Stokes Bay Lines facts for kids

The Stokes Bay Lines were a very important part of the huge Victorian defenses built to protect Portsmouth Harbour. In 1857, a military expert named Major Jervois suggested building a complex system. This system included moats (which are like big ditches), high earth walls called ramparts, and special gun positions called batteries.

These defenses were designed to close off the area between several forts. These forts were Fort Gomer, Fort Gilkicker, and Fort Monckton. The main goal was to stop enemies from landing on the beach at Stokes Bay. This large defensive line became known as the ‘Stokes Bay Lines’.

Building the Defenses

The Stokes Bay Lines were built to protect the southern part of Gosport. They were meant to stop any enemy attacks coming from the sea at Stokes Bay. The Lines were made up of a long ditch and a strong earth wall (rampart). This defense stretched from the Browndown Batteries in the west all the way to Fort Monckton in the east.

Several batteries were built along this line to protect different parts of the ditch.

• No.1 Battery also helped protect the road to Browndown.
• No.2 Battery had the main guns facing the sea. These guns protected the deep water area at Browndown Point. It also had covered gun positions (casemates) that could fire along the ditch towards Alverbank.
• No.3 Battery had guns that fired west towards No.2 Battery.
• No.4 Battery was a separate defense behind the railway line that went to Stokes Bay Pier.
• No.5 Battery was the battery furthest to the east. It was shaped like a 'D' and had places for guns and ammunition stores.

In 1878, engineers changed the path of the River Alver. They made it flow into the Stokes Bay moat near No.2 Battery. This was done to make sure there was always enough water in the defensive ditch. Special gates called sluices controlled the water level. By 1870, the Stokes Bay Lines were finished. This meant the Gosport area was well protected from attacks from the west. This also kept Portsmouth, with its important harbour and dockyard, safe.

The Guns of Stokes Bay

Each battery along the Stokes Bay Lines was equipped with different types of guns. These guns were chosen to protect specific areas or fire along the defensive ditches.

• No.1 Battery: This battery first had eight large guns that fired big, round cannonballs. Later, these were replaced with two newer, more accurate guns that could turn easily.
• No.2 Battery: This battery was like an island surrounded by the defensive ditch. It had guns that could fire along the moat towards No.3 Battery. It also had guns in covered positions that fired west towards the Browndown Batteries. The two main gun positions facing the sea first had large cannons. Later, these were updated with even more powerful guns.
• No.3 Battery: This battery also started with large cannonball-firing guns. By 1886, it had four newer, accurate guns that could turn. Two of these guns fired along the ditch towards No.2 Battery. The other two protected the open ground in front of the ditch.
• No.4 Battery: This battery was designed to hold four large guns. These guns were placed in pairs to fire down each branch of the moat. By 1886, these had been replaced with four newer, accurate guns that could turn.
• No.5 Battery: This battery had a mix of different large guns. Later plans suggested replacing them with nine newer, more accurate guns. By 1886, four of these newer guns were still in place.

Stokes Bay Batteries Today

Many parts of the Stokes Bay Lines have changed or disappeared over time.

• The rampart and moat that protected the Browndown Battery (west of No.2 Battery) are no longer there.
• Half of No.1 Battery was taken down in the 1930s when a road was made wider. Some parts of it can still be seen today in gardens, including concrete walls and defenses. A tunnel that connected No.1 Battery to No.2 Battery still exists in some gardens.

No.2 Battery is the best preserved of all the Stokes Bay Batteries. It is a special building that is protected by law. The local council bought it in 1932.

• In 1933, the open area of the battery became a caravan park.
• During World War Two, the military used the battery.
• Later, it was used by different military groups, including a tank regiment.
• The military stopped using it in 1951.
• The moat around No.2 Battery was filled in 1956. However, the channel connecting the River Alver to the sea was kept open.

In 1982, the council turned parts of No.2 Battery into a nuclear bunker. This was meant to be a command center in case of an attack. This idea was later stopped, and the battery was empty for a while. In 1994, a group of volunteers opened the east-facing gun positions as a summer exhibition center. One gun opening was even changed into a doorway. The two large gun positions on top of the battery are still there but cannot be reached. In 2011, the council allowed a group called the Historical Diving Society to use the battery as a small museum.

• Nothing remains of No.3 Battery today.
• No.4 Battery has been completely destroyed. The area is now used as a stable and field for horses. The ditch has been filled in.
• No.5 Battery is an ancient monument. Most of its earth wall (rampart) is still there, and its ammunition stores also survive.

From 1950 onwards, the ditch of the Stokes Bay Lines was filled in. This happened because people living nearby complained about mosquitoes and stagnant (still, dirty) water. The section from No.2 Battery to No.3 Battery was filled first. This allowed the Stokes Bay Road and walking path to be made wider. The last part of the ditch to be filled was from No.3 Battery to No.4 Battery.