No Man's Land Fort
| No Man's Land Fort | |
|
Hampshire | |
|---|---|
 No Man's Land Fort | |
| Type: | Palmerston fort |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SZ639937 |
| Location: | 50°44’24"N, 1°5’43"W |
| History | |
| Built 1867–1880 | |
| Information | |
| Condition: | Complete |
| Owned by: | AmaZing Venues |
No Man's Land Fort is a Victorian fort standing in the Solent within Hampshire. It one of three such forts guarding the entrance of Spithead and thus the approach to Portsmouth, the forts from north to south being:
- Spitsand Fort
- Horse Sand Fort
- No Man's Land Fort
These forts were built as part of the programme of national fortifications known as the 'Palmerston Forts', resulting from the 1859 Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom.
The fort stands a mile and half off the coast of the Isle of Wight.
History
The fort was built between the years 1867 and 1880 to protect Portsmouth. It was built for a cost of £462,500.
No Man's Land Fort is almost identical to Horse Sand Fort. It has been used as a luxury home/hospitality centre for high-paying guests – due to the privacy it offers – with an indoor swimming pool and two helipads.
In July 2004, Legionella bacteria found in the hotel's water system forced its closure.[1] The Fort was put up for sale in 2005 and again in 2007, but the company collapsed.[2][3][4] In March 2008, Harmesh Pooni, claiming to still be the owner, barricaded himself inside the fort in protest against the administrators KPMG.[5]
The property was eventually sold by KPMG for £910,000 in March 2009.[6] In March 2012, it was purchased by Clarenco (who also own the neighbouring forts, Spitsand and Horse Sand) with the intention of refurbishing it as a hotel.[7] The fort opened as a hotel in April 2015.[8]
The 1972 Doctor Who serial The Sea Devils used the fort as a filming location for several scenes.[8]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about No Man's Land Fort) |
References
- ↑ "Legionella bacteria found at fort". BBC news. 9 July 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/dorset/3879659.stm. "[…] now off limits "until the health risk is controlled"."
- ↑ "Converted sea fort hotel for sale". BBC news. 10 July 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/6289624.stm.
- ↑ "Who will buy fort used in Doctor's adventure?". The News, Portsmouth. July 9, 2007. http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/latest?articleid=3015713.
- ↑ Ward, David (July 16, 2007). "Bolthole in the Solent goes on sale for £4m". London: The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,,2127139,00.html. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
- ↑ "Besieged man barricaded in fort". BBC news. 7 March 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7284013.stm. "A sea fort […] is under siege from creditors, prompting a businessman to barricade himself inside."
- ↑ "'Bargain' sale of £14m Victorian seafort". BBC News. 2009-07-03. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8132690.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
- ↑ "Millionaire snaps up three forts off Portsmouth". BBC News. 26 March 2012. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17512499. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Historic No Man's Fort in the Solent re-opens as hotel". BBCNews. 23 April 2015. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-32416928.