Portland Breakwater Fort facts for kids
The Portland Breakwater Fort is an old fortress from the 1800s. It was built between 1868 and 1875. Its main job was to protect Portland Harbour in Dorset, England. This fort sits on the outer wall of the harbour, called a breakwater. Since 1978, it has been a Grade II Listed building. This means it is an important historical building that needs to be protected. The fort is not open to visitors and is currently falling apart. Across the breakwater from the fort, you can find the Portland Breakwater Lighthouse.
Building the Portland Breakwater Fort
Captain E. H. Steward, a Royal Engineer, designed this round fort. The first plans for it were made in 1859. The fort was built because a special group, called the Royal Commission, said it was needed. This group was set up to check on Britain's defences. The fort's purpose was to protect the new Portland harbour and the Royal Navy buildings on the island.
The ground where the fort was built was a bit unstable. So, the fort needed a very strong base. Workers laid a large stone ring, about 60 metres (200 feet) wide, on the seabed. This granite base helped the fort stand firm. The main level of the fort had rooms for guns and openings for 14 large cannons. Below this gun level were places to store ammunition and engine rooms. The fort also had its own small harbour and extra buildings for soldiers to live in. Building the fort cost a lot of money, about £75,968.
Fort's Role and Later Years
In 1892, the fort was equipped with seven powerful 12.5-inch RML cannons. These were replaced in 1907 with different guns. These new guns included two 6-inch BL guns and two 12-pounder QF guns. During World War I, the fort had two 6-inch BL Mk. VII guns.
In World War II, the fort was used as an "examination battery." This meant it helped check ships entering the harbour. It made sure they were friendly and not a threat. By 1945, the fort was no longer used for active defence. It was put into "care and maintenance," meaning it was just looked after. The fort was completely left empty in 1956. For many years, parts of a large 12-inch R.M.L. cannon could be seen sticking out of the water.
Future of the Fort
In 1995, a group called the Dorset Sculpture Trust tried to get money. They wanted to turn the fort into an arts centre. But this plan did not happen. In 2005, a reporter from BBC Spotlight, Jonathan Hudston, got to explore the fort. At that time, experts thought it would cost about £10 million to fix the fort. This huge cost was needed to make it safe for people to visit or use for businesses. The owners, Portland Port Ltd., said that repairing the fort was not their main focus. The fort remains a historic but unused landmark today.
