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Spitbank Fort is a mid-nineteenth century coastal defence fortress constructed in the Solent off Portsmouth, Hampshire. Built between 1861 and 1872, it forms part of the comprehensive system of fortifications commissioned by the War Office under the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom to protect Portsmouth Harbour against potential attack by ironclad warships. The fort consists of a polygonal granite and concrete structure mounted on a foundation of wooden piles driven into the seabed, a distinctive engineering solution to the challenging conditions of the Solent. Despite modifications and adaptations throughout the twentieth century, Spitbank Fort remains a substantial surviving example of Victorian sea fort architecture and defence strategy.
Spitbank Fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1018587. View the official record →
Spitbank Fort is a mid-nineteenth century coastal defence fortress constructed in the Solent off Portsmouth, Hampshire. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1018587.
Spitbank Fort 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 1018587.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Bowl barrow 340m east of Eaglehead Copse, forming part of a Bronze Age barrow cemetery (10.8 km), Bowl barrow 220m east of Eaglehead Copse, forming part of a Bronze Age barrow cemetery (10.8 km), Bowl barrow 390m east of Eaglehead Copse, forming part of a Bronze Age barrow cemetery (10.9 km).
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in the UK — 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 Spitbank Fort