Southsea Castle (early in its history also known as Chaderton castle[1] ) is one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, also known as Henrician Castles, built in 1544 on the waterfront at the southern end of Portsea Island (an area that later became named Southsea after the castle). The castle was built to guard the eastern entrance to the Solent and entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. Henry VIII watched the Mary Rose sink from near this location.
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The Castle was initially constructed in 1544 however there is the possibility that work started the year before.[2] The work was in part paid for by money received as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.[3] The castle was constructed around a square keep.[3] To the south towards the sea the castle had an angled bastion with the same arrangement on the north side.[3] Square gun platforms made up the east and west sides.[3] Edward VI spent a night at the castle in 1552 while inspecting the defenses of Portsmouth.[4]
The early part of the 17th century found the castle unarmed and in March 1625 a fire started that caused significant damage to the fortification.[5] It took a further ten years for the damage to be repaired only for further damage to be caused by a fire in march 1640.[6]
During the English Civil War the castle was initially held by royalist forces under the command of one Captain Challoner.[7] They moved the castle's guns so they pointed inland leaving the seaward side undefended.[7] The castle was captured as part of the Siege of Portsmouth in September 1642 by the Parliamentarians by which time the royalist garrison consisted of only a dozen men.[7] The Parliamentary forces that assaulted the castle consisted of 400 infantry backed by cavalry.[7] Equipped with ladders the Parliamentarians approached the fort by night and although spotted and fired on by the guns of Portsmouth were able to make to the seaward side of the castle.[7] At the same time a small party approached the main gate called on the castle to surrender.[7] Captain Challoner was at the time somewhat inebriated and asked them to come back in the morning.[7] Somewhere around this time the guns of Portsmouth once more opened fire on the assaulting force and the Parliamentarians responded by scaling the walls and capturing the castle without further opposition.[7] A significant Parliamentarian garrison was then installed in the castle to keep it from being recaptured.[7]
With the end of the civil war the castle became a prison for a time.[8] The castle was significantly rebuilt in the 1680s to the design of Bernard de Gomme.[8] The castle was damaged in an accidental gunpowder explosion in August 1759 that killed 17 people.[8] Another rebuilding began in 1814 with the castle being extended north by 20–30 foot.[9] The moat was rebuilt and a Counterscarp gallery added.[9] In 1828 a lighthouse was constructed on the western gun platform.[10] The lighthouse, which was commissioned by The Admiralty, rises 34 feet above the its base at the top of the walls.[11] A few years later in the 1830s a proposal was made to build a ship canal to the castle from Langstone Harbour[12] The next alteration to the castle occurred in 1844 when it was modified so that it could serve as a gaol for 100 military prisoners.[13] This arrangement lasted six years before castle gained seven, then up-to-date gun, emplacements and lost its function as a prison.[13]
Then in 1860 its gunpower was augmented substantially when new gun batteries were constructed at either side of the castle, as a result of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom.[14] This resulted in the castle changing from being a stand alone fortification to being the command a control centre of a larger system of defence.[14]
During World War 1 the castle was at first manned by Royal Garrison Artillery and No 4 company of Hampshire R.G.A territorials.[3] Later these units were transferred to France and were replaced by the Hampshire R.G.A. Volunteers.[3]
Even though it was still in active military use the castle had by 1929 become a tourist attraction.[15] Visitors to Southsea were able to watch the castle garrison carry out practice firings out to sea.[15]
During the World War 2 the castle was hit by a number of incendiary bombs although they did little damage.[16] The castle was manned by a range of units including coastal artillery from the regular army and the home guard.[16]
On 23 June 1940 the castle became involved in an armed stand-off with the French ships that had escaped the fall of France.[16] The garrison was ordered to prepare to fire on the French craft while the French destroyer Léopard responded by aiming its guns at the castle.[16] The standoff came to end on 3 July when British forces boarded the ships as part of Operation Catapult.[16]
In 1960 Portsmouth city council took control of the castle and in 1967 it was opened as a museum.[17] By 1975 the castle was able to attract 99,704 visitors over the course of a year.[18]
Currently the castle is operated as a tourist attraction by Portsmouth City Council. In the summer visitors can explore the castle and ramparts for an entrance fee. The castle can also be hired as a venue for weddings and parties. The area next to the castle, known as Castle Field forms a natural amphitheater and is used for various public events including fairs, music concerts and festivals. Among other exhibits the castle houses a collection of cannon. Two of these are outside the castle, a 68-pounder and an RML 9 inch 12 ton gun.[19] Within the castle the collection includes a 24 pounder from HMS Royal George,[19] an RML 9 pounder 8 cwt[19] and two hexagonally rifled Witworth 3 pounder breach loaders dating from 1876 [19]
Prior to the 2011 reopening the castle underwent an extensive cleaning carried out by Portsmouth City Council.[20]
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