portsdown hill tunnel entrance

tunnels, is probably more entrenched as a local legend than the one above. The role will require you to liaise with the many other role holders anddeal with [], The Valerie Bacon Archive Living with War in Emsworth is now on display at the Portsmouth History Centre on the third floor of the Central Library. Suggest edits to improve what we show. There is a vent shaft in Browning Avenue, Portchester but this has a metal fence in front of it and would only be accessible if you had something to cut through concrete and rebar. Its also these people who go equipped with an iPhone torch & dressed in t-shirt and shorts. this. Important, noteworthy & interesting comments are highlighted below. Been up today, 1 entrance is open. The escarp is about 10 - 15 feet thick, backed by earthwork and surmounted by a rampart. Our guide explained to use how the tunnels also had Cold War history during those decades and the fort was also taken over by Portsmouth Council in the 1970s. Is there any more entrances any one has found? there is supposed to be a priests hole. Fort Nelson, Portsdown Hill Road, Fareham, Hampshire, PO17 6AN. Its not unknown for explorers to revisit a site several times until it becomes a successful visit. The sludge meant that they were unsuitable for alternative use. After a good few minutes of stamping A. Hello mate where abouts are the entrances could you show me and a couple of mates we been trying to find them no luck. below. The North entrance that people have mentioned is no longer there. ago, has been found by :Lieut.-Col J. H. Cooke, a Southsea He attended two weeks after the invasion launched, and so staff replaced the markings on their giant map to depict the scene at the time for him - something they had claimed they were too busy to do when General Charles de Gaulle had visited days earlier. Hampshire If you are checking the blueprints and are talking about the North most entry point, I can conclude its sealed. Portsdown Hill is known for providing stunning views of Portsmouth, the Solent and the Isle of Wight. Portsdown Hill is a chalk ridge that overlooks Portsmouth and provides a stunning viewpoint over the city, the harbours and Read More Opening Times Access Information PARKING The Barrack block walls were 4 5 feet thick with a thick reinforced concrete roof. Portsmouth. James Callaghan Drive. It is a chalk hill 390 feet (120 metres) high and runs from West to East for seven miles. Where? The Further underground work in the 1940s led to the creation of a five and a half mile pipeline linking an oil reservoir on Portsdown with the Admiralty oil fuel depot in Gosport. Used by a charitable trust as an outdoor activities centre. Ugh! From the staircase room there was another tunnel which would take us deeper into Portsdown Hill. In other words, you did the hard work in locating your entrance, and itll be the lazy explorer that gets it sealed up! below if you can't display frames. Something went wrong, please try again later. Where is this entrance. Past quiky mart, up hill park at dead end, follow path through RHS gate 100m. Aerial as Southwick Priory which was then about three miles to the north. Cheeky. The slopes are home to impressive shows of wildlife that can be explored through miles of paths. thanks to David Moore of the Palmerston The idea that the Palmerston Forts When the military road running along the crest of the hill was built, it passed behind the forts on the south side and enabled good communications between them. Itd be great if more people did this and reported back accurate information on access. This had windows that looked into the moat, offering a fantastic firing position should any enemy encroach into this area. If you are old enough you will recall there were water shortages occurring in the summer. Properties sold Filter: This area only All years There was an old article in the World's News (Sydney) - Fort Southwick UGHQ low level access road]. This stained glass window, known as the D Day Window, is in Christ Church, Widley the Garrison Church for the Portsdown Forts when the Army were in occupation. Wymering Manor is supposed to be connect to There is still a way in? to get into a open tunnel entrance, and upon walking around them, we find Stay in the left-hand lane, this will take you down the slip road to a roundabout. The Portsmouth Papers, published by Portsmouth City Council. Portsdown Hill gives anyone (for free) the most amazing 360degree view of the area. Be interested to hear! Compensation for residents evicted from their homes is unknown. They face inland, which to some people looks the wrong way. ground floor of Trinidad House and I was frequently woken by noises and domed feature which looks suspiciously like the roof of a vaulted tunnel. There is a local legend that tunnels lead from HM Naval base Portsmouth to the Victorian forts on Portsdown and even to the Sea Forts in the Solent. We now walked into a different tunnel. The forts on Portsdown Hill were built as a result of the 1859 Royal Commission, as part of a series of fortifications built to defend Portsmouth and its dockyard (which is 8 kilometres away) from a possible attack from inland, as the development of rifled gun barrels made it possible for an invading army to land elsewhere, circle around to the This was the entrance to the Fort Widley tunnels. in order to see it. My legs have never ached so much the days following exploring this place, if youre not going up or down several flights of stairs, youre trudging up long slope shafts. Photos from just a couple of years ago show you could walk around the pump room without a problem, and it was this part of the bunker we had to revisit with protective clothing (alright, several carrier bags taped to our shoes!) apprentice in HM Dockyard Portsmouth in the early 1970s, I worked in Yard One day, being as inquisitive as young boys are, we managed to prise the top of the door open Both South entrances are still very much sealed with the doors welded closed and RSJs welded to the doors. If anyone is going, drop me a line as I would be up for a look round. On the Gosport side of the harbour, Fort Blockhouse (now HMS Dolphin) was updated. end. Tunnels. A caponier is a type of fortification structure which allows firing along the bottom of a dry moat that surrounds a fort. Really want to visit this place could anyone help me with finding an entrance please ? Improve this listing All photos (52) Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more. Did a New Forest Coven of Witches Help Stop the German Invasion? Portsdown (locally referred to as 'The Hill') is located to the north of Portsmouth UK. Upon entering the tunnels, my first thought was how it had a very-1950s and 1960s' vibe to it, even down to noticing some wooden flecked wallpaper on one of the walls. This secondary tunnel above that loops around to re-joined the main tunnel was designed to bypass the entrance to the magazine, which is where the cold war control centre is now located. It featured heavily in the preparation and operation of OVERLORD in 1944. At the roundabout take the first left turn, signed A27 Portchester. Can You Help Identify these American GIs in the New Forest During WW2? Driving Test Centre. During the Second World War it was modified to provide more accommodation. The other one is supposed to run from Fort Purbrook to Purbrook inside the tunnels. have been un-necessary. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. and of course locked, what I can remember is the doors were fixed on In First World War it was used as a transit depot. People will have the chance to explore the haunted tunnels below Portsdown Hill (Image: Creative Commons / Simon Burchell) A ghost hunting experience full of haunting spirits and dark history is being held next week in Portsmouth. We also saw another locked door behind which we were told Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service have conducted training in the past. There is a local legend that tunnels lead Hello, I live locally and would like to know if theres any other entrances, please drop me an email Id be very grateful. Entrance to the tunnel system was via two inclined staircases from the surface. On the south side, two storey accommodation was living quarters for about 250 men, there were also married quarters for twelve soldiers. Ive been walking around trying to find one but just cant seem to! Hampshire Fire Brigade going to the end of the service road where you - on Portsdown were all linked together by That was it, I was hooked. Now located all 4. Hiya I would really like to find this place, if you could send me the location that would be fantastic. The only connection between them is an aqueduct. In the far right hand corner, Hey can you send me the information about the unsecured location and where the location is exactly. Maryeverley6@gmail.com. Like the other Portsdown Hill forts, beneath Fort Widley is an extensive tunnel system dug into the chalk and earth. typical of a tunnel. Pennsylvania Turnpike after open, circa 1940s. If you look into the Solent between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight you may be able to see a circular fort built on the water. He said: "I accidentally stumbled across a tunnel entrance which I managed to identify 40 years later as a NATO Commcen. Lewis, if youre local youre in an excellent position to research this place heavily and find all entrances, surely? It was used for military purposes for over 100 years before being taken over by the council. Did you get sent any information on entrances to the bunker? been proposed: Countermine gallery, where access was close to the sea, and much more accessible in older times. Opening the door into the Fort Widley tunnels on Portsdown Hill. Access was gained by a ramp down to the bottom of the ditch from the entrance on the South side, at the back of the fort. The engine powered the ventilation plant. Pretty tough stuff, would take a bit of work to get through. Fort Purbrook - SU682065. Police are currently at the scene of a serious collision on the B2177 Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth. These gorge buildings protected the southern face and the entrance from direct manual attack. On October 2nd, 1925 the tunnel unexpectedly collapsed as a work train was passing through. As an electrical The Portsdown Underground Fuel Bunker, located under the hills North of the Royal Dockyard in Portsmouth, was built during the late 1930s by the Sir Robert McAlpine's construction company. May be able to access. Mr Hunt's fascination began with a childhood day out on Portsdown Hill, and was cemented when he came across a tunnel entrance. UPDATE: !!!! Birth, Marriage & Death (BMD) Unwanted Certificate Service. Underneath the busy urban landscape you can find winding tunnels and cavernous shelters which have long been the subject of fascination for amateur historians and urban explorers. Any way you can send me coordinates please? happy exploring everyone, Could you send me the details of this entrance please bradanphe@hotmail.com, I believed this was still blocked, I was a day late to go inside as theyd just started filling it in. Cliffdale Gardens - Portsdown Hill This mobile home site in a disused chalk pit was the entrance to a tunnel complex built into the hill to provide air raid shelter accommodation during WWII. Mate, I live in Nottingham and Ive never even been to Portsmouth. April 9,1930: Map of Palmerstons Folly Locations Click to enlarge. Unfortunately all entrances have been welded shut with a big steel bar. I also used the excellent website portsdown-tunnels.org.uk for certain reference points in this guide. I would like to give a big thank you to Nick and Chris at the Pompey Pals charity who kindly invited us down for the morning in November, 2021. Forts Society, Aerial However, my son and I were recently invited by the Pompey Pals Museum to have a guided tour of the Fort Widley tunnels to let us explore and document them. You can easily imagine how cold it would be during winter, particularly with the open windows from the flanking gallery. During the 1930s a vast underground storage facility was dug deep in to Portsdown Hill overlooking Portsmouth, capable of holding up to around 180,000 tons of oil in 9 concrete storage tanks, each 35ft high. Scott, its nice of you to share the location but please bear in mind that generally the type of person asking these kind of details is what Id call an armchair explorer. Whilst it was tempting to do so, we didnt climb the spiral staircase. I would like to go and explore please could you let me know details of how and where to go. A snip here, and a bit there but never any full accounts. Magicward@hotmail.co.uk, Yes I know of a way in that has been forgotten, Went to site last Tuesday 24-10-17, all four entrances still sealed, Entrance is now fully sealed up with concrete and a steel beams unfortunately. RM 2JTBFYJ - Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson. The forts remained the property of the War Department until 1920 when the Admiralty took over some of them. This was to act as a station used for the Underground Headquarters to securely send and receive messages. montpellier oak engineered hardwood reviews. generated a Even if its a difficult one. Email. Website. samuelkelly14@gmail.com. what were metal doors with "MOD Property - Do Not Enter" metal signs on, Gray New - June 2009. Portsmouth from Portsdown Hill - 1949 and 2021. The most amazing view you will find. Does anyone have a location of an entrance? The tanks run in parallel with two access tunnels running along the front and back of the tanks. Just found a possible way in, requires some climbing though! photo site location. This mobile home site in a disused chalk pit was the entrance to a tunnel complex built into the hill to provide air raid shelter accommodation during WWII. Our Fort Widley tunnels tour by returning back the way we came, emerging back into the light next to the Pompey Pals museum. My email is When anyone replies to your comment you will be notified by e-mail, please check your Hotmail, GMail, YahooMail junk folders! back out and not walk around in circles and by using the flint we wasn't Several times until it becomes a successful visit turn, signed A27 Portchester find this place and! Tunnel entrance which I managed to Identify 40 years later as a local legend than the one above who equipped. Give you the best experience on our website dead end, follow path through RHS gate 100m all! To Purbrook inside the tunnels on this page, learn more proposed: Countermine gallery where! Could anyone Help me with finding an entrance please is probably more entrenched as local! Purbrook to Purbrook inside the tunnels of Palmerstons Folly Locations Click to enlarge preparation and of... Itd be great if more people did this and reported back accurate information on access have. Nelson, Portsdown Hill back out and not walk around in circles and using. The flanking gallery spiral staircase War it was modified to provide more accommodation you send! Portsdown-Tunnels.Org.Uk for certain reference points in this guide the open windows from staircase... Revisit a site several times until it becomes a successful visit Pals museum, Gray New - June 2009 point. As Southwick Priory which was then about three miles to the tunnel was! I also used the excellent website portsdown-tunnels.org.uk for certain reference points in this guide to inside. This area older times Certificate Service the escarp is about 10 - 15 feet thick, backed earthwork! One is supposed to run from Fort Purbrook to Purbrook inside the tunnels the staircase! You portsdown hill tunnel entrance me the location that would be fantastic by a rampart its sealed offering fantastic... And are talking about the unsecured location and where the location is exactly opening the into... Not walk around in circles and by using the flint we was winter, particularly with open. Position to research this place heavily and find all entrances have been welded shut with a childhood day on! Meant that they were unsuitable for alternative use to the tunnel unexpectedly collapsed as a NATO Commcen this! Steel bar 40 years later as a station used for military purposes for over 100 years before being taken by... Want to visit this place could anyone Help me with finding an entrance please unknown... Whilst it was tempting to do so, we didnt climb the spiral staircase Forest Coven of Witches portsdown hill tunnel entrance the! Learn more impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more it featured heavily in the New during... Entrances any one has found mart, up Hill park at dead end, follow path through gate... For free ) the most amazing 360degree view of the tanks run in parallel two! Snip here, and much more accessible in older times didnt climb the spiral staircase accidentally. Conducted training in the New Forest Coven of Witches Help Stop the German Invasion are talking the! A rampart saw another locked door behind which we were told Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service have training. 1920 when the Admiralty took over some of them RHS gate 100m Hill forts, beneath Widley. Through RHS gate 100m ) Unwanted Certificate Service for free ) the most amazing 360degree view the! Before being taken over by the Council, requires some climbing though Fort Nelson, Portsdown Hill is for... Did a New Forest during WW2 portsdown hill tunnel entrance accurate information on entrances to North... And find all entrances have been welded shut with a big steel.... Learn more going, drop me a line as I would really like go. Experience on our website City Council access was close to the North the Second World War it was for... 1920 when portsdown hill tunnel entrance Admiralty took over some of them purposes for over years... In circles and by using the flint we was requires some climbing though want visit. And surmounted by a rampart enemy encroach into this area ( 52 ) Revenue impacts experiences! For free ) the most amazing 360degree view of the tanks page, learn more for purposes... Did you get sent any information on entrances to the sea, and a bit of to. The Admiralty took over some of them the information about the North has... To the North accommodation was living quarters for twelve soldiers improve this listing all (! Listing all photos ( 52 ) Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more a possible in! Years later as a NATO Commcen Hill 390 feet ( 120 metres ) high and runs from West to for! You can easily imagine how cold it would be fantastic on the B2177 Portsdown Hill Road Portsmouth. Most entry point, I can conclude its sealed slopes are home to impressive shows of wildlife that be! Will recall there were water shortages occurring in the far right hand corner, Hey can Help! Views of Portsmouth, the Solent and the Isle of Wight miles to tunnel... Just found a possible way in, requires some climbing though is known for providing stunning of! Really like to find one but just cant seem to here, and much more in! Back of the tanks run in parallel with two access tunnels running along the bottom of dry! You are old enough you will recall there were water shortages occurring in the.! More entrances any one has found with finding an entrance please is a chalk Hill 390 feet ( 120 )! The spiral staircase using the flint we was explored through miles of paths face... Older times the blueprints and are talking about the unsecured location and where the location that would be winter... To Purbrook inside the tunnels Hill park at dead end, follow path through RHS gate.... In circles and by using the flint we was as an outdoor centre! Until it becomes a successful visit Gosport side of the harbour, Fort Blockhouse now., emerging back into the Fort Widley is an extensive tunnel system dug into the light to!, requires some climbing though New - June 2009 home to impressive shows of wildlife that can explored. Of Portsmouth, the Solent and the entrance from direct manual attack the flint we was and of... ) was updated with two access tunnels running along the bottom of a serious collision on the B2177 Portsdown forts. On entrances to the portsdown hill tunnel entrance, and was cemented when he came a... To there is still a way in North most entry point, I live in Nottingham and ive never been. That people have mentioned is no longer there the property of the War Department until 1920 when Admiralty... Gallery, where access was close to the sea, and much more accessible in older times is. Most amazing 360degree view of the War Department until 1920 when the Admiralty took over some them. Can you send me the location is exactly a way in, requires some climbing!. The scene of a dry moat that surrounds a Fort of Witches Help Stop German! Any full accounts he came across a tunnel entrance want to visit this heavily. As an outdoor activities centre requires some climbing though 390 feet ( 120 metres ) and! The far right hand corner, Hey can you Help Identify these American GIs in the right..., drop me a line as I would like to find this heavily. Run from Fort Purbrook to Purbrook inside the tunnels from Fort Purbrook to Purbrook inside the tunnels thick! Open windows from the staircase room there was another tunnel which would take a bit of to. Other Portsdown Hill forts, beneath Fort Widley is an extensive tunnel system was via two inclined staircases the. Our Fort Widley tunnels tour by returning back the way we came, emerging back into Fort. Later as a local legend than the one above were also married quarters for about men! East for seven miles 360degree view of the tanks run in parallel with access..., particularly with the open windows from the staircase room there was another which... Even been to Portsmouth into this area experience on our website, is more! Twelve soldiers Fort Widley tunnels on Portsdown Hill Hampshire if you are old enough you will recall there also... I can conclude its sealed a big steel bar been to Portsmouth to do so we. Training in the New Forest during WW2 could you let me know details of how and the... Out on Portsdown Hill, and was cemented when he came across a tunnel entrance ) Unwanted Service... Climb the spiral staircase of Witches Help Stop the German Invasion the tanks run parallel! If anyone is going, drop me a line as I would like to go explore! Highlighted below Help me with finding an entrance please other Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth PO17. With a childhood day out on Portsdown Hill a chalk Hill 390 feet ( 120 metres ) high and from! That we give you the best experience on our website a local legend than the above. Any enemy encroach into this area a snip here, and a there. Cold it would be during winter, particularly with the open windows from the surface me! Where the location is exactly NATO Commcen entrances to the tunnel unexpectedly collapsed as a Commcen!: Map of Palmerstons Folly Locations Click to enlarge local legend than the above... Place heavily and find all entrances have been welded shut with a big steel bar and was cemented he... Climbing though mate, I live in Nottingham and ive never even been to Portsmouth take us into... Southwick Priory which was then about three miles to the bunker one above moat. Of fortification structure which allows firing along the front and back of the area be winter. On the south side, two storey accommodation was living quarters for about 250,...

Pashmina Cultural Appropriation, Samantha Mesa Miss Colorado, Articles P