Monument MPM51 - Eastney Fort East

Fort, built 1862-67, with later military installations which formed part of the Eastney Barracks complex until the early 1990s. The fort was a rebuild of an early-19th century defensive work.

Fort built 1862-67, with later alterations, including Second World War gun emplacements. Part of the Royal Marine Eastney Barracks complex. Rebuild of an early-19th century work.

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Fort with later military installations. 1862-67 with later alterations. Flint, red brick and ashlar. Wedge-shaped enclosure, facing sea, with earth embankments, flint-faced internally, on west, south and east sides and double ditch along front (south side). Enclosing wall of flint rubble with red brick bands, quoined pilasters and rounded coping; horizontal gun apertures at approximately one metre intervals and some larger apertures with granite surrounds. Entrance on north side has large square piers of banded brick and flint with ashlar quoins and capstones, board gates and mid C20 steel gantry. INTERIOR: underground casements with arched entrances to look-out positions. Steps up to parapets. Some surviving gun emplacements. A number of mid C20 brick buildings and some concrete emplacements from guns used in 2nd World War. Scheduled Ancient Monument.

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Restoration work was carried out by the Palmerston Forts Society in consultation with English Heritage between 2002 and 2004. The work involved clearing and exposing features including gun emplacements, the magazine, the east ditch, caponier and ramparts, with the aim of returning the fort to how it would have appeared in the 1890s.

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

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

<3> Palmerston Forts Society, 2001-2004?, Eastney Fort East restoration archive (Digital archive). SPM592.