Portchester Castle

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Porchester Castle, view from the inner bailey.

Outer courtyard with view of the estuary

Inner courtyard taken from the roof of the tower

Portchester Castle (Latin name: Portus Adurni) (50°50′17″N, 1°06′54″W) is a Roman Channel Fort situated in Portchester, England, and is considered by many as one of the finest Roman fortifications remaining in Europe.

The fort was built during the 3rd century to protect the southern coastline of Britain from Saxon raiders (part of the Saxon Shore) and occupies a commanding position at the head of Portsmouth harbour. The fort is square, enclosing an area of 9 acres (36,000 m²) with outer walls 20 feet (6 m) high, 10 feet (3 m) thick, 210 yards (200 m) long and constructed of coursed flint bonded with limestone slabs.

Unusually for a building of this period, the majority of the walls and bastions are complete. It has lost only four of its bastions and, although the walls themselves have been quarried to provide stone for later additions, from the outside at least, they appear much as they did when they were first built.

Its exceptional condition can be attributed to the fact that, despite short periods of abandonment and longer periods of neglect, the castle was occupied for almost 16 centuries. Even after the departure of the Roman Army its location and strong walls made it attractive as a Romano-British fortress, an Anglo-Saxon manor, a Norman manor and a medieval royal palace. It was last used in the 19th Century as a gaol for prisoners of the Napoleonic Wars.

It was from here that Henry V of England set off for the Battle of Agincourt, carrying out a Fleet Review here or in Southampton Water before doing so.

There is a small 12th century church within the grounds, next to the south-eastern corner.

The site is owned by English Heritage and is open to visitors.