Two former powder magazines at Tipner Magazine

Two former powder magazines are located at Tipner Magazine. The north magazine dates from circa 1796-8, while the south magazine was built in 1856. They are constructed of red brick in Flemish bond with grey headers, featuring stone dressings. The roofs are late 20th-century gambrel-shaped, covered with troughed metal.

Each magazine is one storey and attic, with three bays. The main east facade of each magazine features three large openings, each with a two-leaf iron door set under a flat stone arch; the far-right door to the north magazine is missing. At each jamb are three stone block inserts, each containing a large, built-in door hinge. A long, narrow ventilation slot with a stone surround sits on either side of the centre doors. A brick band runs along the first floor, above which are three two-leaf, eight-pane recessed casements set under gauged brick segmental arches, each with a stone sill. The attic has two blinded window openings to the north magazine and two similar openings to the south magazine, these containing slated timber panels, each set under a gauged brick segmental arch and a gambrel-shaped gable with stone coping. The south wall was rebuilt mid-20th century to allow vehicular access.

Inside, the brick vaulting remains intact at the east end of each magazine, covering approximately one-third of the length. The rear wall of the north magazine was demolished, while a later 20th-century replacement rear wall exists for the south magazine.

Historically, concerns arising from the recent war with France and the invasion scare of 1779 led to a plan by the Master-General of the Board of Ordnance, George Lennox, to separate gunpowder magazines. Land was acquired at Tipner Point between 1789 and 1791. Tipner acted as a deposit magazine for restoring old gunpowder from nearby Stamshaw (now demolished) from 1805 until the mid-1820s. Following an appraisal by Lord Panmure in March 1856, magazine accommodation at Tipner, Marchwood and Upnor was increased. The southern extension was built with parabolic arches, a design also used at Weedon Bec and Upnor. In 1890, the site passed to the Army, and the magazines were converted into general ordnance storage, resulting in the insertion of the present iron doors.