Well this one started off with a mission down to Portlands forbidden city followed by the underground naval HQ again where we emerged from under the rocks onto the main docks and in front of us was the Breakwater.... we though yer why not!
The Fort we managed to visit is one of many along the breakwater and is NOT the main breakwater fort, that one can only be reached by boat.
Where the Breakwater joins the docks at the end by Balaclava bay there is a plaque that reads the following-
"FROM THIS SPOT ON THE 25TH OF JULY 1849 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT, CONSORT OF QUEEN VICTORIA, SUNK THE FIRST STONE OF THIS BREAKWATER, UPON THE SAME SPOT ALBERT EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, ON THE 18TH OF AUGUST 1872 LAID THIS LAST STONE. THESE ARE IMPERIAL WORKS AND WORTHY KINGS."
I could not find to much on this particular fort but I have found some history on the early days of construction.
"Breakwater Fort is at the end of the second stretch of the breakwater. The breakwater itself was started in 1848 and is three and a half miles in length. The 120 foot diameter circular fort was planned in 1859 and was to be built of stone on a stone rubble base and equipped with 35 guns. By 1868 the design had to be totally changed due to subsidence and instead it was rebuilt in the early 1870's with steel armour plating on a concrete base.The seven 12.5 inch Rifled Muzzle Launched (RML) guns were not installed until 1892 and were replaced by 2 modern six inch Breech Loading (BL) guns on its roof in 1907. It was abandoned in 1956 and is now derelict."
More info:
http://www.theheritagecoast.co.uk/h..._coastal_defences/breakwater_construction.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2005/10/06/breakwater_fort_feature.shtml
A view along the Breakwater
The front of the fort
Looking across to the start of the next part of the breakwater
Thanks for looking!
The Fort we managed to visit is one of many along the breakwater and is NOT the main breakwater fort, that one can only be reached by boat.
Where the Breakwater joins the docks at the end by Balaclava bay there is a plaque that reads the following-
"FROM THIS SPOT ON THE 25TH OF JULY 1849 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT, CONSORT OF QUEEN VICTORIA, SUNK THE FIRST STONE OF THIS BREAKWATER, UPON THE SAME SPOT ALBERT EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, ON THE 18TH OF AUGUST 1872 LAID THIS LAST STONE. THESE ARE IMPERIAL WORKS AND WORTHY KINGS."
I could not find to much on this particular fort but I have found some history on the early days of construction.
"Breakwater Fort is at the end of the second stretch of the breakwater. The breakwater itself was started in 1848 and is three and a half miles in length. The 120 foot diameter circular fort was planned in 1859 and was to be built of stone on a stone rubble base and equipped with 35 guns. By 1868 the design had to be totally changed due to subsidence and instead it was rebuilt in the early 1870's with steel armour plating on a concrete base.The seven 12.5 inch Rifled Muzzle Launched (RML) guns were not installed until 1892 and were replaced by 2 modern six inch Breech Loading (BL) guns on its roof in 1907. It was abandoned in 1956 and is now derelict."
More info:
http://www.theheritagecoast.co.uk/h..._coastal_defences/breakwater_construction.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2005/10/06/breakwater_fort_feature.shtml
A view along the Breakwater
The front of the fort
Looking across to the start of the next part of the breakwater
Thanks for looking!
