Fort Widley

England
List entry 1001862
Nation
England
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

Fort Widley is a Victorian military fortification located near Cosham in Portsmouth, Hampshire. Constructed in the 1860s as part of the Palmerston Forts programme, it was designed to protect Portsmouth Harbour from potential enemy attack during a period of heightened naval rivalry with France. The fort is a substantial brick and earth structure featuring a polygonal plan with bastions, typical of mid-nineteenth-century coastal defence architecture. The site remains substantially intact and represents an important example of Victorian military engineering and strategic thinking about harbour protection.

Fort Widley is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1001862. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Fort Widley?

Fort Widley is a Victorian military fortification located near Cosham in Portsmouth, Hampshire. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1001862.

Who is responsible for protecting Fort Widley?

Fort Widley 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 1001862.

What other scheduled monuments are near Fort Widley?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Eastney sewage pumping station (7.4 km), Fort Cumberland (7.6 km), Portsmouth Garrison church (7.6 km).

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