Palmerston’s Follies

In the mid 1800s the threat of invasion by the French became very real. Portsmouth, the country’s premier naval base and garrison town, was seen to be particularly important and vulnerable. Lord Palmerston, the Prime Minister, had the idea of encircling the town with giant fortifications. Fort Purbrook, Fort Widley, Fort Southwick, Fort Nelson and Fort Wallington were built along the top of Portsdown Hill to protect from attack from the north from which vantage point they are completely disguised. They cost the staggering sum of almost £100,000 each. Looking towards the west, Fort Fareham, Fort Brokenhurst, Fort Rowner and Fort Grange were added. Most spectacularly, to spoil any approach from the sea, Spit Bank Fort, No Man’s Land Fort, Horse Sand Fort and the smaller St Helen’s Fort were placed free standing in the Solent. In addition, the existing fortifications in Gosport and Portsmouth (Fort Cumberland, Eastney Batteries, Lump’s Fort, Southsea Castle, Point Battery and Hilsea Lines) received improvements. No wonder Portsmouth had the reputation for being the most fortified town in Europe. They are known as follies because the danger passed and never was a shot fired in anger. For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmerston_Forts,_Portsmouth http://www.palmerstonforts.org.uk/index.php