The Redan Palmerston Forts Society

Above : showing the masonry portion of the fort for 7-inch 7-ton RML guns facing landward. The structure above the entrance is the later Battery Observation Post. Below : The courtyard showing the stairs to the roof battery and the access to the basement magazine level.

24 No. 41 October 1997 Palmerston Forts Society The Redan

SPITBANK FORT A History and Description David Moore

A previous article in The Redan No.28, with granite, with wrought-iron June 1993, described the history of the embrasures.1 two outer Spithead Forts No Man’s Land and Horse Sand. This article will By 1861 they reconsidered the plans describe the third of the forts that were and decided that the foundations designed to guard the Spithead should be prepared for forts 200 feet in anchorage and the inner approaches diameter instead of 300 feet as it was to Harbour. advisable to adopt an iron construction to permit a reduction in History , purpose and construction the intervals between guns. This would The authority for constructing Spitbank make the forts capable of mounting Fort is dated 14-9-60. Right from the 123 guns instead of 100 in comparison start it was undecided as to what form with masonry construction.2 the forts at Spithead should take. There were many changes in the plans. Work began at Spithead in 1861. In April 1862 the Secretary of State for At first, in 1860, it was suggested that War directed that the Royal the forts should be of casemated Commission reassemble in order to masonry design. To meet the reconsider the expediency of possibility of an enemy anchoring constructing forts at Spithead in the large ships close to any of the forts on light of the events in Hampton Roads the shoals to engage them at short during the American Civil War. Work range, it was recommended that they stopped in Spring of 1862 and political should be of large dimensions, and arguments as to the suitability of forts that the more important should have such as these to protect the harbour three tiers of guns in casemates so as ensued; various reports were asked for to increase the possible amount of fire by Parliament and supplied before on any point, and give a command work eventually re-commenced on over the decks of attacking ships. The Spitbank in March 1867. Much of the forts were to be built of masonry, faced discussion was a consequence of the battle between the Merrimac and the

No. 41 October 1997 25 The Redan Palmerston Forts Society

In spite of this the government let the Castle 3634.13 yds matter stand for another year. The construction

1204.6 yds 3221 yds 2138.8 yds finally resumed in the Spring of 1864 when the contractors began work 4667.8 yds on the foundations under the superintendence of

Spitbank 3725.2 yds Mr. Hawkshaw C.E. The Fort first stone was set in March 1867 at a depth of 17ft. Below L.W.O.S.T. and No Mans Land the fort was completed in Fort June 1878.

Monitor in Hampton Roads and the The original intention of the Royal role of the forts. The House of Commons Commissioners was to build a total of decided that it was expedient to five sea forts on the shoals in suspend the construction of the but problems with obtaining a good Spithead Forts while its was considered foundation on the one proposed for if the experience gained in that action Sturbridge and the need to cut costs is of such a nature as to induce the resulted in only two of the forts being Commissioners to modify the opinion under construction in 1864, those on expressed by them in their report of the shoals of No Man’s Land and Horse 26th. February 1861 and the value of Sand. As a substitute for the now iron-roofed gunboats for the defence of abandoned one at Sturbridge the ports and roadsteads was fully Commissioners decided to place two considered. The Defence Committee smaller forts on the shoals at Spit Bank replied that it preferred to be guided and Ryde Sands. The one on Ryde by the recent experiments at Sand also had to be abandoned. Shoeburyness which were carried out to determine the effect of heavy shot The Special Committee on Spithead on armour plated war vessels the Defences, including Lt. Col. William results of which fully justified the Drummond Jervois R.E,. decided on 15 original intention for defence of July 1864 that :- Spithead. The Commission, with which certain other naval and military “On referring to the several reports of officers were associated, submitted the Defence Commissioners, we find their report in May 18623 after taking a that they originally proposed that lot of evidence. They considered that Spithead should be protected by a the ultimate expense of providing for combined system of forts and floating the defence of Spithead with armour- batteries. They recommended the plated ships, either movable or construction of five advanced forts, stationary and connected by booms namely, on the Horse Sand and No and chains, would far exceed the cost Man’s Land, the Sturbridge and Spit of the forts. That even if booms could Point, and a point intermediate be efficiently maintained forts would between the fort on the Horse Sand and be indispensable for their protection. Portsea Island. The works on the Horse That is was unwise to fetter any of our Sand and No Man’s Land were for the ships or crews to harbour defence and purpose of bringing a fire to bear on the thereby reduce our offensive power at channel of approach to Spithead; those sea. That the inevitable progress in the on the Sturbridge and Spit were power of guns would increase the intended to command the anchorage, power of forts as against ships and supposing an enemy to have passed 4 increase the area defended by them. the outer forts; the ‘intermediate’ work

26 No. 41 October 1997 Palmerston Forts Society The Redan

was for the preventing of light draught form the Engineer, Mr. Hawkshaw, vessels from passing between the Horse stating that it was not possible to Sand and Portsea Island. obtain a suitable foundation for the fort at Ryde Sand. To compensate for Of these forts, those at the Horse Sand this the Committee proposed to and No Man’s Land are at present increase the fire from Puckpool. under construction. Nothing, has however, as yet been done towards the In November 1868 the Committee construction of the inner works to decided to cut costs by allowing for command the anchorage, the only that portion of the forts at Spit preliminary trials at Sturbridge having Bank and St. Helens that would be led to the conclusion that a good exposed to powerful fire to be provided foundation could not be obtained on with armour, that was one half of that shoal . Spitsand and one third of St. Helens.

Under these circumstances, and after In December 1869 the Committee visiting the locality, we unanimously decided that further experiments to test recommended that such a work should the effect of projectiles on the granite be constructed on the Spit bank, in the basement of Horse Sand Fort and other position shown on the accompanying forts at Spithead were unnecessary, chart, about 600 yards to the south-west and that the construction of the forts of the point on which it was originally should at once be proceeded with. proposed by the Defence Commissioners to erect a fort. The foundations to Spit Bank Fort are similar to those for the Horse Sand Fort. A work so placed would, in conjunction It was intended to mount 15 guns, in with the batteries at Fort Monckton, one tier, nine in an iron superstructure bear immediately upon the anchorage occupying more than half of the of Spithead; it would also cooperate circumference looking seaward, and with the works on Horse Sand and No six in granite casemates facing Man’s Land, and with the Blockhouse landward and towards Portsmouth Point and Southsea Batteries in the Harbour. Preparations were also made defence respectively of the outer to fit two turrets on the roof of the fort. channel to Spithead, and of the inner A final attempt by the House of channel to Portsmouth harbour .5 Commons to oppose the defence scheme resulted in the appointment of In August 1865 the Defence Committee a Committee to look into the approved the report of the “construction, condition and cost” 7 of Fortifications Committee of the 11th. the forts already in progress. The 1868 June 1865, relative to the sites of the Committee reported that the work at proposed forts on Spit Bank and Ryde Spitbank was Sand and approved the design submitted by Lieut. Col. Jervois for ...well and solidly built, and there those forts. have been no failures the arrangements for the service of the In April 1866 the Defence Committee, guns and for the supply of ammunition approved the designs for works at Spit are good and satisfactory. Bank, Ryde sand and St. Helens forts of The expenditure to June 30th. 1868 one tier of casemates with iron walls was reported by the Committee as on those portions facing seaward, the being £45,101 with £23,249 further for rear parts to be of granite. Each fort the foundations and £47,365 for the was to carry two turrets on top, each completion of the masonry. For for two of the most powerful guns completion of the iron, seven available. The actual provision of casemates of 25 feet intervals at £4,643 these turrets was however deferred.6 and two of 29 feet at £5,387 another In 1867 the Committee received a letter £43,275 was estimated.

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A portion of the Shoeburyness each. The stones for the fort were experiments to determine the iron shaped, dry-fitted and numbered at shield was allotted to the fort in the the contractor’s yard at Stokes Bay. sum of £510. The estimated cost of the From there they were taken by barge shields was then £7,800. The total to be lowered on the sea bed by steam estimated cost of Spitbank Fort was crane, where divers placed them then £167,300.7 precisely. In January 1868 a difference of level of 3-inches in the top bed of the The fort was handed over to the War sixth course in an E.S.E. Direction was Department authorities on the 1st. corrected in the eighth course. The January 1869, the masonry being laid depth of water over the shoal at to the top of the bed of the fourteenth L.W.O.S.T. Was at the time 9ft. The rise course. The contractor was Mr. J. of the tide being 14ft. Leather. The work was carried on and completed by Mr. Hill. The bills for the On the gun floor level Spitbank is actual cost, certified by the War Office constructed in two halves, the outer were for £117,964, exclusive of the cost iron portion designed to hold nine for the ironwork. 10-inch guns whilst the inner brick- vaulted, granite-faced portion facing Design of the fort the harbour entrance was to hold six Designed by Captain E. Steward R.E. 7-inch RML guns. The piers in this who was on the staff of Col. Jervois, portion are 11ft..2-in, that of the granite the Assistant Inspector General of facing varying from 2ft. 6-in to 4ft. 8-in Fortifications. The forts were adapted at the ports. to include iron portions and shields designed by Captain Inglis R.E. and Armour his assistant Lieutenant English. The armoured portion of the fort at the Captain Englis attended every gun ports was made as follows from experiment at Shoeburyness on the outside inwards; 5-in wrought iron, aspects of guns versus armour 1-in teak, 2-in wrought iron, 1-in teak, between 1857 and 1884. He was 5-in wrought iron, then similar plates appointed to the position of Inspector in reverse order. Elsewhere the armour of Iron Fortifications in 1867. The consists of three 5-in wrought-iron ironwork that he designed for Spitbank plates, separated by 5-in layers of Fort consisted of twenty five inches of concrete designated as an ‘iron front’. iron plate, wrought-iron and teak Preparations were made to add a sandwiched in layers in order to fourth plate, the ironwork of the Fort withstand the latest naval guns. being complete in 1875. Standing on a stone and concrete foundation ring built directly on the Water supply seabed Spitbank Fort is constructed of An artesian well was sunk in the iron, concrete and granite. The fort is middle of the fort in 1877. a 6ft. circular with an external diameter of Cylinder was sunk in the centre of the 162 feet at the bottom level with the fort to a depth of 58ft. 10-in and from shoal, narrowing to 146 feet at the top this level it was bored with tubing of surface of the sill course. This provided 18-in internal diameter, the lower 25ft. a batter of 1ft. in 22ft. 7-in. Upon the being of wrought-iron shod with steel. shoal a solid annulus of masonry Water was reached at a depth of 401 48ft.Thick was constructed. The feet. An analysis of the water found it exterior rings to a height of 15ft. are of to be very pure and perfectly Bramley Fall and Runcorn stone; wholesome and showing a total above this is granite. The interior rings absence of animal life and organic throughout are of Bramley Fall, contamination.8 The supply at a depth Runcorn or Portland stone and the of 100ft. Below the basement floor was intervening space is filled with calculated to be 1,400 gallons per concrete blocks weighing about 8 tons hour.

28 No. 41 October 1997 Palmerston Forts Society The Redan

Entrance to the bolt passage. Holes in the wall of The main entrance to the fort is via this passage were to allow the huge two leaf oak and elm doors, addition of iron plates to protect the studded, five inches thick. The date lower masonry of the fort in time of 1870 is engraved into the keystone. attack. The bolt passage runs around The entrance passage leads through the inside of the masonry face of the the middle of the granite portion of the fort. The penstock chamber for ejecting fort, into the open courtyard. From here the waste into the sea is opposite the stairs lead down to the basement and R.E. Store. The other door at the foot of up to the roof. the stairs was used to move ammunition into the magazines. A Accommodation davit on the courtyard above was to Peace-time accommodation was assist with this. Men on duty in the allowed for in two barrack rooms magazines would have first passed behind the heavy RML gun casemates, through the shifting lobby at the foot of each for twelve men and each the stairs adjacent to the soldiers’ night provided with a stove, beds, latrine. A laboratory and shifting room accoutrement racks and rifle racks. was provided on the gun floor level Above the four inner rooms were racks adjacent to the top of these stairs. The for the stowage of hammocks. The shell stores were fitted with batten war-time garrison would have been floors on which the shells were stood, accommodated in hammocks. The on end. An inventory board stating the 7-inch gun casemates, two on either Nature and contents of each chamber side of the entrance tunnel, have six would have been fixed to the wall rooms behind, one used as quarters for outside. Each shell store had a fuze two sergeants and one for the sole and tube locker fixed to one wall. In officer. Another two rooms provided these were stored the fuzes for fixing accommodation for the duty guard into the shells prior to sending them up and officer’s servant. The final two to the guns. The tubes were for priming rooms were the ablution room and the the gun and firing it. Shells were laboratory and shifting room. Here moved from the shell stores to shells and cartridges would have been adjacent shell lifts in the passage emptied when found wanting. outside. The supply of ammunition to the guns was very precise, each shell Basement level store being allocated to a particular The Basement magazine level of gun or guns and each gun having an Spitbank Fort has an inner ring of associated shell lift adjacent to it. The cartridge stores and an outer one of shells were lifted to the gun floor using shell stores. The basement is accessed a block and tackle. A special lifting via a flight of stairs in the central open hook was attached to the nose and courtyard of the fort. To the left as you base of the shell. Lifting power was descend the stairs is the pump room provided by a hand crab, or winch. and well-head. The water was Located in the wall of the shell lift at pumped from here to the centre of the basement level. Communication fort where it was stored in ten tanks, between the man at the bottom of the giving a total storage capacity of 2,384 lift operating the crab and the man at gallons. The access to the cook-house the top, who was to remove the shell, and stores is on the right. To the right was by a voice tube fitting into the of the cook-house is the provision store wall. Each voice tube had an ivory with built in cupboards and hooks for whistle hanging on a chain, which hanging the meat on. Slate work tops was used to summon the man at the also survive. Past these two rooms, opposite end. through iron gates, are the coal store, artillery stores and R.E. Stores. At the Cartridge Stores back of the artillery store is the access The cartridge stores were fitted with batten flooring, some of which

No. 41 October 1997 29 The Redan Palmerston Forts Society

UU A1 A15 U U L A2 A14

U G H U A3 F I A13 N

U OPEN COURTYARD E U J

D3 P M P D4 K R S1 S8 T P Q B4 O P

S2 B12 S7 D1 D2 C C

S3 B5 S6 B11 S4 S5

P B6 B10

B7 B9 B8 D Moore Taken form PRO Works 43/331

Spitbank Fort Plan of Gunfloor : 1878 A 7-inch R.M.L. K Officer's Latrine B 10-inch R.M.L. L Entrance C Soldiers' Qtrs for 12 men M Soldier's Night Latrine D1 Cartridge Serving Room with Lifts 2 & 3 N Coal Shaft for guns 4 to 8 O Stair to Roof D2 Cartridge Serving Room with Lifts 4 & 5 P Stand Pipe for guns 9 to 12 Q Stair to Basement D3 Cartridge Lift 1 for guns 1, 2 & 3.. R Stair to Magazines via Shifting Lobby D4 Cartridge Lift 2 for guns 13, 14 & 15 S1 to S8 Shell Lifts E Laboratory & Shifting Room T Stair to Mezzanine Level Lighting F Officer's Qtrs. Passage G Officer's Servant's Qtrs U Shell Recess for 7-inch Gun H Guard Room I Staff Sergeant's Qtrs. J Ablution Room

30 No. 41 October 1997 Palmerston Forts Society The Redan

remains, as does the skidding, special projecting into the passage. The shelving on which the cartridges were cartridge stores were illuminated with stored inside zinc cylinders. The lamps placed in recesses from the cartridges were removed from their lighting passage. These lamps shone storage cylinders and placed inside through plate glass windows. Access charge carriers for issuing to the gun to the lighting passage was via a flight floor above. As in the case of the shell of steps next to the officer’s latrine. stores, each cartridge store held ammunition for an associated gun A cast iron staircase leads up from the position or positions. Designated courtyard to the roof level. The roof is cartridge lifts were labelled for each of concrete. Original proposals called store. for two guns in turrets on the roof but these were omitted from the final Ammunition supply to the Gun floors plans. Two of the masonry piers on the On the gun floor above the shell lifts sea face were designed to support for the larger R.M.L.s emerged inside these turrets and are consequently the piers to the rear of the guns and larger than the others. On top of the inside the soldiers’ quarters. The lifts for fort, when its was first completed, were the 7-inch guns were at either end of the lighthouse, ventilators and the gun galleries, one for each gun chimneys. On either side of the stairs group comprised of guns 1 to 3 and 13 lookout positions were used to observe to 15. Shell recesses were provided for the sea around the fort. These were the 7-inch guns inside the masonry of replaced by 18918 with Depression the piers between each gun. For the Range Finding pedestals and four 12.5-inch guns the shells were stood on Position Finding cells facing seawards end adjacent to the muzzle prior to for the 12.5-inch R.M.L.s. Each cell was loading using a shell hoist. Cartridges for a designated gun group for the 12.5-inch RMLs were raised to comprising guns4&5,6&7,8to10, the gun floor and issued to the guns 11 & 12. Also added were a submarine via two cartridge handling rooms. One minefield directing station, a battery room served guns 4 to 8, the other command post and a telephone room. served guns 9 to 12. Cartridges would When the 4.7-inch Q.F. Guns were have stood in their charge carriers added in the late 1890s they were inside these rooms until required at the placed to the landward side of the fort gun. where they could fire upon fast torpedo craft running towards the The soldiers' quarters behind the sea- harbour between the fort and the facing guns in the armoured portion of shore. Out over the entrance to the fort the fort were separated from the gun is the loading gantry with a traveller casemates by roller shutters, which on rails for lifting the guns, could be wound out of the way when ammunition and stores into the fort. the guns were called to action, allowing free access between the gun Armament and re-armament casemates and the shell lifts and In 1871 the Defence Committee cartridge handling rooms. recommended that some of the new 38-ton guns be fitted to the forts at Lighting passage Spithead to give greater penetration at For safety reasons it was not allowed long ranges. The fort on Spit Bank, now to take a lamp inside a magazine. A sometimes referred to as Spithead Fort, mezzanine level lighting passage ran Spitsand Fort or Spitbank Fort, was to around the magazines above the shell be armed with 9 x 12.5-inch 38-ton passage. Lamps were lowered into the guns on the seaward face and 7 x shell passage from the lighting 7-inch 7-ton guns in the landward passage through purpose built circular casemates. openings. The lamps rested on a flange so that only the globe part

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L

M

A B

D C

F E G C1 J C6 I S1 K S8 NN CS1 CS7 CS2 CS6 SS1 SS9 S2 CS8 S7 H H C2 C5 SS2 C3 C4 SS8

S3 CS5

CS3 S6 CS4

S4 S5 SS3 SS7

SS4 SS6 SS5

D.MOORE Taken from PRO Works 43/330

Spitbank Fort Shell Stores Shell Lifts Plan of Magazine Floor SS1 Guns 1, 2 & 3 S1 Gun 1, 2 & 3 1878 SS2 Guns 4 & 5 S2 Gun 4 & 5 SS Shell Store SS3 Gun 6 S3 Gun 6 CS Cartridge Store SS4 Gun 7 S4 Gun 7 & 8 S Shell Lift SS5 Gun 8 S5 Gun 9 C Cartridge Lift SS6 Gun 9 S6 Gun 10 A Artillery Store SS7 Gun 10 S7 Guns 11 & 12 B Coal Store SS8 Guns 11 & 12 S8 Guns 13, 14 & 15 C R.E. Store SS9 Guns 13, 14 & 15 Cartridge Lifts D Shifting Lobby C1 Guns 1, 2 & 3 E Kitchen Cartridge Stores C2 Guns 4 & 5 F Provision Store CS1 Guns 1, 2 & 3 C3 Gun 6, 7 & 8 G Penstock chamber CS2 Guns 4 & 5 C4 Guns 9 & 10 H Cartridge Lobby CS3 Guns 6 & 7 C5 Gun 11 & 12 I Ammunition Entrance CS4 Gun 8 C6 Gun 13, 14 & 15 J Rope Barrier CS5 Guns 9 & 10 K Pump Chamber CS6 Guns 11 & 12 L Landing Stage CS7 Guns 13, 14 7 15 M Bolt Passage CS8 Guns 4 to 12 N lighting Lobby

32 No. 41 October 1997 Palmerston Forts Society The Redan

In 1882 it was decided to add auxiliary R.M.L.s. On the magazine level the armament to the Spithead forts in the cartridge stores had been re-numbered form of machine guns and Q.F. guns. in sequence from left to right. Store Spitbank was to receive 15 machine no.8 was now number3&7,3became guns although the precise pattern of 4, 4 became 5, 5 became 6, 6 became this auxiliary armament was still 8 and 7 became 9. The 1891 armament under experiment. record noted no.3 & 7 Cartridge Stores form one room of irregular shape (in A War Office report to the Treasury in centre of fort) but has two entrances, 18859 pointed out that it has now total capacity 165 rounds.12 Cartridge become a question of very urgent Stores 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8 each had importance whether steps should not at capacity for 100 rounds for the once be taken for completing the 12.5-inch guns, whilst stores 1 and 9 defences of our military ports. ...it is each had a capacity for 285 rounds for imperative that this country should the 7-inch guns. The shell stores for the complete the armaments of the works 12.5-inch guns could each hold and place the defences of the Empire between 90 and 105 shells whilst those generally in a condition to cope with for the 7-inch guns held 165 shells. the forces which can be brought to Four Position Finders for the 12.5-inch bear against them. gun groups were located on the top of the fort. There was also one submarine The works themselves have been built test room for the controlled minefield with the money provided by the loan close to the fort. The barrack but their armament was not so accommodation at that time was for 1 provided for in 1866. officer and 26 n.c.o.s and men. There were in addition hammock hooks Many times it had been brought to the fixed in the gallery and barrack rooms attention of the Secretary of State that to accommodate 131 men. All lighting it was the original intention of in the fort was with oil lamps. Palmerston that although the forts would be provided out of the ‘Loan’ The proposed 12.5-inch 38-ton guns for their armament would be met by the the sea facing portion had not yet Annual Defence estimates to the sum been supplied. They were in place by of £500,00. 23 years had elapsed and 1893. already £4,250,000 had been spent on the armaments. It would require a Two 4.7-inch guns were fitted on the further £326,000, including £251,000 for roof and searchlights were added by Spithead alone. It may be doubted 1899, the role of the fort now being to whether the annual estimates will counter light craft instead of heavy every supply the ever-increasing warships. The first searchlights fitted requirements of the service. Estimates were known as defence electric lights. depend so much on the necessities of One light was fitted into a small iron the moment and the views of the housing canted out from the side of the Secretary of State that no permanent fort adjacent to the soldiers’ latrine, reliance can be placed upon them.10 which had also be added to the side. The other light, inside the fort, shone Although the two larger forts were through the gun embrasure where no.2 suitable for adaptation to mount the gun was sited. latest heavy BL guns, Spitbank fort was not. In 1886 it had an armament of 6 x As a consequence of the report of Col. 7-inch R.M.L. and 9 x 10-inch R.M.L.11 Montgomery the RMLS were declared In 1891 the fort had changed little. The obsolete as they had a slow rate of fire. room appropriation on the gun floor Spitbank’s R.M.L.s were removed by level had not changed at all. The 1905 leaving three 12.5-inch guns as armament mounted at that time was 6 running-past guns. Two 6-inch B.L. x 7-inch 7-ton and 9 x 12.5-inch Mark I Guns were proposed for the roof.

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Courtyard

B A 3 3

1 4 1 3 4 3 K 3 2 2 I C

J H D G E F

Spitbank Fort Armament Summary Plan of Roof 1898 - 1907 1876 Approved A 4.7-inch QF Gun Q1 6 x 7-inch R.M.L. B 4.7-inch QF Gun Q2 9 x 10-inch R.M.L. C Position Finding Station Gun Group A 1886 - Mounted Proposed D Submarine Directing Station 6 x 7-inch R.M.L. 6 x 7-inch R.M.l. E P.F. Station Gun Group B 9 x 10-inch R.M.L. 9 x 12.5-inch R.M.l. F Battery Command Post 1891 - Mounted G PF Station Gun Group F 6 x 7-inch H Depression Range Finder Pedestal 9 x 12.5-inch I P.F. Station Gun Group G (one 7-inch removed by 1898) J Lighthouse 1899 - Mounted K Stair from Courtyard (gun floor level) 9 x 12.5-inch R.M.L. L Stair to Basement 2 x 4.7-inch Q.F. M Telephone Room 1906 - Mounted N Gantry with Traveller 3 x 12.5-inch R.M.L. 2 x 4.7-inch Q.F. 1 Shell Lift 1910 - Mounted 2 Cartridge Lift 2 x 4.7-inch Q.F. 3 Cartridge Recess 2 x 6-inch B.L. 4 Shell Recess 1917 - Mounted 1 x 6-inch B.L. 2 x 4.7-inch Q.F. WWII 2 x Lewis, 1 x 40mm Bofors, 1 x 6-inch B.L.

34 No. 41 October 1997 Palmerston Forts Society The Redan

Spitbank Fort Plan of Gun Floor 1891 VIII IX VII X VI

Soldier's Soldier's Qtrs. XI Qtrs. V

XII Upper Area IV

Lower Area

Shifting Room Ablution Room Officer's Qtrs. III Servant's XIII Qtrs. Staff Sergeants Guard Room II XIV 12.5-inch R.M.L. XV I

7-inch R.M.L.

After the Owen Committee report the fort remained in military hands until armament was revised again in 1905 sold to the present owner in 1982. It is to take two 6-inch B.L. Mk.VII guns on now open for public visits during the the roof. Major Dalton R.G.A., when Summer. inspecting the fort in June 1906 saw an electric tide gauge, invented by Disposal of the fort Captain Beard, in place on the fort. The War Department declared When he re-inspected in 1907 he noted Spitbank as surplus to requirements in that neither of the two 6-inch guns 1962. In 1981 Portsmouth City planners were in place, nor had the positions were considering agreeing to the been prepared for them. In 1908 he leasing of the fort to Ship Steel Ltd. Of reported Spitbank Fort quite Wimborne Dorset, who wanted to satisfactory.13 One 6-inch BL was in conduct experiments into alternative place by 1909 and the other by 1910. energy sources on the upper deck of One was withdrawn in 1916 leaving the fort. Previous proposals for the fort one in Care and Maintenance. The included conversion to a private earlier searchlights were replaced by residence, a holiday home, a marine three 90cm projectors, two in the salvage depot, a broadcasting station existing positions, the third in and a training school for ships and oil casemate no.4. The 4.7-inch guns rig personnel. Luckily a local remained until 1922 but were re-fitted businessman, Shaun Maguire, bought in 1926. A 6-inch gun was refitted in the fort from the Ministry of defence in 1931 and the 4.7-inch guns removed 1982 with the intention of opening it to finally in 1938. During the Second the public. With volunteer help he World War two Lewis guns and a proceeded to clear the fort of 40mm Bofors were added. This was mountains of rubbish and sea-gull removed in 1945 and the 6-inch gun guano. He then removed the World was taken off in 1948. Coast defence War Two buildings in the courtyard was disbanded in 1956 and the which covered the stairs to the searchlights and generators removed basement. He was able to open the fort from the fort the following year.14 The for the first time to the general public

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in the Summer of 1984. In February of minutes of evidence and appendix that year he had placed two fibre 1862 glass replicas of 12.5-inch RMLs in two 5. Local newspaper report of 1864 of the casemates. In the first years of 6. Précis of Correspondence op cit page opening he had some problems with 9 getting visitors to the fort due to local 7. Report of the Committee Appointed authority restrictions on the landing of to Enquire into the Construction, craft at Portsmouth but he has Condition and Cost of the continued to persevere. In 1991 he put Fortifications erected in 30, 31 the fort up for sale for an asking price Victoria Statutes together with of £675,000. He took it back off the minutes of evidence. 1868 - market that same year. In 1996 he was Portsmouth City Library Local finally able to secure an agreement to History section and PRO Kew run a boat from within the Dockyard ZHC1/3287 Heritage area. In June 1997 the 8.Report on Spitbank Fort compiled by Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust Lieut. A.G. Drummond R.E. from proposed to take over the running of records in the R.E. Office Portsmouth the fort, injecting much needed money 1884. (£3.75m) into the fort for repairs and 9.Correspondence as to Defence as of development as a visitor attraction. Military Ports General NO.5/3325 The head of the Trust, Mr. P. Goodship War Office January 1885 - with reported in The News that if the plans attachments and Enclosures - PRO went ahead only a small portion of the Kew WO33/44 money would be used to purchase the 10.Ibid - Enclosure B Remark by the fort. The bulk would be spent on Directory of Artillery to the Defence repairs and improvements including Committee. the enhancement of existing displays 11.Table of revised Armaments and on making them more interactive. submitted by the Director of Artillery The Trust was intending to apply for a and Inspector General of grant from the Konver fund as well as Fortifications to the Defence Lottery and English Heritage grants. Committee 17.7.1886. 12.1891 Portsmouth R.E. Armament References record Book. - Copy in Portsmouth 1. Report of the Commissioners City Records Office. appointed to consider the Defences 13.Dalton Reports : P.C. Dalton RGA on of the United Kingdom, together his Inspection of the with Minutes of evidence, and Portsmouth Defences Appendices and correspondence 1906-1909. relating to the site of an internal 14.‘Spitbank and the Spithead Forts.’ arsenal - 22 August 1859.ZHC1/2577 Solent Papers No.1 Garry Mitchell PRO Kew with Peter Cobb, Anthony Cantwell 2. Précis of Correspondence relating to and Peter Sprack. - Armament the Defences of Portsmouth and the record - Page 10. Isle of Wight prior to January 1893. War Office Library - page 3 General Reading 3. Reports from Commissioners 1862 Palmerston’s Folly’ The Portsdown and Vol.11 - Report of Commissioners on Spithead Forts - A temple Patterson. National Defences on the Proposed The Portsmouth Papers no. 3 - System for the Fortification of 1893 Portsmouth R.E. Armament Book Spithead. Plans of Spitbank Fort in PRO Kew 4. Report of the Defence Commissioners Works 43/330 to Works43/337 Also and of the Naval and Military WO78/5020 to 5024 Plans in War Officers associated with them by Office Library WD426 to 428, WD order of the Secretary of State for 433, WD436 to 438, WD442 to 453, War with reference to the Proposed WD461 to 473 & WD480 Forts at Spithead, together with

36 No. 41 October 1997