Building MPM1102 - BUILDING IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF FORMER POWDER MAGAZINES AT TIPNER MAGAZINE

Shifting house (for changing into specialist magazine clothing), converted into magazine by 1827. Built 1798 - 1800, to the designs of Colonel Mulcaster, CRE Portsmouth.

GV II Shifting house (for changing into specialist magazine clothing), converted into magazine by 1827. 1798 - 1800, to the designs of Colonel Mulcaster, CRE Portsmouth. Red brick in Flemish bond. Flat roof concealed. 2 storeys, 7 bays. Main north facing facade has at centre a 9 flush panelled door with 8-pane overlight set under gauged brick segmental arch. To left and right are 3 16-pane sashes each set under a gauged brick segmental arch with stone sill. Brick band at first floor and seven 12-pane unequal sashes each set under a gauged brick segmental arch, brick band and stone coped parapet. Rear elevation 5 bays wide, centre bay projects and has a 16-pane sash set under gauged brick segmental arch with 2 similar sashes on each side. First floor has 5 blinded window openings. INTERIOR not inspected. HISTORY: The recent war with France, and the invasion scare of 1779 led to concerns about the vulnerability of the arsenals and had exposed an alarming situation concerning the state of the nation's gunpowder. The former was foremost in the mind of the new (appointed 1782) Master-General of the Board of Ordnance, George Lennox the Third Duke of Richmond. Although his plan to enhance the landward fortifications of Portsmouth and Plymouth was defeated in the House of Commons in 1786, his other strategy - to divide and separate the magazines - was implemented at Portsmouth with the acquisition of land at Tipner Point between 1789 and 1791. The original design for a pair of circular vaulted magazines was superceded by the present one for a magazine with groined arches and a copper-clad wooden roof. From 1805 until the mid 1820s Tipner acted as deposit magazine for the restoving of old gunpowder at Stamshaw nearby (demolished). The magazine accommodation at Tipner, Marchwood and Upnor was increased following appraisal by Lord Panmure, the Secretary of State for War, of the Committeee on Magazines report of March 1856. The southern extension to the magazine was built with parabolic arches, as used at Weedon Bec and Upnor. On the division of the ordnance depots between the two services in 1890, the site passed to the Army, and on conversion of the magazines into general ordnance storage the present iron doors were inserted.

(David Evans, Ordnance Yards. Research for English Heritage)

Historic England, The National Heritage List for England (Index). SPM35.