Spitbank Fort was a Royal Commission fort built between 1867 and 1878, the smallest of the 3 main forts in the Solent off Portsmouth, England. It is 162 feet across, with 1 floor and a basement, and armour plating only on the seaward side. It was originally planned to have armed with 9 10" eighteen ton RML guns on the seaward side, and 6 7" seven ton RML guns on the landward side. In fact 12.5" thirty eight ton RML guns were placed on the seaward side, but the extreme difficulty of reloading the guns in such a confined area gave such a low rate of fire that all but 2 were removed in 1898, when 2 4.7" quick firing guns were fitted on the roof aided by searchlights.
The fort is currently in private hands, open as a museum and for private functions.
Other sea forts include St Helens Fort, Horse Sand Fort and No Mans Land Fort.
Spitbank fort was designed to defend the anchorage and the inner approaches to Portsmouth Harbour from French Invaders, and act to provide a secondary line of defence against light draft vessels that had managed to pass the heavier fortified outer defensive forts.
Work began at Spitbank in 1861, but was stopped in Spring of 1862 due to political wranglings as to the suitability of forts such as these to protect the harbour.
The Commission, consisting of naval and military officers set to investigate the matter, submitted their report in 1863. They considered that it would be cheaper and more versatile to construct the forts, than to provide armour-plated ships, either movable or stationary, with connecting booms and chains. In spite of this positive report, the government let the matter stand for another year.
In the Spring of 1864, the construction finally resumed with the first stone being lain in March 1867 at a depth of 17ft below low water, and was completed in June 1878.
It was intended to mount 15 guns, in one tier, with nine inch iron superstructure occupying the half of the fort looking seaward, and six in granite casemates facing landward and towards Portsmouth Harbour.
The bill for the construction of the fort was finalised at £117,964, exclusive of the cost for the ironwork.
In 1871 the Defence Committee recommended that fort be rearmed with more powerful guns. Nine, new 12.5-inch, 38-ton guns on the seaward face and seven 7-inch 7-ton guns in the landward casements were fitted giving greater penetration at long ranges.
In 1882, Spitbank Fort was augmented with auxiliary armament in the form of 15 machine guns
In 1899, the role of the fort was changed to counter light craft instead of heavy warships. Two 4.7-inch guns were fitted on the roof and searchlights fitted, known as defence electric lights.
In 1956, the Coast defence program was disbanded and the searchlights and generators removed from the fort the following year. Throughout it's operational lifetime, Spitbank Fort was never tested against a Naval invasion and in 1952, it was sold to a private concern..
The fort is currently in private hands, open as a museum and for private functions.
Other sea forts include St Helens Fort, Horse Sand Fort and No Mans Land Fort.
Spitbank fort was designed to defend the anchorage and the inner approaches to Portsmouth Harbour from French Invaders, and act to provide a secondary line of defence against light draft vessels that had managed to pass the heavier fortified outer defensive forts.
Work began at Spitbank in 1861, but was stopped in Spring of 1862 due to political wranglings as to the suitability of forts such as these to protect the harbour.
The Commission, consisting of naval and military officers set to investigate the matter, submitted their report in 1863. They considered that it would be cheaper and more versatile to construct the forts, than to provide armour-plated ships, either movable or stationary, with connecting booms and chains. In spite of this positive report, the government let the matter stand for another year.
In the Spring of 1864, the construction finally resumed with the first stone being lain in March 1867 at a depth of 17ft below low water, and was completed in June 1878.
It was intended to mount 15 guns, in one tier, with nine inch iron superstructure occupying the half of the fort looking seaward, and six in granite casemates facing landward and towards Portsmouth Harbour.
The bill for the construction of the fort was finalised at £117,964, exclusive of the cost for the ironwork.
In 1871 the Defence Committee recommended that fort be rearmed with more powerful guns. Nine, new 12.5-inch, 38-ton guns on the seaward face and seven 7-inch 7-ton guns in the landward casements were fitted giving greater penetration at long ranges.
In 1882, Spitbank Fort was augmented with auxiliary armament in the form of 15 machine guns
In 1899, the role of the fort was changed to counter light craft instead of heavy warships. Two 4.7-inch guns were fitted on the roof and searchlights fitted, known as defence electric lights.
In 1956, the Coast defence program was disbanded and the searchlights and generators removed from the fort the following year. Throughout it's operational lifetime, Spitbank Fort was never tested against a Naval invasion and in 1952, it was sold to a private concern..
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