Fort Brockhurst

Fort Brockhurst is to all intents and purposes a castle, perhaps not in the traditional sense of a fortress, but a modern castle nonetheless. Over many centuries defensive structures have had to adapt to deal with the development of weapons designed to attack them. The timber castles of William the Conqueror proved no match for arrow and catapult, the square medieval structures were little better equipped to deal with the advent of canon fire, and the squat circular castles that took their place could not cope with the heavy ordinance introduced into the 18th and 19th centuries. Each advance in artillery brought new castle designs to the forefront, and Fort Brockhurst became the ultimate in Victorian military architecture.

Conceived in the early 1850s Fort Brockhurst was one of five forts (the others being Gomer, Grange, Rowner and Elson) commissioned to make up the 'Gosport Advanced Line'. As the first of their type in the country, their job would be to protect the entire west flank of the strategically important Portsmouth Harbour. This new breed of 'castle' was low to the ground, with heavy, brick revetted, earthen ramparts making them both difficult to see and difficult to hit. Unlike their Georgian 'star-shaped' predecessors, forts like Brockhurst would be polygonal in shape, with projecting Caponiers at each angle ensuring covering fire could be delivered around the entire perimeter if required. Due to their flexible shape, they were easily adaptable to suit the terrain, and could accommodate greater amounts of artillery on their ramparts. With continued improvement to the range of the ordinance, these forts could be set some way back from the positions they were defending, and when several self-contained forts were placed at regular intervals, a devastating cross-fire between them could be achieved.

Building commenced to a design by William Crossman in 1858 and was completed in 1862, providing accommodation for a garrison of 311 officers and men. Fort Brockhurst was arranged around a six-sided polygon, with a magnificent circular keep situated at the centre of the southern most angle, and the entire structure was surrounded by a moat similar to its medieval forebears. To the north of Fort Brockhurst, but outside of the main fortification, was a 'Redan' - a triangular earthen bastion with two flanking covered gangways to the east and west. These defensives would be used in the early stages of a skirmish by riflemen who would then fall back through a tunnel to the main garrison if the fighting became heavier. The two northern ramparts where considered the main ramparts and carried some 19 heavy guns. Immediately behind the Redan, a large Caponier extends out into the moat allowing raking fire along the outer walls of the rampart and moat in the event that the Redan and gangways were overcome.

Similar Caponiers were located at the western and eastern ends of the main ramparts, providing raking fire along the outer walls and moat of the east and west flanking ramparts. These shorter ramparts carried a further eight heavy guns, the two most southerly guns being housed in a structure known as a 'Haxo-Casemate'. As this area was considered more vulnerable, these measures afforded them greater protection. On a lower tier of the ramparts, a further nine guns were positioned with the intention of providing covering fire to the neighbouring forts of Elson and Rowner.

The circular keep, reached by a drawbridge on the outside, and a retractable sliding bridge from the interior, retained its medieval function as a fortified sanctuary and last line of defence should the Fort Brockhurst be overrun. Located directly beneath the main ramparts are a spectacular array of arched 'Casemates' containing workshops, services and living accommodation, although the keep also provided the same facilities. At the centre of the polygon was once a considerable parade ground, completely clear except for two earthen gun ramps leading to the ramparts. However, during the early part of the 20th century a regimental institute building was erected that now houses an exhibition of Portsmouth's defences. As the threat of invasion subsided, life at Fort Brockhurst was largely uneventful and it was only during the Second World War that Fort Brockhurst experienced its first attack in anger, when it was hit by German bombers.