Inner Pierhead Fort

The Inner Pierhead Fort and inner breakwater.

Inner Pierhead Fort is a Victorian fort built to defend Portland Harbour, at the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The fort is situated on the end of the inner breakwater, which abuts from the dockyard of the harbour, on the northern face of the island. It was constructed between 1859-1862, and is 100 ft in diameter. In September 1978 the inner breakwater became Grade II Listed, and this designation includes the fort.^[1]

History

The Inner Pierhead Fort and south ship channel seen on the far right.

The Inner Pierhead Fort

Construction of the two southern breakwaters of Portland Harbour began in 1849 to the design of James Rendel, and were completed in 1872. An array of various defences were created to defend the harbour, including the 56 acre Verne Citadel, East Weare Battery, Nothe Fort (at Weymouth), and the circular Portland Breakwater Fort, also known as Chequered Fort, built between 1868 and 1879 on the outer breakwater. The Inner Pierhead Fort, a coastal artillery battery, was one of these defences, and was first designed by the Admiralty in 1859, with construction commencing later that same year by local builders Kesty and Baker.

However John Coode, resident engineer of the breakwaters, remained undecided on whether the fort should be built with Portland stone or granite. Before construction commenced, Coode devised an experiment in September 1859. The army built two butt walls, one of Portland stone, and the other granite. HMS Blenheim was ordered to hit these walls with heavy fire from a distance of 450 yards. As the granite wall did not was unable to withstand the force fired upon it, Portland stone, which had shown better resistance, was chosen as the building stone.^[2] The fort was completed in 1862 and taken over by the War Office. The cost of the first two breakwater arms exceeded £1 million by the time the two forts were added. The fort was built in Portland stone with a wooden drawbridge separating it from the breakwater.^[3]

The fort itself consisted of a gun floor and basement, as well as its own magazine. In 1892 the battery mounted eight 64-pounder guns, and by 1902 it was armed with two 12-pounder quick-firing (QF) guns for anti-torpedo craft defence. These guns were in use during the First World War, but were removed by 1919. The basement's magazine was used for storage of M.G rounds and 12pdr Q.F. gun shells.^[4] Prior to and during the Second World War the original fortifications on the breakwaters were updated to carry later armaments. The Inner Pierhead Fort had seen little use by this time since World War I, but was equipped with a 40 mm Bofors gun during this period.^[5]

As the 20th century progressed the fort fell into total disuse and has never been opened to the public. A sign attached to the outside of it warned to naval personnel: "Dangerous area out of bounds to all personnel".^[6] In 1996, the Royal Navy left Portland Harbour, and Portland Port Ltd became the new owners, turning the harbour into a commercial port. There were published reports that year revealing Portland Port Ltd had made possible plans of the renovation of historic coastal fortifications in the area, however this never materialised for any of the harbour's historic sites, including the Inner Pierhead Fort.^[7]

References

Coordinates: 50°34′09″N 2°25′20″W / 50.5691°N 2.4223°W / 50.5691; -2.4223