remains on Hamble Common (3.8 km), Row Down round barrow cemetery (5.9 km), Moated site, fishponds and associated settlement site, 200m west of Holbury Manor (6.2 km).
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in Britain — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.
Research the area around Calshot Castle: a 16th century artillery castle