Fort Hubberstone, Milford Haven, May 2012

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cunningcorgi

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Good question !
Visited with walsh, rod and wonkycows

HISTORY

Fort Hubberstone, on the west side of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, is a Grade II* Listed Building which belongs to a series of forts built as part of the inner line of defence of the Haven following the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom. Together with Popton Fort on the opposite shore, it provided an interlocking field of fire, and represented the last layer of defence before reaching the Royal Naval dockyard at Pembroke Dock. Construction began in 1863 and was completed in 1865 at a cost of £55,000. It is a large battery, with eleven guns in casemates, eight in an open battery above, with another nine in an open flank battery, and a large barracks to the rear.

The barracks had capacity for 250 men, sourced from the Royal Pembrokeshire Artillery and the 24th Regt of Foot. Recruitment however was frequently constrained by the isolation of the fort, lacking the appeal of more urban stations. The fort was often required to fire live practice rounds, and in 1894 participated in experiments to illuminate targets with searchlights so they could be engaged at night. Notoriously, in 1875 Lt Walter of the militia was murdered by a Doctor Alder in a drunken brawl.

The fort was abandoned after World War I as a consequence of the Haldane Reforms. A 1919 proposal to convert the structure into social housing came to nothing. World War II saw the fort once again in active use, when it was used as an air raid shelter and army camp for American military personnel.

On a good site, the fort has fallen into disrepair. The current owners had plans to restore the structure, but these have fallen through. Owned by Milford Haven Port Authority, the site is not currently open to the public, and has been the scene of non-fatal injuries to trespassers. In 2011 it was named as the fifth most endangered archaeological site in the UK by British Archaeology, which prompted a campaign to seek a long term sustainable use of the site.

This place is often spelled 'Hubberston Fort' like the area of Milford Haven that it is located in.

THE VISIT

1. Main gate, upper fort
Hubb29.jpg


2. Barracks building
Hubb27.jpg


3. View from upper level to barracks square
Hubb25.jpg


4. Doorage
Hubb23.jpg


5. Well derped and wrecked barracks room
Hubb22.jpg


6. On top of the lower fort battery
Hubb21.jpg


7. Passage behind the batteries, lower fort
Hubb18.jpg


8. Shitting area. Every place needs one
Hubb19.jpg


9. Lower fort battery entrances
Hubb14.jpg


10. Now screwed inside
Hubb12.jpg


11. Lower fort gate
Hubb15.jpg


Thanks for looking.
 
Good one corgi.

Used to spend a lot of time, up to no good, over the fort in my my early teens. Was present at one of the 'non fatal injuries'.............................

Remember the council using a wrecked car tipped on it's side,wedged in the main arch under the 'Fort Hubberstone' to stop 'trespassers' from getting in the top slab. Thing is they put the roof side facing the fort and left the underneath facing out, perfect ladder. Then to counteract that, they piled a load of soil up against the car on both sides. It then became a gentle slope :lol:
 
Good one corgi.

Used to spend a lot of time, up to no good, over the fort in my my early teens. Was present at one of the 'non fatal injuries'.............................

Remember the council using a wrecked car tipped on it's side,wedged in the main arch under the 'Fort Hubberstone' to stop 'trespassers' from getting in the top slab. Thing is they put the roof side facing the fort and left the underneath facing out, perfect ladder. Then to counteract that, they piled a load of soil up against the car on both sides. It then became a gentle slope :lol:

Good old council arent they helpful!
 
Always good to see Hubberstone. Ive been back there a few times over the years.

Nice collection of pictures you have showcased, for someone who has not visited here they describe it well.

CS.
 
I'm sure it was the council who smashed all the granite steps up to the upper floors, and the floors themselves to stop people getting up there. The very people who should have been protecting the fort did the most damage to the place.
 
A pity really.

Thought I was up onto the second level at one stage but as I turned the corner on the stairs was met with just thin air where the floor should have been...

Taking 1/300 exposures instead of 30 sec exposures was also different !
 
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