Former Detention Centre (Building Number 1/2) is a Grade II listed building in the Portsmouth local planning authority area, England. First listed on 13 August 1999. Detention centre. 1 related planning application.

Former Detention Centre (Building Number 1/2)

WRENN ID
under-courtyard-foxglove
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
Portsmouth
Constituency
Portsmouth South MP: Stephen Morgan (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
13 August 1999
Type
Detention centre
Address
Former Detention Centre (Building Number 1/2), Main Road, City of Portsmouth
OS grid reference
SU 629 002
Coordinates
50.79877, -1.10752
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The former detention centre, built between 1882 and 1883, is located at HM Naval Base and is constructed from red brick in English bond with a concealed roof. This long, narrow building has two storeys and consists of nine bays. The first-floor features segmental-arched openings with small-pane metal windows and stone sills. A stepped eaves band sits below a cyma-moulded ashlar cornice, and iron tie-rods are visible at the ends of the building.

On the south-east side, the ground floor is part of the 1704-11 dockyard wall, which includes a segmental-arched entrance leading into the right end of the detention centre. The first floor has pilasters rising beside the two-light bays. The north-west side's ground floor is obscured by the HMS Warrior display tent. The south-west end of the building has three windows on each floor.

Inside, there is a passage along the north-west side with entrances to six cells, which are brick vaulted and feature thick doors with spy-holes. Iron urinals remain on the first floor at the south-west end. This building was part of the security within the late 19th-century yard and served as the formal entrance with the Victory Gate.

Local climate

Former Detention Centre (Building Number 1/2) receives an average of 810 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 52% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 77% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 19 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 79% of listed buildings. Of these, 8 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 1 application
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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