Fort Southwick

SU 60 NW SOUTHWICK AND WIDLEY PORTSDOWN HILL 13/12 Fort Southwick I One of a series of forts (Wallington (now demolished), Nelson, Southwick, Widley and Purbrook) along the chalk ridge of Portsdown Hill, built for the defence of Portsmouth against landward attack in the 1860s, and known as Palmerston's Folly. Brick walls of English bond, the outer face of the defensive walls are of flint with horizontal and vertical bands of brickwork and a blind arcade at the upper level. The structure is partly within and above the natural ridge; a polygonal plan with four vertical faces to the deep dry ditch, a fire step behind the parapet, and two-storeyed caponiers at the three corners (to give raking fire along the ditches). Within this outer framework is an embankment with open gun emplacements at the top. Below the central parade ground there are brick-lined passageways, ammunition stores, and staircases to the several points, and behind the caponier positions sunken embrasures for mortars. The rear (south) of the fort has a set of barracks, and the south face is a high brick wall, originally protected by a continuous ditch; there are entrances at each side, once approached by drawbridges, comprising bold 'Norman' doorways of stone, with recessed orders of mouldings, above columns. The fort contains many interesting details of fortification design. Scheduled Ancient Monument. Note: the southern part of the fort lies within the City of Portsmouth.

Listing NGR: SU6463209041