Hilsea Lines Forts Portsmouth ISLAND PROTECTION
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- The Hilsea Lines are a line of 18th- and 19th-century fortifications built at Hilsea to protect the northern approach to Portsea Island, an island off the southern coast of England which forms the majority of the city of Portsmouth and its key naval base. They are now used as a greenspace and leisure area, also known locally as Foxes Forest.
The island is separated from the mainland by a narrow stretch of water called Portsbridge Creek. The first means of crossing the creek was by stepping stones, followed by a single track bridge, built to allow the passage of pedestrians and horse-drawn carts to have access to Portsea Island.
Early defences
Early defences were focused on the 'Portsbridge' that crossed the creek.[1] A fortification is thought to have been built at the mainland end of the bridge during the reign of King Henry VIII.[1] In 1642 the fort was captured by parliamentary forces as part of the English Civil War. It was rebuilt in 1688 and again in 1746.[1] During the Civil War further defences were constructed by the royalists consisting of a wooden barricade mounted on the bridge backed by a small fort equipped with 4 cannon.[2] The cannon were withdrawn on 10 August 1642 and with the barricade held by as few as eight men the parliamentarian forces were able to cross the creek two days latter.[2] The Parliamentarians then constructed their own defences of at the site of the bridge consisting of two mounds on which a total of 6 cannon were mounted.[2] The Parliamentarians appear to have constructed further defences near the bridge in 1643.[3]
The first lines
During 1756 and 1757 defensive lines were constructed on the Portsea Island side of the creek under the supervision of John Peter Desmaretz.[1] They consisted of a 15-20-foot-wide (4.6-6.1 m) and 6-foot-deep (1.8 m) ditch backed by a 7-8-foot (2.1-2.4 m) rampart.[4] Water could be allowed to flow into the ditch from sluices at either end.[4]
The current lines
The inside of one of the Hilsea Lines' gun casements
The current lines were constructed between 1858 and 1871.[5] They included special fortified bridges for road and rail access. A model of the Hilsea Lines featured in the 1862 International Exhibition.[6] Even before their completion the Hilsea Lines had been rendered obsolete by the 1859 Royal Commission and advances in artillery technology; as such they were the last full bastioned trace constructed in the United Kingdom.[7] The development of rifled artillery meant that it was now possible for an enemy to occupy the high ridge of Portsdown Hill north of Portsmouth and shell the naval base from several miles away without having to attack the Hilsea Lines. To counter the new threat a series of "Palmerston Forts" were constructed on Portsdown Hill and the Hilsea Lines were scaled back. In particular a pair of forts that it had been planned to place behind the lines were not constructed.[8]
As completed, the lines are largely built from clay and chalk and were 30 feet (9.1 m) high when completed.[9] Traffic on the London Road passed through the lines via a pair of 15-foot-wide (4.6 m), 18-foot-high (5.5 m) tunnels.[9] There was also an 8-foot-wide (2.4 m), 11-foot-high (3.4 m) tunnel for pedestrians.[9] The section containing the tunnels was demolished in 1919.[9]
The nature reserve at Hilsea Lines has in recent decades become locally known as Foxes Forest.
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Also present on this explore were
Exploring Within - / richtea8
Hidden History with Ray - / beale7125
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1st class video to watch thank you take care kind regards from me kenneth😎💗👍
The defence from the south was already established. The lines were specifically built for the purpose of protecting the land approaches to the Portsmouth dockyards from the north.
Nice little walkabout, short ones are more juicy. Thank you Matthew.
Another little famtastic find Matt interesting place thanks Matt 👍😀
thanks to another 1st class video by the master., long term subscriber, but seldom post. love your stuff matt its 1st class buddy . best wishes from bonnie Scotland. john.
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Matt style is 1st clsss extresmly knowelagable fella well knows his stuff justvcant getv
Enough kf bis bideos there so well made. And stand out in the crowd. Imho offcourse. Bdst wishes. John.
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Like the vlog from Margaret P
Nice seeing you back with a video Matt
RIP Magpie 🐦🪦
Hope the rain didn’t get you too much ☔️
OMG I am actually super interested in this! Thank you Mathew.
Been waiting for this one to come up. Know all this area well. There used to be access to some of the structure's up top as well.
What a great history love what you find. Telling the story is brilliant. Love what you do Be safe and well.
Great beginning of the video,the pictures from Goggle Earth and information from yourself Matt.
The tunnels must have taken a long time to build them very interesting video thanks for sharing.
Info on these casemates is found on a board at one end of the lines. The bricked up holes are indeed the the guns would have pointed out. A shame the ruins are so completely neglected and graffiti covered.
Another awsome video mate
Love the old forts ,going to go to Portland again soon ,cheers
Such a cool explore. Lots of tunnels. Shame rain made it cut short.
The room where you mentioned possibly a shelf, but awful high. There was another floor there. Possibly made of slate as some other forts.
Cool little explore it was
There are loads of these in Gosport
This was first built by Henry the eighth to defend Portsea island from attack from the mainland side at one time stretched form Langston harbour to Portsmouth harbour adapted 1st world war and forts on hill added to improve defence of the island on Google earth you can still see this modern roads and building have taken a lots of this away now the forts on the hill all face inland
This is interesting, so i did read that some defense as this would have cannons or ports aimed in the opposite direction due to being worried of being flanked from behind, not sure if this is the same case or not, but thought i would share, love the video
👍👍😎
Smoke damage is from kids lighting fires for parties
Been to a few free parties in them….
I had a Emergency Shit in one of those once...
You around Portsmouth Matt?
I was the day before yday.
It must have been hard to breathe in there back in the day.
Probably of a heartier stock, used to breathing smoke from pit fires and fire places commonly.
@@toddmetzger yes, but accumulated smoke from fireplaces was a health issue in that era.
Mission! You English send Mr Matt a compass so he doesn´t get confused.....so much.
3:40 is the funniest part
I prefer the quote at 3:46 😉
Do we belive that Mat knows which way is North or South?
His track record with compasses isn't that good.
Only joking Mat, not really.
👍😄👍MDS