Fort Monckton

Fort Monckton is a coastal fortification in Gosport near the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. The structure includes five bastions with gun positions housed in casemates and thick stone walls that enclose the grounds along the waterfront.

Construction began in 1779 under General Robert Monckton on the site of an earlier castle that had stood there since 1545. The fort was built as part of a chain of defenses to protect Portsmouth Harbour from French attacks.

The structure served as the Royal Marine Artillery headquarters in the early 1800s, maintaining a strong connection to British maritime defense traditions.

The fort remains an active military training site and is closed to the public. Visitors can view the exterior from nearby coastal paths without entering the grounds.

The site is surrounded by Gilkicker Lake, a defensive moat mixing fresh and salt water that is protected as habitat for rare species. This body of water originally made the fort harder to reach from land and now adds scientific value to the military site.

Location: Gosport

Part of: Portsmouth Palmerston Forts

GPS coordinates: 50.77680,-1.13578

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:27