The Barracks, Fort Brockhurst, Gosport, Hampshire
A view of the barracks at Fort Brockhurst. Fort Brockhurst is a large mid 19th century Palmerston fort located on the north side of Gosport. It is one of a line of five forts (Elson, Gomer, Grange and Rowner) which were built between 1858 and 1862 to form the 'Gosport Advanced Line'. This defensive line was intended to provide landward protection for the great naval and dockyard establishment at Portsmouth. During the First World War it was used as a recruitment centre and later as a demobilisation centre. During the Second World War the fort was damaged by German bombing. The army stayed until 1957 and in 1962 the fort was taken over by the Department of Environment. Since 1984 it has been in the ownership of English Heritage and now houses English Heritage's extensive reserve collections (2011).
