No Man's Land Fort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids No Man's Land Fort |
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| Solent, England | |
No Man's Land Fort
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 No Man's Land Fort
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| Coordinates | 50°44′23.7″N 1°5′42.78″W / 50.739917°N 1.0952167°W |
| Type | Fort |
| Site information | |
| Owner | AmaZing Venues |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Official name | No Mans Land Fort |
| Designated | 12 Jun 1967 |
| Reference no. | 1018589 |
| Condition | Complete |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1867–1880 |
No Man's Land Fort, also known as No Man's Fort, is a sea fort located in the Solent. This area is a strait of water near Portsmouth, England. It is one of several forts known as the Palmerston Forts. These forts were built between 1867 and 1880. They were created after a special report in 1859 suggested ways to defend the United Kingdom. The fort is about 200 feet wide. It sits about 1.4 miles (2.2 km) off the coast of the Isle of Wight.
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Building the Fort
No Man's Land Fort was designed by Captain E. H. Stewart. Colonel W. F. D. Jervois, a senior fortifications expert, oversaw the project. Construction started in 1865. The fort was finished in 1880. By then, the main threat of a sea invasion from France had passed. The fort cost a lot of money to build, around £462,500.
Life at the Fort
During the Second World War, these forts helped protect the important Portsmouth dockyards. Life for the soldiers stationed there was very tough. No Man's Land Fort is almost exactly like another nearby fort called Horse Sand Fort.
Modern Uses of the Fort
After its military use, No Man's Land Fort was turned into a luxury hotel. It offered a private escape for guests. The fort included an indoor swimming pool and two helipads for helicopters. In July 2004, the hotel had to close. This happened because a type of bacteria called Legionella was found in its water system.
The fort was put up for sale in 2005 and again in 2007. The company that owned it faced financial problems. In March 2009, the fort was sold for £910,000. In 2012, a company called Clarenco LLP bought it. They also bought Spitbank Fort and Horse Sand Fort. Their plan was to fix up No Man's Land Fort and reopen it as a hotel. The hotel finally opened its doors in April 2015.
In October 2018, reports showed that the fort was open for business. It had 22 suites and was used for overnight stays, company events, and weddings. In 2020, No Man's Land Fort, along with Spitbank Fort and Horse Sand Fort, were listed for sale again. No Man's Fort was described as a large hotel and leisure complex. It had four floors and included a helipad.
Forts in Pop Culture
No Man's Land Fort has even appeared on television. The 1972 Doctor Who TV show episode The Sea Devils used the fort as a place for filming several scenes.
Other Sea Forts
Other sea forts in the area include Spitbank Fort, St Helens Fort, and Horse Sand Fort.
