HMNB Portsmouth facts for kids

Quick facts for kids HMNB Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
An aerial view of HMNB Portsmouth taken in 2005
HMNB Portsmouth Location in Hampshire
Coordinates	50°48′15.91″N 1°6′8.71″W / 50.8044194°N 1.1024194°W / 50.8044194; -1.1024194
Type	Naval base
Area	122 hectares (300 acres)
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence (Defence Equipment and Support)
Operator	Royal Navy
Controlled by	Naval Base Commander, Portsmouth
Condition	Operational
Site history
Built	1194 (1194)
In use	1194–present
Events	International Festivals of the Sea (1998, 2001 & 2005)
Garrison information
Current commander	Commodore John Voyce OBE
Garrison	Portsmouth Flotilla

His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (often called HMNB Portsmouth) is a very important home for the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. It's one of three main bases, located right in the city of Portsmouth. For hundreds of years, it was known as HM Dockyard, Portsmouth. It was a huge place where warships were built, fixed, and kept ready for action. At one point, it was the biggest industrial site in the world!

Since the 1970s, it's been called a 'Naval Base'. This shows it's not just about building ships anymore. It also focuses on supporting the sailors and staff who work there. In 1984, the shipbuilding part was made smaller. It became the 'Fleet Maintenance and Repair Organisation'. This part was later taken over by a private company in 1998.

Today, Portsmouth is the main home for most of the Royal Navy surface fleet. This includes the two giant aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. The base provides everything needed for naval life. This includes housing, food, medical care, and education. Companies like BAE Systems Maritime Services also work here. They help repair and maintain ships.

This base is the oldest in the Royal Navy. It has played a huge part in Britain's history and defence for centuries. It has one of the oldest working drydocks in the world. The old Block Mills here were super important. They were the first factory anywhere to use steam-powered machines for mass production. The Royal Naval Museum has been on site since 1911. Part of the historic area is now the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Here, you can visit famous ships like the Mary Rose, HMS Victory, and HMS Warrior. You can also explore the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

What the Base Does

Portsmouth Naval Base is home to two-thirds of the Royal Navy's surface ships. It provides jobs for up to 17,200 people.

Who Runs the Base?

The main boss of HMNB Portsmouth is the Commodore John Voyce. He has been the Naval Base Commander since June 2022. The harbour itself is managed by the King's Harbour Master (KHM). This person controls all ship movements in the area. The KHM's office is in the Semaphore Tower building. Special pilots help guide ships in and out of the harbour.

For a long time, the top naval officer in Portsmouth lived at Admiralty House. In 1889, HMS Victory became his special ceremonial ship. This tradition continued until 2012. Now, the First Sea Lord uses Victory as his flagship. Other important naval offices are located on Whale Island.

Ships Based Here

Some of these ships are part of the Portsmouth Flotilla. This means they are managed from Portsmouth, even if they are not always docked here.

Historic Ship

• HMS Victory – A famous old warship.

Aircraft Carriers

These are the Royal Navy's biggest ships.

• HMS Queen Elizabeth
• HMS Prince of Wales

Type 45 Destroyers

Type 45 destroyer

These are powerful air defence ships.

• HMS Daring – Being repaired, back in 2024.
• HMS Dauntless
• HMS Diamond
• HMS Dragon – Being repaired, back by end of 2024.
• HMS Defender – Being upgraded until 2026.
• HMS Duncan

Type 23 Frigates

Type 23 frigate

These ships are used for many different tasks.

• HMS Lancaster (Currently in Bahrain for 3 years from 2022)
• HMS Iron Duke (Finished a major repair in 2023)

Some frigates have moved to or from HMNB Devonport. This helps the Navy use its ships more efficiently.

Minehunter Ships

Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel

These ships find and clear underwater mines.

• HMS Ledbury
• HMS Cattistock
• HMS Brocklesby
• HMS Middleton – Works from HMS Jufair in Bahrain.
• HMS Chiddingfold – Works from HMS Jufair in Bahrain.
• HMS Hurworth

Patrol Vessels

River-class patrol vessel

These ships patrol coastal waters and further afield.

• HMS Tyne – Protects fisheries.
• HMS Severn – Protects fisheries.
• HMS Mersey – Protects fisheries.
• HMS Forth – Stationed in the Falklands since 2019.
• HMS Medway – Stationed in the Caribbean since 2020.
• HMS Trent – Stationed from Gibraltar since 2021.
• HMS Tamar – Stationed in the Indo-Pacific since 2021.
• HMS Spey – Stationed in the Indo-Pacific since 2021.

Smaller Patrol Vessels

Cutlass-class patrol vessel

• HMS Cutlass – Part of the Gibraltar Squadron.
• HMS Dagger – Part of the Gibraltar Squadron.

Archer-class patrol vessel These are used by university naval training units.

• HMS Blazer
• HMS Exploit
• HMS Puncher
• HMS Ranger
• HMS Smiter

Experimental Ship

• XV Patrick Blackett (since 2022) – Used for testing new naval technologies.

Diving Support Boats

• 3× Sea-class 15 m diving support boats.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

This part of the base is open to the public. It has many amazing attractions:

• The Mary Rose – A Tudor warship that sank in 1545. It was raised in 1982 and is now in a special museum.
• HMS Victory – Nelson's famous flagship from the Battle of Trafalgar. You can go on board and explore it.
• HMS Warrior (1860) – The first large Ironclad warship. It was built in 1860.
• HMS M33 – A World War I monitor ship. It opened to the public in 2015.
• The National Museum of the Royal Navy – One of the best maritime museums in the world. It has many exhibits, including a sail from Victory.
• Action Stations – A fun centre with interactive displays. You can learn about naval science and try simulators.
• The Dockyard Apprentice exhibition – Tells the story of working life in the Dockyard.
• Portsmouth Harbour Tours – Boat trips to see the modern naval base and historic ships.
• Boathouse 4 (opened 2015) – Shows the history of small naval boats. It's also a place where boats are built and restored.

There are plans to expand the Historic Dockyard. This would include more historic buildings like the Block Mills. However, some areas are still needed for the new aircraft carriers.

History of the Base

Portsmouth has been a key Royal Navy Dockyard for centuries. It's one of the oldest and most important.

Early Days

Richard I ordered the first dock built here in 1194. Later, King John added walls in 1212. Kings used these docks when invading France in the 1200s and 1300s.

Tudor Times

Tudor navy

The world's first recorded dry dock was built in Portsmouth by Henry VII in 1495. The first warship built here was the Sweepstake in 1497. More famous ships like the Mary Rose (1509) were also built and rebuilt here. The Mary Rose sank in 1545 and was raised in 1982. Its wreck is now in a special museum.

After the mid-1500s, no new naval ships were built here for a while. But ships from Portsmouth helped fight off the Spanish Armada in 1588.

The 1600s

Naval shipbuilding started again in Portsmouth in 1648. The first ship was Portsmouth. A new large dry dock was built in 1656. The dockyard also got a new rope house (over 1,000 feet long). By 1660, the yard had workshops, stores, and was surrounded by a wooden fence. In the 1660s, a new mast pond was dug. The dockyard was also fortified with earth walls.

Smart Engineering

As France became a bigger threat, Portsmouth's importance grew. In 1689, a new dry dock was ordered. It needed to be big enough for the largest warships. Work started in 1691. This new dock was built on reclaimed land (mud flats). It was a huge engineering project.

Edmund Dummer, a naval engineer, led the work. His new dry dock, called the "Great Stone Dock," was very advanced. It used brick and stone instead of wood. It had many steps to make repairs easier. This dock is now known as No.5 dock. Dummer also designed two wet docks (basins where water levels could be controlled). One of these, No. 1 Basin, is still used today. He even designed a unique system to empty the dry dock using a water-wheel.

The 1700s

Between 1704 and 1712, a brick wall was built around the Dockyard. Much of this wall still stands. In 1733, the first Royal Naval Academy for officer training was set up here.

Big Changes and New Buildings

From 1761, the dockyard was greatly expanded and modernized. This was because ships were getting bigger and the fleet was growing. New dry docks were built, like No 4 dock. The old wet dock was changed into a reservoir to help drain the dry docks faster. New shipbuilding areas were created on reclaimed land.

Many famous historic buildings in the Dockyard are from this time. Large brick storehouses (Nos 9, 10 & 11) were built between 1764 and 1785. They were next to a deep canal for ships to load and unload goods. The Great Ropehouse, over 1,000 feet long, was also built then. It's where ropes for ships were made.

In 1784, a large new house was built for the Dockyard Commissioner. A new chapel, St Ann's Church, was also built. Offices for senior officers were constructed overlooking the docks. New workshops for various craftsmen were added. A new smithery (for metalworking) was built in 1791. It was famous for making anchors.

Samuel Bentham and the Industrial Revolution

In 1796, Samuel Bentham was put in charge of modernizing the Royal Dockyards. He brought in new ideas and engineering. He designed the first successful steam-powered bucket dredger, which started working in 1802.

Bentham also oversaw the building of new stone dry docks (Nos 2 and 3 docks) in 1802-3. These are still used today. He used a new way of building with inverted arches. This soon became standard for docks worldwide. He also used Smeaton's waterproof cement.

In 1797, Bentham suggested using a steam engine to drain the reservoir. This engine would also power a sawmill and woodworking machines. This was the first time steam power was used in a Royal Naval Yard.

Between two large woodworking buildings, a workshop was built in 1802. This became the famous Portsmouth Block Mills. It was the world's first steam-powered factory for mass production. Marc Brunel (father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel) designed the machines. They made ships' pulley blocks in 15 steps.

Bentham also built a Metal Mills complex. It had a copper-smelting furnace and a steam engine. This engine powered machines for recycling copper sheathing from ships.

The 1800s

By 1800, the Royal Navy had 684 ships. The Dockyard was the biggest industrial site in the world. In 1805, Nelson visited the new block mills. He then left Portsmouth on HMS Victory for the Battle of Trafalgar.

Victorian Expansion

When warships started using steam propulsion, the dockyards had to change. In 1843, work began in Portsmouth to create a new 7-acre basin (No 2 Basin). A large factory was built next to it to make marine steam engines. This "Steam Factory" had many workshops for building and repairing engines. New dry docks were also built.

Ships began to be built with metal hulls instead of wood. This meant new building methods were needed. Ships also became much larger. In the 1860s, plans were made for a "Great Extension" of the dockyard. This involved reclaiming more land and building three new interconnected basins. These basins helped ships move from repair to fitting out.

Three new dry docks and large locks were also built. A powerful pumping station (1878) drained these docks. It also used compressed air to power cranes and other equipment. The "Great Extension" was mostly finished by 1881. Huge new buildings were put up for manufacturing. This included a workshop for making gun turrets and a torpedo workshop.

The Dockyard Railway

In 1843, a railway system was built inside the dockyard. It connected to the main railway line in 1846. By 1952, there were over 27 miles of track! A special railway station was built in 1876. It was used by Queen Victoria and her family. They would often switch from their yacht to the train here.

The 1900s

By 1900, No 5 Slip was the main shipbuilding area. Other slips were changed for different uses. New battleships were launched here, like Kent in 1901 and Suffolk in 1903.

The Dreadnought Era

The first modern battleship, Dreadnought, was built here in 1905–06. It took just over a year to build! More dreadnought battleships followed, like Bellerophon (1907) and Queen Elizabeth (1913).

The dockyard got electricity in 1906. A huge new factory for repairing steam turbine engines opened in 1907. The largest naval ships were now too big for the old basins. So, the walls between them were removed. This created one large body of water (No 3 Basin). Two new, very long entrance locks (C & D locks) were built. They opened in 1914 and are still used today.

First World War

The largest ship launched during World War I was the battleship Royal Sovereign in 1915. Many other ships were repaired and refitted here. About 1,200 vessels were refitted. Over 1,600 ships were repaired in dry-dock. Many women worked in the dockyard during the war. They worked in engineering and other departments.

Between the World Wars

After the war, the Dockyard became smaller. Many jobs were lost. Most warships launched here were cruisers. These included Suffolk (1926) and London (1927).

In 1922, HMS Victory was moved into No 2 Dry Dock. It has been there ever since. It opened to the public in 1928. A museum for the ship opened nearby in 1938. The "Semaphore Tower" was rebuilt in 1930. The original was destroyed by fire.

Second World War

Portsmouth and the Naval Base were very important during World War II. Destroyer fleets were based here. They helped defend the English Channel. The base was crucial for repairing ships. Because of its importance, the city and base were heavily bombed.

Portsmouth was the main departure point for the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944. Troops left from here for Sword Beach in Normandy. Most of the naval support for D-Day also left from Portsmouth. This included the Mulberry Harbours (temporary harbours used in the invasion).

After World War II

After the war, many damaged buildings were rebuilt or removed. The Dockyard was busy refitting and modernizing ships. Five new frigates were launched here. Over 16,000 people worked in the dockyard in the 1950s and 60s. However, in 1969, the Navy planned to reduce the fleet size. This meant fewer jobs in the Royal Dockyards.

Shipbuilding stopped at Portsmouth in 1981. The workforce was greatly reduced. The Dockyard was meant to focus on minor repairs. But then the Falklands Conflict started.

The Falklands Task Force

Falklands War In 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. A task force of British ships was sent from Portsmouth Naval Base. Their mission was to take back the islands.

The task force included:

• Two aircraft carriers
• Two landing ship docks
• Eight destroyers
• Fifteen frigates
• Many other support ships and merchant ships.

After some losses, most of these ships returned to Portsmouth later that year.

Changes to the Dockyard

After the Falklands War, some planned cuts were changed. More workers stayed in Portsmouth (around 2,800). But many old dry docks and workshops were closed. The large Great Factory (1905) stopped manufacturing in 1986. It became a warehouse.

Many old buildings were changed into offices. In 1998, a private company, Fleet Support Limited, took over the work of the FMRO.

The 2000s

In 2005, Portsmouth Naval Base hosted two big events. These were part of the Trafalgar 200 celebrations. They marked 200 years since the Battle of Trafalgar.

In 2007, about 9,774 people worked directly for the Royal Navy/MOD in Portsmouth. This included ship crews and civilian staff. Another 3,834 people worked for private companies on the base.

Shipbuilding and Repair

Shipbuilding started again in 2003. A new facility was built for modular construction of warships. Parts for the Type 45 destroyers and Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers were built here. This was meant to secure the base's future. But in 2013, it was announced that shipbuilding would stop in Portsmouth. This was due to budget cuts.

BAE Systems still manages ship repair and maintenance here. The old shipbuilding complex is now used for repairing minehunters and other small ships.

New Aircraft Carriers

In 2013, a £100 million upgrade began. This was to prepare the base for the two new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. The harbour had to be made deeper. Jetties were strengthened and upgraded. This allows both huge carriers to dock at the same time. HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived in Portsmouth in 2017. HMS Prince of Wales followed two years later.

Naval Base Commander (Portsmouth)

The person in charge of HMNB Portsmouth is called the Naval Base Commander (Portsmouth).

• 2011–2012: Commodore Tony Radakin
• 2012–2018: Commodore Jeremy Rigby
• 2018–2019: Commodore Jim Higham
• 2019–2022: Commodore Jeremy Bailey
• 2022–present: Commodore John Voyce OBE

The Naval Barracks (HMS Nelson)

In 1847, a barracks was built near the dockyard for soldiers. It was called Anglesey Barracks. In 1899, the Navy bought these barracks. They built a Naval Barracks here. It opened in 1903 and was named HMS Victory. It was renamed HMS Nelson in 1974. This was to avoid confusion with the famous ship.

Some of the original buildings are still there. These include the canteen, the drill hall, and some accommodation blocks. The old army barracks also has one block remaining. The nearby prison is now home to the Royal Marines School of Music.

Other Naval Sites in the Area

Over the years, many other naval and military sites were set up around Portsmouth. This was to support the fleet and dockyard.

Active Naval Sites

• HMS King Alfred: A Royal Naval Reserve unit. It's in the renovated "Semaphore Tower".
• HMS Excellent: On Whale Island, Portsmouth. This is a training base. It also houses the Navy Command Headquarters.
• HMS Temeraire: In Portsmouth. This is where Naval Physical Training Instructors are trained. It also has sports facilities for naval staff.
• HMS Collingwood: In Fareham. This is a naval training base. It's the headquarters of the Maritime Warfare School.
• HMS Sultan: In Gosport. This base trains people in mechanical and electrical engineering for the Navy.
• Institute of Naval Medicine, Gosport.
• Marchwood Military Port, Southampton Water. This is a base for Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships.

Closed Naval Sites

• HMS Dryad: Now MOD Southwick Park.
• HMS Dolphin: A former submarine base. Now MOD Fort Blockhouse.
• HM Gun Wharf: A former torpedo and mines establishment. Now a shopping and leisure area called Gunwharf Quays.
• HMS Daedalus: A former Fleet Air Arm base.
• Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar.
• Eastney Barracks: Former Royal Marines barracks. Now converted into housing.
• Forton Barracks: Former Royal Marines barracks. Now St Vincent College.
• Royal Clarence Victualling Yard, Gosport.
• RNAD Gosport: A site for storing explosives. Parts are now the Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower.
• Haslar Gunboat Yard.
• HMS Mercury: Former RN Signals School.
• HMS Phoenix: Former fire fighting training establishment.

Images for kids

• Porters' Lodge, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard - geograph.org.uk - 491324.jpg

  Porters' Lodge (1708), the oldest surviving building in the Dockyard.

• 

  Main Gate (1711, widened c.1940 and now known as Victory Gate).

• 

  1711 plaque on the perimeter wall.

• The Navigation School at Portsmouth Dockyard - geograph.uk - 899025.jpg

  Royal Naval Academy building (1732).

• 

  No 9 Storehouse (1782).

• 

  Admiralty House, built as the Commissioner's House in 1784.

• 

  St Ann's Church (1787, rebuilt 1956 after bomb damage).

• Portsmouth dockyard seen from deck of HMS Victory - geograph.uk - 648706.jpg

  South Office Block (1786–9).

• 

  Double Ropery (left, 1771-5) and associated storehouses (right, 1771–81).

• 

  Former Smithery (left, 1791-4); No 33 Store (right, 1782).

• 

  Short Row (1787): officers' terraced houses.

• 

  No 24 Store (1783).

• 

  Map of Portsmouth (c. 1840) showing the Dockyard.

• 

  Wooden covers over dry docks Nos 3, 4 and 5.

• 

  View north from the older section of the Dockyard.

• 

  Covered slips 1–5 in 1855.

• 

  Late 19th-century map showing the interlocking basins.

• 

  Locks and dry docks at the south-west corner of No 3 Basin.

• 

  Left to right: HMS Edinburgh, Quayside crane, former QHM offices and flagstaff (1850), former Railway station (1878), No 1 Store (1905).

• 

  Railway viaduct leading to the South Railway Jetty in 1904.

• 

  Relocated railway shelter (1888).

• 

  Northwest corner of No 3 Basin.

• 

  The rebuilt Semaphore Tower and adjacent office block (1923–29).

• 

  Night Raid on Portsmouth Docks, 1941: oil painting by Richard Eurich.

• 

  No 5 Slip in 1967: the launch of HMS Andromeda.

• 

  HM Dockyard, Portsmouth in the 1960s.

• 

  HMS Invincible arriving back at HMNB Portsmouth from the Falklands.

• 

  1980: Various craft alongside a 1912 crane.

• 

  HMNB Portsmouth in 2022.

• 

  Once part of a 19th-century gun battery.

• 

  Gateway to HMS Nelson: Royal Naval Barracks.

• 

  'Rodney': a partially-surviving block from the army barracks of 1847.

• 

  HMS Nelson: the former drill hall (now gymnasium).

• 

  HMS Excellent on Whale Island.

• 

  Gateway and Old Gymnasium, HMS Temeraire.

• 

  Former Ordnance Storehouse (Vulcan building) Gunwharf Quays.

• 

  Entrance to the former Royal Clarence Victualling Yard.

• 

  One of the few surviving parts of the once extensive Clarence and Victoria Barracks complex.

• 

  Milldam Barracks block, c.1800.

• 

  Remains of the Point Barracks.