| Bembridge Fort | |
|---|---|
| Bembridge Down,Isle of Wight,England | |
 Entrance to Bembridge Fort | |
| Site information | |
| Owner | National Trust |
| Open to the public | By Appointment |
| Official name | Bembridge Fort |
| Designated | 17 March 1964 |
| Reference no. | 1012717 |
| Location | |
  Bembridge Fort | |
| Coordinates | 50°40′18″N1°07′03″W / 50.671673°N 1.117616°W /50.671673; -1.117616 |
| Site history | |
| Built | July 1867 |
| Built by | British Army |
| Materials | Brick, Flint |
| Battles/wars | |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | 4 officers, 106 men |
Bembridge Fort (map referenceSZ624861) is a fort built on the highest point ofBembridge Down close to the village ofBembridge on theIsle of Wight, England. It is one of the manyPalmerston Forts built aroundPortsmouth during the period of theSecond French Empire, as a safeguard against a perceived threat of French invasion byNapoleon III.
The hexagonally shaped fort was the main stronghold for the south east coastline of theIsle of Wight and was designed as a final retreat if the island was to be invaded. Due to its location with a view over bothSandown Bay and the EasternSolent it acted as the command and control centre for the Western batteries on theIsle of Wight:Redcliff Battery,Yaverland Battery,Sandown Fort andSandown Barrack Battery.[1] The fort had barrack accommodation for 4 officers and 106 men with an original armament of sixRBL 7 inch Armstrong guns mounted on theparapet side.[2]
1860s:The Yarborough Monument was moved stone by stone from the summit ofBembridge Down to make way for the new fort.
1862–1867: Construction of the fort at a cost of £48,925.[3]
1869: Guns mounted on the fort.
1871–1880: The fort changed hands frequently and was occupied by various military units while armed including: the103rd Regiment (Royal Bombay Fusiliers), 7th Brigade Royal Artillery,102nd Regiment (Royal Madras Fusiliers),49th Regiment,107th Regiment (Bengal Light Infantry) and then the42nd Regiment (The Black Watch).[4]
1880–1900: Experimental base for anti submarine and anti torpedo devices. Two heavily armoured cables ran from the fort to the sea to form anindicator loop which was used to detect any passing metal objects.
1892:Royal Artillery Office commanding the East Wight Defences was built.
1900–1914: Training camp and garrison duties.
1914–1920: A cavalry followed by a heavy artillery unit was stationed at the fort.
1920–1939: Territorial army observation post for artillery based atYaverland Battery.
1938:Royal Navy'santi submarine division laid indicator loops across the channel intoSpitbank Fort during the war three further harbour defence loops were laid and monitored from the fort.[5]
1939–1945: Command post for anti-aircraft regiments and H.Q. for localhome guard, twoAllan Williams turrets were installed. The fort also housed a reserve radar station after the bombing of Ventnor radar station.
1948: The war department relinquished control.
1948–1965: The fort fell into disrepair and was heavily vandalised.
1965: Purchased byIsle of Wight County Council, becomes aScheduled Ancient Monument.[6]
1967: The fort was acquired byThe National Trust as part ofProject Neptune.
1968:The National Trust let the fort to a light engineering firm who occupied the site until 1998,[7] due to its protected status the factory buildings were not permanently fixed to the fort.
2008: The Western end of the fort became occupied by a light engineering firm.
A team of volunteers from the National Trust began clearing the debris from the fort in 2005 and this work is still ongoing.