Fort Gilkicker
Fort Gilkicker is a ‘Palmerston’ Fort, so called because it was commissioned in the 19th century by the then Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, as a gun battery to protect the waters around Portsmouth, which was the most important deep sea anchorage in the British Empire, from the threat of invasion.
Built on the site of the earlier Fort Monckton Auxiliary Battery, construction commenced in 1863 and was completed in 1871. It consisted of 22 gun emplacements in a semi-circular series of granite-faced casemates designed to sweep the approaches to Portsmouth harbour with devastating gun fire.
Fort Gilkicker was stood down in 1956 when Coastal Defence was abolished.
Built on the site of the earlier Fort Monckton Auxiliary Battery, construction commenced in 1863 and was completed in 1871. It consisted of 22 gun emplacements in a semi-circular series of granite-faced casemates designed to sweep the approaches to Portsmouth harbour with devastating gun fire.
Fort Gilkicker was stood down in 1956 when Coastal Defence was abolished.
