Redcliff Battery

Redcliff Battery is a coastal artillery installation positioned on the eastern cliffs of Bembridge overlooking Sandown Bay. The site displays surviving concrete structures, gun emplacements, and defensive ditches from the 1800s.

The installation was built in the early 1860s as part of a major network of fortresses constructed to counter potential French invasion threats. It was abandoned within less than 30 years of completion due to constant instability caused by the friable sandstone cliffs.

The battery represents Victorian military engineering principles with its strategic placement and defensive features integrated into the natural landscape.

The site lies near the coastal walking path and offers easy access to the ruins while strolling along the cliff edge. The grounds remain open to visitors with good vantage points over the bay and surrounding coastline.

The structure struggled with serious stability issues almost from the moment it opened, creating well-known problems for the garrison troops stationed there. Many of the surviving concrete structures today bear visible deformations and cracks stemming from this chronic instability.

Location: Bembridge

Inception: September 1863

GPS coordinates: 50.66610,-1.09792

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:45