Calshot Castle

Calshot Castle is a castle built between 1538 and 1541 as part of Henry VIII's coastal defenses. It has undergone alterations in the 18th century, from 1868 to 1871, and in the 20th century, with two restorations by the Department of the Environment in 1985. The castle is constructed from dressed squared Portland stone, with a brick addition and an old plain tile roof.

The layout features a circular moat surrounding a circular island, with a wall around the edge that is raised to three storeys on one quadrant, serving as the gatehouse. In the center of the island stands a 3½ storey keep tower. The moat's inner side is faced with dressed stone and has a moulded coping. The wall rises from the coping and features an open-topped embrasure. The three-storey quadrant has a slightly projecting full-height gatehouse.

In front of the gatehouse is a 20th-century bridge leading to a recessed deep order pointed archway with double doors. Each side of the archway has pilasters with imposts supporting a chevron hood. Above the archway is a panel framed by pilasters, decorated in an early Renaissance style, with loopholes on either side. The third floor has a heavy moulded string course; this wall originally had coping before it was raised in the 18th century.

In the center of the gatehouse, there is a cutting string with a 12-pane sash window. Flanking the gateway are embrasures fitted with 2-light casements, and a heavy moulded string course is present at the head of the gateway level. The central keep tower features a pointed doorway on the ground floor and a moulded string course on the first floor. The first floor has tall embrasures with 12-pane sashes, while the second floor has a raised band. The first floor also has wider embrasures with 12-pane sashes, slightly off-centre from those on the first floor. A moulded cornice tops the tall parapet, which has an additional floor behind it. The building is currently under the guardianship of Ancient Monuments and is owned by Hampshire County Council.