Monument MPM154 - Fort Purbrook

Part of a ring of forts known as 'Palmerston's follies', built c1860 to protect the town of Portsmouth, it's dockyard and Harbour from a French invasion.

Fort Purbrook formed part of a ring of forts known as 'Palmerston's follies' which were built c1860 to protect the town of Portsmouth, it's dockyard and harbour from a French invasion. Purbrook was one of six forts positioned along the ridge of Portsdown Hill. Five of the Portsdown forts survive; Fareham, Nelson, Southwick, Widley and Purbrook. Additional forts, most of which survive, were located in Gosport and the Solent. [1]

Fort. c1860. By William Crossman (Capt. Royal Engineers). One of a series of forts (Wallington (now demolished), Nelson, Southwick, Widley and Purbrook (qv) along the chalk ridge of Portsdown Hill. Built for the defence of Portsmouth against landward attacks in the 1860s and known as Palmerston's Follies. Brick walls in English bond, the outer face of the defensive walls are of flint with horizontal and vertical bands of brickwork and a blind arcade at the upper level. PLAN: the structure is partly within and above the natural ridge; a polygonal plan with 4 vertical faces to the deep dry ditch, a firing step behind the parapet and 2-storey caponiers at north-east and north-west corners (to give raking fire along the ditches). Within this open framework is an embankment with open gun emplacements at the top. Below the central parade ground there are deep underground tunnels with access from the centre of the north face of the barrack block, the entrance within the musketry gallery with firing slots and pitched brick roof with circular brick ventilation stack and cone. Passages lead to ammunition stores, expense magazines, staircases and caponiers. The tunnel to the north-east caponier descends through exposed chalk and flint. North-west tunnel is brick lined. Behind the caponier position are sunken embrasures for mortars. EXTERIOR: the main entrances, barrack block with internal courtyard, stores and stable blocks are positioned on the south side facing Portsdown Hill road. The main entrances are approached by inclined roads. Each of the 2 entrances are set within a thick brick curtain wall with Norman-style entrance with round arch and attached columns, moulded dripstone with dropped bosses. To right of right hand entrance are 9 low level firing slots and further right at higher level are 12 paired and 1 single firing slots, each with recessed raked brick jambs and flat concrete lintel. To left of entrance are 2 bays each with on ground and first floor a 4-paned casement set under round brick arch and on each side of casement a firing slot set under flat concrete lintel. Each front face of the V shaped barrack block has 7 similar bays with similar windows and firing slots to ground and first floors. Large castellated brick parapet and earth filled roof set on vaulted brickwork. The fort contains many interesting details of fortification design. This fort is similar to Fort Widley (qv) except for the V shaped barrack block and has 2 caponiers instead of 3. The fort is mainly within the boundary of Havant District Council and is accordingly listed there also. The southernmost part of the fort is within the Portsmouth City Council boundary. Scheduled Ancient Monument. (Portsmouth City Museums: Corney A: Fort Widley and the Great Forts on Portsdown: Portsmouth; Lloyd DW: Buildings of Portsmouth and its Environs: Portsmouth: 1974-: 80; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Lloyd DW: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: Harmondsworth: 1967-: 387; Pamphlet Guide `Fort Purbrook': Ft Purbrook Activity Cntr).

Selected Sources
Book Reference - Author: Lloyd, D W - Title: Buildings of Portsmouth and its Environs - Date: 1974 - Page References: 80
Article Reference - Author: Corney, A - Title: Fort Widley and the Great Forts on Portsdown - Journal Title: Portsmouth City Museums
Book Reference - Author: Pevsner, N - Title: The Buildings of England: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight - Date: 1967 - Page References: 387

[2]

<1> Portsmouth City Council, n/a, Portsmouth City SMR Cards, SU60NE49 (Index). SPM1.

<2> Historic England, The National Heritage List for England (Index). SPM35.