Event/Activity EPM238 - Archaeological building recording of the Upper Harbour Ammunitioning Facility at HMNB Portsmouth

Southampton City Council Archaeology Unit carried out an archaeological building recording of the Upper Harbour Ammunitioning Facility at HMNB Portsmouth on the 20th August 2012. The work was undertaken on behalf of Volker Stevin Marine UK as the result of a planning condition imposed on the redevelopment of the site. This was to involve the construction of a new facility 700m to the south-east of the existing structure, and the demolition of the latter once the new facility was operational. The recording included a photographic survey using Minolta 35mm SLR cameras, the photographs taken using Ilford FP4 monochrome film and Kodak colour slide film. Digital photographs were taken for inclusion in the report. Plans of the structures were made available by the client. The site archive includes a full set of drawings. The original facility was constructed in 1929 and consisted of two hexagonal dolphins about 500m off the Gosport shore of Portsmouth Harbour to load munitions onto submarines from the Bridgemary storage complex. The existing structures were strengthened to accommodate surface vessels during a refurbishment in 1983 and a third dolphin was constructed between the two original dolphins to act as a jib rest for the cranes. The survey found that the basic structure of the two main dolphins dated from 1929 but the arrangement of the decks, including protective fendering and 2.5 tonne deck cranes, dated from 1983-4 or later. The bollards, capstans, and the rings and fairleads may have been original. Accession No: 2012/639