21-520: Fort Gomer was one of the Palmerston Forts , in Gosport , England , the southernmost and first-built Polygonal fort in the defence line to the west of Gosport. It was located on land immediately to the west of the present Gomer Lane. Fort Gomer was the most southerly fort in the line of five which formed part of the ‘Sea Front and Spithead Defences’, Inner Line, Land Front, Left Flank. This line of forts
42-537: A costly ornamental building with no practical value ". They were criticized because at the time of their completion, the threat from the French navy had passed, largely due to the complete alignment of Napoleon III's foreign policy with British interests then to the withdrawal of France following its crushing by Prussia in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, and because the technology of the guns had become obsolete. They were
63-428: A defensible barracks, built in the shape of a shallow V. Two spiral staircases gave access to the roof of the barrack block. There is a possibility that the intention was to mount guns on the roof of the barrack, using it as a cavalier, but this was never done. Mortars were to be mounted on the central parade. on the ramparts between the gun emplacements were ten expense magazines for the storage of ready use ammunition for
84-772: A group of forts and associated structures around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland . The forts were built during the Victorian period on the recommendations of the 1860 Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom , prompted by concerns about the strength of the French Navy, and strenuous debate in Parliament about whether the cost could be justified. The name comes from their association with Lord Palmerston , who
105-424: A result of the 1859 Royal Commission, but they did receive improvements because of it. These forts are located along Portsdown Hill overlooking Portsmouth, and were a response to advancing weapons technology. This new technology made it possible for shelling accurate over a number of miles to take place. The forts were intended to prevent a hostile force landing further along the coast, approaching Portsmouth from
126-454: A total cost of £ 1,177,805. By the time the forts had been completed, the threat of invasion had long since passed and although the forts were armed and re-armed as technology advanced, they were never used in anger. They were decommissioned in 1956 and put up for sale in the 1960s, although they were not sold until the 1980s. The subsequent purchaser, in 2012, was Clarenco (previously known as Amazing Retreats), operated by Michael Clare. His plan
147-635: The 1859 Royal Commission dealing with the perceived threat of a French invasion. The forts were intended to defend the Dockyard in Portsmouth. Construction was carried out by the Royal Engineers and civilian contractors (under Royal Engineer supervision). In addition to the newly constructed forts, extensive work was carried out on existing fortifications. The Portsmouth defences can be split into four distinct groups of forts, comprising four sea forts built in
168-755: The Solent , a group of forts on Portsea Island , a group of forts along Portsdown Hill overlooking Portsmouth, and a group of forts on the Gosport peninsula. As well as these forts surrounding Portsmouth, further protection for Portsmouth was provided by additional Palmerston forts on the Isle of Wight . These man-made island forts were originally built to protect the eastern approaches to Portsmouth Harbour from attack by enemy forces. The four armour-plated forts were designed by Captain E. H. Stewart, overseen by Assistant Inspector General of Fortifications, Colonel W. F. D. Jervois . Construction took place between 1865 and 1880, at
189-623: The embrasures on the flanks. In 1891 the mounted armament was: Throughout the Victorian period the fort was used mainly as barracks and as a training establishment. It was disarmed in 1901. It then briefly saw service as a training facility once more in preparing troops for the Boer War and the First World War trenches. The 3rd Field Training Regiment Royal Artillery was stationed at the fort during 1939. A Canadian unit, The Fort Garry Horse occupied
210-460: The fort in 1943/4 with its 'A' and headquarters squadrons for amphibious assault training. The 1st Hussars (6th Armoured Regiment) moved to Fort Gomer on 4 March 1944 in preparation for the D-Day landings. The Specialised Armour Development Establishment (SADE), also used Fort Gomer to undertake work on amphibious fighting vehicles until at least September 1946. After the war the 7th Royal Tank Regiment
231-421: The fort was placed on two west facing earth bastions with a central curtain providing more guns firing through embrasures. Flanking fire for ditch defence was provided for musketry only. Two bastionettes were placed on the far side of the wet ditch, one at each shoulder. Two more flanking galleries fired across the faces of the curtain and bastions. The plans of 1862 list the armament of Fort Gomer as: By 1872 it
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#1733085639010252-402: The guns. A main magazine were situated at each end of the barrack block. Two bastionettes at the northwest and southwest corners of the west ditch provided musketry fire along the north and south branches of the ditch. Two tunnels led from the parade through the thickness of the west rampart to the west ditch in order to provide flanking fire across the faces of the rampart. In 1861 accommodation
273-572: The mainland, taking the tactical high ground to the north of the dockyard. As such, the forts are designed so that all of their main weapons face inland, protecting Portsmouth from the rest of England. These are situated on the Gosport peninsula. Again, they were built to prevent an enemy force landing along the coast and approaching Portsmouth from inland, and had their main weaponry facing away from Portsmouth. 50°47′N 1°6′W / 50.783°N 1.100°W / 50.783; -1.100 Palmerston Forts The Palmerston Forts are
294-511: The most costly and extensive system of fixed defences undertaken in Britain in peacetime. Some sixty years previously, there had been a similar period of defence works construction, when some 140 circular towers were built for the same purpose (mainly along the Sussex, Kent and Suffolk coast to protect London) called Martello Towers , but these had become outdated. The new defences were built to defend
315-414: Was Prime Minister at the time and promoted the idea. The works were also known as Palmerston's Follies , partly because the first ones which were around Portsmouth , had their main armament facing inland to protect Portsmouth from a land-based attack, and thus (as it appeared to some) facing the wrong way to defend from a French attack. The name also derived from the use of the term "folly" to indicate "
336-520: Was based at the fort in the 1950s, leaving in 1953. Briefly in 1953 the fort was occupied by the Royal Army Ordnance Corps Boys Training School and the fort was eventually released in 1964. It was sold at auction for £169,000 and a Fareham firm demolished it to provide land for housing. Nothing of it remains. Palmerston Forts, Portsmouth The Palmerston Forts that encircle Portsmouth were built in response to
357-585: Was constructed between 1853 and 1858 and as such it was the first of the Polygonal land forts based on the Prussian System of mutual defence. It was unique and an example of early attempts to break away from the old bastioned system of fortification. Fort Gomer had a wet moat surrounding it and provision was made to further hinder the enemy by flooding the ground in front of the rampart. It was nearly 500 feet wide and 800 feet long, its rear faced east and consisted of
378-411: Was for two of the forts to be converted into hotels and one into a museum. The restoration was completed for Spitbank Fort and No Man's Land Fort, both hotels at the time, but not for Horse Sand Fort. In 2020, the three were listed for sale. These forts are situated on Portsea Island , the low-lying island on which most of the city of Portsmouth is located. None of the forts were originally built as
399-471: Was later known as the Gomer-Elson Line or 'Gosport Advanced Line' This consisted of, from south to north, Fort Gomer, Fort Grange , Fort Rowner , Fort Brockhurst and Fort Elson . An inscription above the main entrance through the barrack block read `Erected AD 1853’. The fort was almost complete before work began on Fort Elson in 1855. The estimated cost of Fort Gomer was £92,000 in 1869. Fort Gomer
420-444: Was proposed to withdraw most of the smoothbore guns and provided twenty 7-inch rifled muzzleloaders . In 1886 the armament mounted appears to be twenty 7-inch R.M.L.s and two 13-inch mortars. It was then proposed to change this to eleven 7-inch R.B.L.s with six 64-pdr. R.M.L.s and two 13-inch mortars. The fort was modified early on to remedy shortcomings in its method of mounting guns, barbette positions being substituted for some of
441-412: Was provided in the barrack block for 1 field officer, 10 officers, 2 NCOs, 332 privates with 1 master gunner, 1 barrack sergeant, 1 hospital sergeant, 5 servants. Also provided was a hospital for 8 patients and its own kitchen. By 1893 this had been re-appropriated for 1 Field Officer, 7 officers, 2 unmarried NCOs and 310 gunners with separate accommodation for 4 married NCOs and men. The main armament of
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