84-460: Alverstoke is a village in the borough of Gosport , on the south coast of Hampshire , England. It stretches east–west from Fort Blockhouse , Haslar to Browndown Battery, and is centred 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of the shore of Stokes Bay and near the head of a creek which extends a mile westward from Portsmouth Harbour. Residents of Alverstoke have at times in the 20th century been called 'The Alverstocracy' by some residents of Gosport, in
168-457: A 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (5.6 km) perimeter and is the largest of the Royal Navy's training establishments, with around 3,000 service and civilian personnel when working at full capacity. The Borough of Gosport has the following schools and colleges: There are public libraries at Bridgemary, Elson, and at Gosport Discovery Centre. In 2020, Hampshire County Council announced plans to close
252-640: A 1960s construction in HMS ; Sultan included a hoard of axe heads and torcs. A three-celled dwelling unearthed during construction of the Rowner naval Estate in the 1970s points to a settled landscape. Next to the River Alver which passes the southern and western edge of Rowner is a Norman motte and bailey, the first fortification of the peninsula, giving a vantage point over the Solent, Stokes Bay , Lee-on-the-Solent and
336-486: A Ladies team and Junior teams. Gosport Borough Cricket Club was formed in 1966 following the merger of Gosport Amateurs & Gosport C.C., and also play at Privett Park. They reached the ECB National Club Cricket Championship final at Lord's in 1980. Future England players Trevor Jesty and Phil Newport played for the club before moving on to first-class careers. In 2008 18 year old Chris Lynn
420-407: A brick vaulted chamber behind a granite face fourteen feet thick. Each gun fired though an armoured embrasure with a shield hung on a massive shield frame. To the rear of each gun casemate is the barrack room for the gun crew with space for folding barrack room beds and a fireplace. The barrack rooms open on to a verandah, or walkway, that connects all of the barrack rooms. Beneath the gun casemates are
504-567: A ditch which was flanked by musketry caponiers at the angles. The rear was closed off by a brick wall with a barrack for officers at its centre. The battery was heavily criticised by James Fergusson, who eventually became the Treasury representative on the Royal Commission in to the defences of the United Kingdom, set up in 1859. In his paper ‘The Peril of Portsmouth’ he stated that the battery
588-418: A financial success, and was therefore only partially completed. Its St. Mark's Chapel had never become more than a chapel of ease to the local parish church only a quarter of a mile away, and was demolished by the early 20th century. Nonetheless, its small burial plot still contains 261 known burials, including many with high society connections: nine admirals, eight generals, two baronets, and various members of
672-622: A large sundial, known as the Millennium Timespace, was installed on the harbour front in 2000. Alongside this sundial, a long meandering path of designed paving stones can be found, known as the Millennium Path; this can also be seen across the Solent in Portsmouth. Though there are multiple theories which point towards the etymology of Gosport, it is widely purported to derive its name from "goose". An alternative etymology of "gorse" (from
756-485: A series of magazines appropriated for shells and cartridges. Vertical lifts from the shell and cartridge passages open onto each gun casemate allowing efficient supply of ammunition for the guns. The magazine floor was lit by oil lamps placed on lamp trolleys running on rails through lamp tunnels from the parade. Steps lead up from the verandah and parade to the upper battery that consisted of five large open gun emplacements with expense magazines between. The rear, or gorge, of
840-464: A third ferry called Solent Enterprise joined the fleet. She was a slightly larger, more luxurious version of the "Queens". The company now operates two new modern ferries along with the two 1966 veterans. The first was built in 2001 and is named Spirit of Gosport . After the retirement of the Solent Enterprise in 2003, a second modern and slightly larger ferry was added to the fleet and was named
924-565: A tongue-in-cheek fashion, due to higher house prices and a perceived higher social status of the area. The name 'Alverstoke' is most likely to be derived from a corruption of the name Alwara – an Anglo-Saxon Lady of the Manor – and Stoke, a settlement on the area of Alverstoke. Alverstoke is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Alwarestock. Official Crown and Manorial records for the village refer to "The liberty of Alverstoke with Gosport", although
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#17328514355181008-787: A tourist attraction. The tiles were produced by Poole Pottery . The International Festival of the Sea drew over 250,000 tourists to the Portsmouth Harbour area in 1998, 2001 and 2005. The most recent festival was held in 2007. The Royal Navy maintains a presence in Gosport at HMS Sultan , which is the home of the Defence School of Marine Engineering (DSMarE) and the Royal Naval Air Engineering and Survival School (RNAESS). The Sultan site occupies 179 acres (72 ha) of land within
1092-517: Is a historic Palmerston fort built at the eastern end of Stokes Bay , Gosport , Hampshire England to dominate the key anchorage of Spithead . It was erected between 1863 and 1871 as a semi- circular arc with 22 casemates , to be armed with five twelve-inch guns, seventeen ten-inch guns and five nine-inch guns. The actual installed armament rather differed from this. In 1902 the RML guns were replaced by two 9.2-inch and two six-inch BL guns, and before
1176-552: Is located at the eastern end of Stokes Bay , where it sits across a wide curved natural headland (promontory) taken up by Gosport and Stokes Bay Golf Club . To the east is Fort Monckton . There is also a controversial animal testing facility. The Grade II listed parish church of St. Mary is one of three Church of England churches in the parish, the others being St Faith's Church by Tribe Road and St Francis, Alverstoke (0.5 miles ESE ) between St Francis Road and Waterloo Road, Haslar. (A Chapel dedicated to St. Luke also exists within
1260-551: Is situated on a peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour , opposite the city of Portsmouth , to which it is linked by the Gosport Ferry . Gosport lies south-east of Fareham , to which it is linked by a Bus Rapid Transit route and the A32 . Until the last quarter of the 20th century, Gosport was a major naval town associated with the defence and supply infrastructure of His Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth . As such over
1344-474: Is the district and village of Alverstoke . To the west of which is Browndown, where the River Alver flows into The Solent at Stokes Bay. Further west from Browndown point is the district of Lee-on-the-Solent with the former RNAS Daedalus which is now home to a hovercraft museum and several marine related businesses, and CEMAST College (Fareham College). It is also used as a base for glider clubs, light aeroplanes, HM Coastguard heliport and police aircraft. In
1428-485: Is very long, and the town has several buildings of historic interest as well as connections with many people who became famous. Most of the former naval and military installations have closed since the Second World War , leaving empty sites and buildings. In response to this, museums have opened, and many of the fortifications and installations (such as Fort Brockhurst , Priddy's Hard (formerly an Armament Depot , now
1512-481: The Anglo Saxon Chronicle as Rughenor ("rough bank or slope"). Both Rowner and Alverstoke , the name coming from the point where the River Alver entered the Solent at Stokes Bay , were included in the Domesday Book . Rowner was the earliest known settlement of the peninsula, with many Mesolithic finds and a hunting camp being found, and tumuli on the peninsula investigated. Bronze Age items found in
1596-593: The Churchill , Nelson , Jellicoe , Walpole and Bonham-Carter families (and which started being used as a graveyard even before the chapel's dedication). Today, the Crescent stands as testimony to what might have been, but still only fulfils half of the original design. It does, however, still house the Anglesey Arms Hotel (where Queen Victoria is known to have stayed when travelling to and from Osborne House on
1680-911: The Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower ) and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Haslar Road) have been opened to the public as tourism and heritage sites. One of the more recent additions is the Diving Museum at No 2 Battery at Stokes Bay which is bidding to become the National Diving Museum for the British Isles. Several sites have also been redeveloped to provide housing, including the New Barracks (opened 1859, renamed St George Barracks in 1947, having served as HMS St George during
1764-482: The Gosport War Memorial Hospital in town. The town is served by these local newspapers The town of Gosport has many sports clubs and organisations including boxing , judo , angling , rugby , cricket , football , model yachting , sailing , and ice hockey . Gosport Borough F.C. play their home games at Privett Park and cater for players of either sex from age six upwards. The club play in
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#17328514355181848-455: The Isle of Wight . Gosport Town Hall , designed by W. H. Saunders and Sons, was completed in 1964. The former Rowner naval married quarters estate, now mostly demolished, and HMS Sultan were built on a former military airfield, known first as RAF Gosport and later as HMS Siskin , which gives its name to the local infant and junior schools. The barracks at Browndown (Stokes Bay) were used in
1932-448: The Marquis of Anglesey . This new area was to contain a racecourse, chapel, baths and pumphouse, and genteel gardens, a hotel, and fine townhouses emulating the grand Georgian crescents of the day but Cruikshank speculated on an architect who was only 21 and somewhat untested. Although the hotel was erected first, such that purchasers could see what would be built, the scheme overall was not
2016-501: The NHS withdrew in 2009 and the hospital closed). Forton Barracks (opened 1811, closed 1923, re-opened as HMS St Vincent in 1923, closed 1969) was part-demolished and is now St Vincent College . There has also been extensive redevelopment of the harbour area as a marina. In November 1850, two ships of the Ottoman Navy, Mirat-ı Zafer and Sürağ-ı Bahri Briki , anchored off
2100-602: The Southern Football League and represent the town at a national level in the FA Cup and FA Trophy . The area also has another Non-League football club Fleetlands F.C. who play at Lederle Lane Stadium. RMLI Gosport F.C. were a former team to represent the town winning the 1910 FA Amateur Cup . Gosport and Fareham Rugby Football Club has six senior sides, a Ladies team, and 10 youth sides. Gosport Borough Hockey Club, based at St Vincent College, has three Men's teams,
2184-525: The Spirit of Portsmouth . All ferries have been able to carry cycles and motorcycles. Gosport received its railway before Portsmouth, but it closed to passengers in 1953. In 1841 a railway opened between the London and Southampton Railway at Eastleigh via Fareham to Gosport, where a terminus was built to an Italianate design of Sir William Tite . Gosport railway station was intended to serve Portsmouth across
2268-423: The 9.2 inch and 6-inch guns were still mounted but to be reduced. Corrections to August 1907 show them as dismounted. The barrack block was altered 1908-1910 by converting it to married quarters for Royal Engineers at nearby Fort Monckton . In 1916 the fort was armed with an early type of Anti-Aircraft gun, a 3-inch Quick Fire gun on a high angle mounting. This was placed in the eastern 9.2inch B.L. position on top of
2352-462: The First World War the walls were further strengthened with substantial earthwork embankments. The fort was disarmed in 1956 and used for storage until 1999. On 28th July 2022, the fort was sold at auction for just under £1.4M and planning has been granted for 26 homes. Since then a massive restoration project has been underway. Each of the twenty two gun casemates on the main gun floor consists of
2436-584: The French invasion threat of 1779. By 1860, the Gosport Lines had 58 guns. No.1 Bastion, for example, had mounted 14 guns in brick lined emplacements firing over the parapet. The 1859 Royal Commission on the Defences of the United Kingdom proposed the completion of a line of forts to protect the outer approach to Gosport town, making the earlier defences redundant. However, they were retained to constrain any expansion of
2520-537: The Gosport Gallery and reference library. The museum is run by Hampshire Cultural Trust. It is part of the council's urban regeneration plans. One of the aims of Hampshire Cultural Trust is to get "the community back in. We want to get the building back into use and the public back into the High Street ... [and to attract people] who do not normally go to museums". The town has a theatre, Thorngate Hall, which
2604-517: The Gosport waterfront. There, the M4 Sherman tanks were backed into position in preparation for the Channel crossing. The initial plan was for the invasion to begin on 5 June, but bad weather, with the various vessels riding at anchor off Calshot in the Solent, delayed the plans by one day. Gosport has no railway station. However, it may be considered that the town does not require a railway station due to
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2688-466: The Hardway near Gosport. The visit lasted several months and during this time some of the members of the crew contracted cholera and were admitted to Haslar Hospital for treatment, where most of them died. In addition, some other sailors died because of training accidents. In total 26 died and were laid to rest in the grounds of Haslar. At the turn of the 20th century the bodies were exhumed and transferred to
2772-564: The ITV series Bad Lads' Army . The borough is administered by Gosport Borough Council . In the House of Commons , Gosport has been represented by Caroline Dinenage of the Conservative Party since 2010. Until the last quarter of the 20th century, Gosport was a major naval town associated with the defence and supply infrastructure of Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth . As such over
2856-646: The Isle of Wight – the train line used to run direct to Stokes Bay, where there was once a jetty). The Crescent is now Grade II* listed , and its award-winning Georgian-era gardens (2009 – Gold Award, 2010 – Gold Award 'It's Your Neighbourhood' – Outstanding Small Park of the Year, 2011 – Gold Award 'It's Your Neighbourhood' – Outstanding Small Park of the Year. 2012 – Gold Award 'It's Your Neighbourhood' – Outstanding 2012 – 'It's Your Neighbourhood' – National Certificate of Distinction Green Flags awarded 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) are open to
2940-533: The R.N. Military Cemetery, Clayhall Road, in Alverstoke . In the first week of June 1944, tanks, scout cars and wheeled vehicles of the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment , Canadian Army loaded Landing craft tanks in Gosport. Convoys of vehicles had been carefully concealed from German discovery in the areas further inland, and in daylight on 3 June moved through Titchfield and Stubbington to G3 Hard on
3024-629: The Second World War; closed 1991), the Royal Clarence Victualling Yard (opened 1828 on the site of an earlier victualling facility, closed 1992) and Royal Hospital Haslar (formerly the last military hospital of the UK: opened as a Royal Naval Hospital in 1753, later served other armed forces personnel and latterly the wider community of Gosport; closed as a military hospital in March 2007,
3108-412: The Solent, east as far as Portsmouth Harbour, and west to the parish of Rowner , into the 20th century. However, large parts of the north and east of the parish were split into separate parishes between 1840 and 1913. In the late 19th century Alverstoke became built up, and some of the fields separating it from Gosport disappeared. Both parishes then formed part of an Urban District , which prevented
3192-490: The Stokes Bay Submarine Mining Establishment. The new Fort Gilkicker was conceived as a curvilinier fort for twenty six guns on one level firing through armoured embrasures with a barrack closing the rear. It faced in a more easterly direction that its predecessor and its principal role was to direct fire on Sturbridge Shoal and to the flanks were to bear upon Spithead and Stokes Bay. The design for
3276-662: The UK. The average maximum temperature in January is 8C with the average minimum being 3C. The average maximum temperature in July is 21C, with the average minimum being 14C. The record high temperature is 32C and record low is -9C. The Met Office has a weather station at the M.R.S.C. in Lee-on-the-Solent. The Rowner area of the peninsula was settled by the Anglo-Saxons , and is mentioned in
3360-634: The Vane A class, Vane 36, 1 meter, multihull, dragon force and laser. Model yachting used to be one of the most popular sports in Britain. Now it is one of only a few lakes in the world that still races vane steered boats, the more traditional kind without remote control or electricity. A greyhound racing track called the Gosport Greyhound and Whippet Track existed from April 1930 until June 1936 and held racing every Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. The racing
3444-470: The alteration was given in 1902. The work was completed in October 1906 at an estimated cost of £16,000 and an actual cost of £19,671. The contractor was William Hill of Gosport. The work included the rebuilding of the magazines, gun emplacements and barrack block. The magazines were altered to accommodate 1000 6-inch B.L. shells and cartridges and 500 9.2-inch BL shells and 1,000 cartridges. As part of this work
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3528-509: The boundary with the Borough of Fareham . The climate of Gosport is milder than that of the surrounding areas, winter frosts being light and short-lived and snow quite rare. Temperatures rarely drop much below freezing, because the peninsula has water to the south and east. Portsdown Hill also protects the town from the cold northerly winds during the winter months. Located on the south coast, Gosport also receives more sunshine per annum than most of
3612-549: The bushes growing on local heathland) is not supported by the regional name for the plant, "furze". A third theory, claiming a derivation from "God's Port" is believed to be a 19th-century invention. This is, however, the slogan of Gosport as demonstrated on its emblem. The Town area of the Borough, including Newtown, consists of the High Street, Stoke Road shopping area, Walpole Park, Royal Clarence Yard and three modern marinas: Royal Clarence, Gosport Marina and Haslar Marina. South of
3696-464: The central parade. Outside the fort is an artillery store and a smith and fitters shop. The first fortifications on Gilkicker Point were constructed as an auxiliary battery to Fort Monckton and consisted of an earthen rampart for eleven guns firing through embrasures cut through the parapets. The battery was a distorted quadrilateral in shape with a long gorge (or rear) a short sea facing rampart with two flanking faces. The front faces were protected by
3780-408: The centre is Haslar Creek, which flows into Portsmouth Harbour near the harbour mouth. The lowest part of Haslar Creek is called Haslar Lake; at its western end, the creek splits into two branches. These are called Workhouse Lake (the northern branch) and Stoke Lake (the southern branch). South East of Stoke Lake and along Gilkicker Point is the area of Clayhall. West, Northwest and South of Stoke Lake
3864-693: The connection to Fareham was closed for passenger services in 1953 and to freight traffic in 1969, although trains to the armament depot in Frater ran until the late 1970s. The trackbed of the former Gosport – Fareham railway is now an exclusive fast bus route and cycle lane. Tite's station building has been retained for its historical and architectural value and has been converted into a small number of residential properties and offices. The main gate in Spring Garden Lane has been opened up for vehicle access. A further development of six terraced homes has been built at
3948-487: The council-run Elson library. Following this, a bid was made to save the library from closure, following consultations with the community. The library reopened on 12 May 2021, operating as Elson Community Library and Hub, registered as a charity. In November 2022 the Gosport Museum and Art Gallery opened in the old Gosport Grammar School building. The building had previously been the Gosport Museum from 1975, and then
4032-454: The day needing routing to over 1300 addresses. Later an average of 800 signals to almost 1,000 addresses were routed via Gilkicker. The fort was the site of artillery exercises in 1953. In 1956 Coast Defence was abolished and the fort was then used by the Ministry of Public Building and Works as a plumbers workshop. Later a substantial wooden signalling station was built on top of the fort, which
4116-571: The ferry connection to Portsmouth Harbour . The Gosport Ferry provides quick access to Portsmouth Harbour railway station , terminus of the Portsmouth Direct Line to London . Due to heavy traffic (see below) this ferry is very well used. At one time the Gosport Ferry Company operated steam ferries, until the arrival in 1966 of two identical (and then very modern) diesel ferries, named Gosport Queen and Portsmouth Queen . In 1971
4200-417: The fort is closed by a two-storey barrack block that was originally occupied by the officers. It included Officer's bedrooms, the officers’ mess with kitchen and pantry, a field officer's quarters, and officer's servant's quarters. At each end was an artillery store. At the western end was the laboratory for filling shells and cartridges. The entrance to the fort through the centre of the barrack block opens onto
4284-421: The fort was altered slightly and it was completed in 1871 for twenty two guns in casemates with five heavier guns in open positions on the roof. The estimated cost of Fort Gilkicker in 1869 was £61,395, the actual cost on completion being £58,766. The approved armament was:- seventeen 10-inch R.M.L. 18 tons Lower tier casemates; five 9-inch R.M.L. 12 tons Lower tier casemates. Five gun positions were constructed in
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#17328514355184368-464: The fort. Trinity House had a small observation post on Fort Gilkicker after 1939. During World War II the fort was briefly armed with a 40mm Bofors gun and Gun Laying Radar was fitted outside the fort to direct the guns of the nearby Gilkicker Anti-Aircraft gun site. In the build-up to D-day a signals unit occupied the fort and during the Normandy landings on 9 June over 1,000 signals were recorded for
4452-409: The grounds of Haslar .) St. Mary's is of medieval origin, but has been significantly rebuilt and altered over the years. The original church was entirely replaced by the present structure, as designed by Henry Woodyer in the decorated style, when rebuilt 1863–85: its chancel was completed in 1865, and extends to three bays , two having arches to the north and south chapels; its wide nave by Woodyer
4536-473: The harbour to construct, and would alleviate traffic congestion in Gosport and the surrounding area. The tunnel was intended for construction in 2002, but financial problems delayed the project. The government declined to fund the initiative in 2005. The 2001 Census recorded 54,854 people in Gosport of working age between the ages of 16 and 74. The economic activity of the residents in the Gosport Borough
4620-508: The heavy armament of Gilkicker, Stokes Bay and Browndown were only of use against ships that had forced the outer defences and such ships would be deterred by the inevitable damage they would incur. The 9.2-inch guns at Gilkicker and Browndown were therefore superfluous. The 6-inch guns at Gilkicker and at No.2 battery of the Stokes Bay Lines were also superfluous and ineffective. These guns were to be removed. A 1906 armament return shows that
4704-579: The latest Breech Loading guns in place of the 10-inch and 9-inch RMLs on the lower gun floor. The upper battery was to be completely remodelled to take two of the latest 9.2-inch BL Mark X guns on barbette V mountings with two 6-inch BL Mark VII guns on CPII mountings for closer range support. The 9.2-inch BL was to counter Armoured ships up to a range of 6,000 yards whilst the 6-inch BL was for use against unarmoured ships, ships attempting to block channels by sinking in them and against ships trying to break through booms (blockers and boom smashers). The authority for
4788-543: The league and playoffs in 2022/23. The women's team, Solent Amazons play in the WNIHL structure. Gosport has two Synchronised Ice Skating teams who compete in national level competitions, including the British Synchronised Skating Championships. The club uses Planet Ice Gosport to train. Gosport has a model yachting lake which has had national and international events held there. Boats sailed include
4872-490: The name has clearly evolved over the years: from Alwarestoch/Halwarestoke, in the 11th to 13th centuries, to Alvardestoke, in the 14th century, to Aillewardstoke, in the 15th century, and to Alverstoke, by the 16th century. Until the early 19th century, the parish of Alverstoke measured some 4.5 miles from north to south, and 2.5 miles from east to west, covering most of present-day Gosport . The parish still stretched north, adjoining Fareham and Titchfield parishes., south to
4956-448: The need for creation of a civil parish . Today, the ecclesiastical parish , which was once a large agricultural one containing the villages of Alverstoke and Gosport , comprises a smaller and mainly residential area now within the Borough of Gosport . By the early 19th century, as seaside towns became fashionable for polite society, an area known as Angleseyville was developed by the speculator Robert Cruikshank, and named in honour of
5040-535: The new route avoiding lengthy queues on the A32 and speeding up commuting time between the towns for bus passengers. Gosport bus station serves the town. In 1999, a study was undertaken by the Light Rail Transit Association in regard to a proposed tunnel connecting Gosport to Portsmouth, crossing under Portsmouth Harbour . The study proposed a 670m Immersed tube which would not require long closures of
5124-420: The north western end of the site linking with George Street. Being a peninsula town without a railway system, Gosport relies heavily upon the major A32 road in and out of the town. Plans existed in the 1970s to widen the road to accommodate expected increases in traffic flow, but this did not take place. In the early 1990s a computerised system controlling traffic lights along the route was installed to improve
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#17328514355185208-439: The public to visit all year round. The district and village of Alverstoke sits West, Northwest and immediately south of Stoke Lake, from South west of Haslar Road, Clayhall Road West side – towards Alverstoke Green, south to Crescent Road, west to Stokes Bay Road and up to the south side of Bury Road. Several of Palmerston's Follies are sited within the parish, including Fort Gilkicker , a 19th-century coastal battery fort, which
5292-475: The rate of flow of traffic but this failed to work and had to be switched off since it could not cope with the traffic volumes. Now, in the 21st century, the A32 is much the same as it was thirty years ago and the traffic using it has increased to such an extent that the journey time to the nearby M27, about 5 miles (8 km), can routinely take anything from 45 minutes and often longer at peak times between 07:30 & 09:00 and 16:00 & 18:30. The station site
5376-500: The site clearing overgrowth in 2012, but none of the schemes came to fruition. In 2016, the fort was earmarked for restoration and conversion to modern apartments by Fort Gilkicker Developments Ltd, and work began on site with the erection of a fence, however these plans were again dropped in 2018 due to financial issues, and the fort was put on sale again in November 2019 with a guide price of 5 to 5.5 million pounds. On 28 July 2022, it
5460-405: The town towards the new line of forts. From the 1890s road widening meant some parts of the ramparts and gates were demolished. Further sections were demolished in the 1920s and 1960s. Today, the little that remain are protected ancient monuments. The town is still home to HMS Sultan and a Naval Armament Supply Facility as well as a Helicopter Repair base; however, Gosport's naval history
5544-481: The upper battery, three for 11-inch guns of 25 tons on ‘C’ pivots in positions 2, 3 and 4 and two for 12-inch guns of 25 tons on ‘A’ pivots in positions 1 and 5. The site was used for milita training in 1871, and submarine mining experiments in 1879. Additional guns were added through the 1880s. In 1891 two of the positions for 11-inch guns on the roof were altered as lookout and the guns removed. In 1898 Colonel Montgomery recommended that Gilkicker be modified to take
5628-539: The water, but was sited at Gosport away from the harbour because the railway company was not allowed to breach either the Hilsea Lines , defences at the northern end of Portsea Island protecting Portsmouth , or the Gosport Lines protecting depots such as Royal Clarence Yard. An extension to Royal Clarence Yard was opened in 1846, and branch lines to Stokes Bay (open from 1863 to 1915), and to Lee-on-the-Solent (open to passengers 1894 to 1931). Due to declining traffic,
5712-453: The west of Gosport is the naval base HMS Sultan . West of Sultan is the district of Rowner, which includes Alver Village. There are several districts north, northwest and west of the town centre. These include areas that extend to the inland areas of the peninsula, Hardway (including Priddy's Hard and Forton Lake ) Elson, Brockhurst, Bridgemary and Rowner. Hoeford (A32 Gosport Road) is the most northwesterly area within Gosport, and ends at
5796-504: The western approach to Portsmouth harbour. The fort was begun by a contractor who failed in November 1863 early in the stages of the construction and a renowned civil engineer, John Towlerton Leather who was already involved in the construction of the great sea forts at nearby Spithead, was asked to complete the Fort at Gilkicker. His yard was nearby at Stokes Bay, the site of which eventually became
5880-449: The whole of the exterior granite wall of the fort was covered with earth and the front ditch filed to protect the shell and cartridge stores. Position finding cells were built into this bank at each end of the fort. each worked in conjunction with a transmitting station exterior to the fort, that for the 6-inch guns at Fort Monckton and that for the 9.2inch guns at No.4 battery of the Stokes Bay Lines. The Owen Committee decided in 1905 that
5964-512: The years extensive fortifications were created. Gosport is still home to HMS Sultan and a Naval Armament Supply Facility , as well as a helicopter repair base. The Town area of the Borough, including Newtown, consists of the town centre, Stoke Road shopping area, Walpole Park, Royal Clarence Yard and three modern marinas: Royal Clarence, Gosport Marina and Haslar Marina. As part of the Renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour Millennium project,
6048-452: The years extensive fortifications were created. The first fortifications were in 1678 during the reign on Charles II. These consisted of two forts, Fort James and Fort Charles, and a series of bastions and double ditches to encircle the town, known as the Gosport Lines. During the Georgian period in 1751 and 1752 they were rebuilt, enlarged and extended. Further additions were made in response to
6132-417: Was 46.7% were in full-time employment, 12.9% were in part-time employment, 6.1% were self-employed, 2.7% were unemployed, 2.5% were students with jobs, 2.5% were students without jobs, 14% were retired, 6.2% were looking after the home or family and 3.8% were permanently sick or disabled. As part of the Renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour Millennium project, a large sundial, known as the Millennium Timespace,
6216-422: Was built in the late 19th century. The Gosport peninsula has 17 miles (27 km) of waterfront on Portsmouth Harbour and The Solent . The pebble beach at Stokes Bay slopes steeply into the sea and offers views of the shipping going in and out of Portsmouth and Southampton and the many pleasure craft from the many marinas along The Solent and the Isle of Wight . Fort Gilkicker Fort Gilkicker
6300-456: Was closed to the public during this period. In November 1986 Hampshire County Council bought the fort, but not its surrounding earth bank. The fort was used as a building materials store from 1987 until 1999. The Phoenix Trust proposed to convert the fort to apartments in 1999, but pulled out in 2001. A similar redevelopment scheme was posited by Try Homes from 2003 to 2006, and Assett Hawk from 2007 to 2012. The latter did engage in some work on
6384-403: Was constructed in 1885 and has five arches and a south porch. Its western tower was built in 1906. Gosport Gosport ( / ˈ ɡ ɒ s p ɔːr t / GOS -port ) is a town and non-metropolitan district with borough status , on the south coast of Hampshire , England. At the 2021 Census , the town had a population of 70,131 and the district had a population was 81,952. Gosport
6468-500: Was continuously manned by former RN Signalmen, and used to monitor movements of vessels and assist in RN signalling training. Vessels transiting The Solent in the vicinity could also check their compass errors using the nearby navigational transit towers of Gilkicker and Kickergil. The fort was used by HMS Dolphin , based at Fort Blockhouse as storage for Submarine spares from 1959, with Fort Brockhurst staff maintaining it. The adjacent beach
6552-469: Was in danger of collapse under the weight of its own guns and could easily be captured by a small force landing in the bay as it could offer little resistance. As a result, the Defence Committee proposed a new work to replace it. The current Fort Gilkicker was constructed between the years 1863 and 1869 at Stokes Bay, Gosport. Its purpose was to defend the deep water anchorage at Spithead and to protect
6636-582: Was independent (not affiliated to the sports governing body the National Greyhound Racing Club ) and was known as a flapping track, which was the nickname given to independent tracks. The stadium was located on the Forton Road and distances raced were mainly over 400 yards. Gosport and Stokes Bay Golf Club is located on the Southern tip of the Gosport peninsula. The original 9-hole golf course
6720-428: Was installed on the harbour front in 2000. Its timekeeping is partially restricted each day by shadowing caused by large tower blocks either side of the 'timespace'. These towers, Seaward Tower and Harbour Tower, were built in 1963. Their surfaces are covered in mosaic murals designed by Kenneth Barden that rise the full height of the buildings and are illuminated at night. They were controversial initially but are now
6804-556: Was linked with the South Hampshire Rapid Transit scheme, which would have made use of the former railway route. However, due to Government refusal to fund the scheme, it was formally abandoned in November 2006. During 2010, construction started on the same route to provide a rapid bus route between the Holbrook area of Gosport and the town of Fareham. Now completed, regular service buses between Gosport and Fareham divert onto
6888-908: Was opened in 1960. It is named after an earlier Thorngate Hall, on a different site in South Street, which was destroyed by bombing in the Second World War. The earlier hall was built in 1885 and funded by the Thorngate Trust. The town had an earlier theatre, opened in 1923. Regional TV news is provided by BBC South and ITV Meridian . Television signals are received from the Rowridge TV transmitter. Local radio stations are BBC Radio Solent on 96.1 FM, Heart South on 97.5 FM, Capital South on 103.2 FM, Easy Radio South Coast on 107.4 FM, Nation Radio South Coast on 106.0 FM, Radio Victory on 95.8 FM, Angel Radio on 98.6 FM and Gosport Hospital Radio that broadcast local programming to patients from
6972-471: Was sold to developers for £1.38 million, with plans to turn it into 26 homes - 22 in the former gun emplacements and 4 larger ones in the barrack block. It is a Grade II* Listed Building and on the Buildings at Risk Register , but is currently in extremely poor condition due to a lack of maintenance and numerous break-ins. An urban explorer took a series of photographs of the interior in 2016, demonstrating
7056-551: Was their overseas player, later going on to represent Australia in ODI & T20I matches. They currently run four adult league sides, and colts teams from Under 9 to Under 15. Gosport is known for its ice hockey. Solent Devils , the top level men's team are based out of Planet Ice Gosport and play in the NIHL South 1 with the club's second team playing in South 2. The Devils were runners up in
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