Palmerston Forts facts for kids

The Palmerston Forts are a collection of strong forts and other buildings found along the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. They were built a long time ago, during the Victorian period, which was when Queen Victoria ruled Britain.

These forts were created because people were worried about the powerful French Navy. A special group called the 1860 Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom suggested building them. There was a lot of discussion in Parliament (the British government) about whether it was worth spending so much money. The forts get their name from Lord Palmerston, who was the Prime Minister at the time and strongly supported the idea.

Why Were They Built?

Fears of a French Attack

In the mid-1800s, Britain was worried about France. France had a strong navy and a powerful leader, Napoleon III. People in Britain feared a French invasion. To protect important cities and naval bases, the government decided to build new defenses.

The Royal Commission's Plan

In 1859, a group of military experts was formed. This group was called the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom. They studied the best ways to protect Britain from attack. In 1860, they suggested building many new forts. These forts would be placed at key points along the coast.

Palmerston's Follies

Some people called these forts "Palmerston's Follies." This was for a few reasons. First, the very first forts built near Portsmouth had their main guns facing inland. This was to protect Portsmouth from an attack by land, not from the sea. Some people thought this was strange, as they were meant to stop the French navy.

The word "folly" also means a costly building that doesn't have much practical use. Critics said the forts were a waste of money. By the time many of the forts were finished, the threat from France had mostly gone away. This happened because France and Britain became friends, and later, France was defeated by Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Also, the cannons and weapons used in the forts quickly became old-fashioned due to new technology.

Despite the criticism, building these forts was the most expensive and largest defense project Britain had ever done during peacetime.

Older Defenses: Martello Towers

About 60 years before the Palmerston Forts, a similar building project happened. Around 140 round towers were built for defense. These were called Martello Towers. They were mostly along the coasts of Sussex, Kent, and Suffolk, protecting London. However, by the time the Palmerston Forts were planned, these older towers were no longer useful.

Where the Forts Protected

The new Palmerston Forts were built to defend many important areas. These included military bases and busy ports across the British, Irish, and Channel Island coastlines.

Here are some of the key places they protected:

• Alderney
• Belfast
• Berehaven
• Bristol Channel
• Chatham
• River Clyde
• Cork
• Dover
• Isle of Wight
• Milford Haven
• North Thames and East Anglia
• North East England
• Plymouth
• Portland
• Portsmouth
• Lough Swilly
• South Coast (other areas not listed above)
• Tenby

You can find a full list of all the Palmerston Forts online.