The Round Tower

The Round Tower is a fortification located in Portsmouth, dating from around 1415. The ground floor was reconstructed between 1538 and 1540, and two upper storeys were likely added in the late 17th century by Sir Bernard de Gomme, with further modifications made in the early 19th century, possibly to adapt it as a Martello Tower. The top was raised and reconstructed to serve as a gun platform around 1850, and the tower was restored in the late 20th century.

Constructed from ashlar stone, the tower features an asphalt-paved roof and consists of three storeys separated by stone string bands, with the lower storey projecting. The cylindrical structure has an entrance facing Broad Street, which includes a two-leaf panel door, each leaf featuring a six-pane glazed upper panel, set beneath a cambered stone arch. On the north and west sides facing the harbour, there are three gun ports, each set under a flat segmental arch. Three additional gun ports were blocked up, likely in the late 17th century by Sir Bernard de Gomme.

Inside, the early 19th-century reconstruction includes a large central stone column with brick vaulting, and casements have been formed behind the surviving gun ports.