Sailing the Solent
Issue : 11 Updated : 1st January 2022
Alternative Forts in the Solent with suitable themes
Audio |
Atmospheric backing to feature |
Sail plan & course plotting at the chart table
Royal Sovereign Tower off Eastbourne
Royal Sovereign Tower being serviced
Transmanche ferry at Newhaven
Turns in the river to make passage to France - They come close
Nab Tower one of two "Mystery Towers"
The Towers being constructed at Shoreham Harbour in 1918, code named M-N were designed to accomodate 100 men & all their equipment
With others it was intended to form a chain across the Solent but with the Armistice the project was cancelled
One Tower was scrapped whilst the other 10.000 ton monster was positioned 4.6 miles east of foreland on 12thSeptember 1920 to replace the NAB lightship
The Nab Light Tower is a forerunner to the Maunsell Sea Forts & marks the Deep Water entry into the Solent
The 4 degree list is not an illusion it's had it since sunk
For the Thames Estuary Sea Forts navigate from
for publications videos & CD's on the Maunsell Sea Forts
The Napoleonic Forts here Horse Sand Fort in June 2003 on the mainland side of the Portsmouth approach
The view down into Horse Sand Fort taken in 1969
We believe this is Mike Deveraux in the centre of Horse Sand Fort again in 1969, taken during the Brighton Collage Rag Week when a Pirate Radio Station was set up on the Fort
The above pictures are from the Mike Bass Collection, Mike was there to offer technical assistance
More pictures of Mike's appear throughout the site, for his tribute see Mike Bass
Horse Sand Fort with Portsmouth shoreline behind
The yellow buoy marked the trailing wall that runs from shore
During the winter of 2004, the anti-submarine
barrier has been completely removed between No Man's Land fort and the Isle
of Wight making access to Bembridge etc much easier from the central Solent.
There are also UNCONFIRMED rumours that the removal of the Horse Sand Fort
barrier on the Portsmouth side is also being considered?
Regards Paul Costerton 22/03/05
Thanks Paul who owns yacht "Morangie Dawn" an American Morgan 38 centre cockpit sloop drawing 5' 2" with a wing keel kept on the River Hamble
For more on the sailing activities of Paul's group see Rallysail
Nomansland Fort circa 1970 courtesy of The News, Portsmouth
Nomansland Fort now a private dwelling - Nice
During the war a boom was secured between Horse, Nomansland & the tiny St Helens Fort to prevent enemy ship & submarine entry
Nomansland in June 2003 with its exclusive bungalow, gardens & converted & conservatory tower
Nomansland commands superb views across the Mainland, the Island & both directions of the Solent
Note the RiB (Rigid inflatable Boat) in it's Davit & the Isle-of-Wight in the background
Sold by the MoD to a property developer in 1986 for a sum said to be £300,000 Nomansland Fort is complete with lighthouse, three heli-pads, tennis court, swimming pool, gym & music room
Having spent between £1-£2 million on renovation with an asking price of £5.75 million in 1988 an offer of £4 million was refused
On the market again in 1992 the price fell to £2.5 million there were no takers
In June 1993 the price was again slashed to £950,000 for the 22 bed roomed fort, once home to 400 men & 49 seventy ton guns
Spit Sand Fort from the air, known as Spitbank in tourism circles is now privately owned & occupied in the summer season as a retreat
Spit Fort undated courtesy of Portsmouth & Sunderland Newspapers
Entrance arch to Spit Sand Fort by Shelly Parker
Featured on BBC 1 TV as one of the seven wonders of the south
To visit take a water taxi from Gosport Ferry Pontoon then tour the gunrooms, sunbathe on the roof, lunch, stage your own private party or a regular Spit Roast Supper & DJ dance party
Spitbank is a mile off the coast, stay the night in the fabulous two storey refurbished lighthouse
Privacy, peace & tranquility with unrivaled 360 degree views over the Solent, Portsmouth, South Hampton & the Isle-of-Wight
Solvent's 4 Forts sometimes known as "Palmestons' Follies" after the Newport Isle-of-Wight (IoW) MP who first became British PM in 1855. Lord Palmeston had existing & new forts modified & built in 1860 to protest Portsmouth after an act of parliament
Excellent aerial photograph of St Helens Fort by Chris Brunnen of CJB Photography
Closest to the Isle-of-Wight & adjacent to the Benbridge Channel the Grade II listed Ancient Monument was built in 1870 at a cost of £123,311 constructed of mixed stone, granite blocks & concrete
Smallest of the 4 solent Forts it's just 135' in diameter, in private hands since 1982 it was up for sale in 2003 with a price tag of £200,000 but it needs some costly TLC, see inside St Helens Fort
There are some rooms on top, damp store rooms & passages below sea level at high tide, but at low water it has its own beach!
Planning permission for converting into a private dwelling was available making 3 floors comprising basement, gun deck & observation area, for a comprehensive see the history of the Solent Forts
Nab Tower not marked on chart above is nearest to Bembridge, "Blue" shows the main navigable channels into Portsmouth & between the mainland & the island
Find out more about Lord Palmeston
In the west Solent approach Hurst Castle guards the Needles Channel, there are more pictures of the Nab Tower & the Solent Forts in Afloat
Entering the Needles Channel with 4 knots of tide running producing 10 knots over the ground
On a pile mooring at Bucklers Hard on the Beaulieu River
05.30 sunrise whilst at anchor in Christchurch harbour
Poole Town Quay, the marina staff being friendly & we'd only just arrived!
Sea Cat off Brownsea Island Poole - accompanying us out!
Catching the rays off Beachy Head
The RNLI ensuring safety at sea
The pictures of Horse Sand Fort in 1969 from the Mike Bass collection
03/08/07 - Good website with some nice pix of the Solent Forts - Brian Huntley.
26/1/07 - Another good posting well done! Particularly interested in the Solent forts, Portsmouth being my place of birth. I went out to Spithead 20++ years ago when Billy Butlin was trying to buy them for a casino. Before his time as ever. John Ross-Barnard
Enjoy your sight it's very good, probably the best Solent Fort pictures I have seen. I went to Spitbank about 5 or 6 weeks ago. Beata Parsons
Superb pictures of the Solent forts make a nice radio base if a bit further off Gavin
I was looking at your website and I was wondering if you know if it is possible to gain access to Horse sand fort possibly to use as a film location. I notice that one can gain access to Spit sand Fort, but there is no information regarding Horse Sand fort. Yours, Fraser Jamieson
Horse Sands Fort has port radio & navigation aids on board access has been denied & the fort locked since the 1970's
Your best bet would be to approach the harbour authorities to see if they'd give permission to board - ED
17th May 2007 - Post Office fopar The Royal mail issued 1st Class stamps of the Needles as part of the Glorious England Series
A major error was missed with the island's name misspell
Recalled the stamps have become collectable with examples selling for £700
The Royal Mail said " It's so rare we make a mistake of this magnitude & it's very embarrassing"
For all our nautical features navigate from Afloat
For Barge Sailing pictures navigate from Greta 1
For all Whitstable Harbour days boats & shipping navigate from Harbour Days
Join us on a Sailing Trip from the North Kent Coast see Boat Trips