Newhaven Fort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Newhaven Fort |
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| Lewes East Sussex England |
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Newhaven Fort - the casemates and the eastern rampart overlooking the harbour
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 Newhaven Fort
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| Coordinates | 50°46′59″N 0°03′16″E / 50.783184°N 0.054361°E |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Lewes District Council |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1864-71 |
| In use | Museum |
| Materials | Concrete Brick Earth |
Newhaven Fort is a large, historic fort built in the 1800s. It was created to protect the harbour at Newhaven, a town on the south coast of England. This fort was the biggest defence structure ever built in Sussex. Today, it is open to visitors as a museum, where you can learn about its past.
Contents
History of Newhaven Fort
Building the Fort: Design and Construction
After a special report in 1859, it was decided that a new fort was needed to defend Newhaven's port. This decision was made during the time of Lord Palmerston, a famous British Prime Minister.
The design of Newhaven Fort began in 1862. A young 22-year-old officer named John Charles Ardagh was in charge of the plans. He worked from an office in Brighton. The chosen spot was on cliffs called Castle Hill, which already had a small gun battery from the 1500s. Instead of flattening the hill, Ardagh designed the fort to fit the natural shape of the land.
The fort had a wide, 40-foot moat (a deep ditch) protecting its northern and western sides. This moat was lined with concrete, which was a new and important use of the material in British forts. A special hidden passage and exit point, called a sally port, protected the corner of the moat. The eastern side, facing the harbour, had a shorter wet moat and was also protected by the harbour's embankment.
A special underground passage led to a protected area called a caponier at the bottom of the chalk cliffs. Soldiers lived in casemates, which were rooms built into the fort's thick walls. The main entrance had a unique "Equilibrium Bridge" designed by Ardagh himself.
Building work started in 1864. About 250 men and three steam engines worked on the fort. They used shingle (small stones) from the beach for the concrete and clay from nearby for the six million bricks needed. The fort was finished in the summer of 1871, and its large guns were put in place by 1873.
Newhaven Fort's Military Service
In the 1870s, the fort's eastern side had two large 9-inch guns. These guns were special because they could disappear into their carriages after firing, making them harder for enemies to hit. This was the only place in the UK with this type of gun setup.
Around 1906, the fort's weapons were updated. It then had two modern 6-inch naval guns and two smaller 12-pounder guns. The smaller guns were used to defend against fast torpedo boats.
During World War II, the main 6-inch guns were replaced in 1941 with even newer 6-inch coastal defence guns. These were located just west of the fort. The fort was manned by soldiers from the 521st (Kent and Sussex) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery, during the war.
Preserving Newhaven Fort
The army left Newhaven Fort in 1962. After a plan to turn it into a business failed, work began in 1982 to restore the fort. Today, 6-inch guns similar to those used between 1906 and 1941 have been put back in place.
The Lewes District Council now looks after and maintains the fort. It is known as Newhaven Fort and serves as a museum for everyone to visit and learn from.
Newhaven Fort in Media
Newhaven Fort has appeared in popular media.
- In 2015, the fort's network of tunnels was used a lot in a British horror film called 'The Cutting Room'.
- The fort was also featured in the BBC TV show Great British Railway Journeys (Series 7, Episode 7). In this episode, Michael Portillo visited Newhaven Fort.
Events at the Fort
The Fort Process festival is a special event held at Newhaven Fort. This festival focuses on sonic arts, which is art made with sound. It has taken place at the fort in 2014, 2016, and 2018. The festival organizers use the fort's unique buildings and spaces for their temporary art installations. The festival was started partly to help use the fort and keep its special character alive.
Image gallery
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5.5-inch field gun from World War II outside the tearoom -
6-inch Mk VII gun which was installed in the 1980s to replace a previously removed gun -
QF 12-pounder gun at the fort -
The caponier at the foot of the cliffs -
The stairs leading to the caponier
See also
