Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In today’s video, I explore Spitbank Fort, one of the most unusual and isolated military structures in the UK. Sitting out in the Solent just off the coast of Portsmouth, this huge circular sea fortress was built in the 1860s as part of a defensive chain known as Palmerston’s Follies — a series of forts designed to protect Britain from a feared French invasion under Napoleon III. The invasion never came, earning the forts their nickname, but Spitbank remained a powerful symbol of Victorian engineering and coastal defence.
Constructed from thousands of tons of granite, iron, and concrete, Spitbank Fort took over a decade to complete. It was equipped with massive cannons capable of firing across the Solent, designed to stop enemy ships from ever reaching Portsmouth Harbour. Inside, soldiers lived in cramped, damp conditions surrounded completely by the sea, with no land in sight.
The fort continued to serve military purposes right through both World Wars, acting as an observation and defence station. After the wars, it was finally decommissioned and left abandoned for years — a rusting, weather-beaten reminder of Britain’s coastal defences.
In recent years, Spitbank Fort has had multiple attempts at transformation: from a luxury retreat, to private ownership, to periods of complete abandonment. Many of the original barracks, gun floors, and Victorian architecture still exist beneath the modern additions, making it a unique blend of old military history and modern decay.
Today, the fort stands alone in the middle of the water — isolated, iconic, and full of hidden rooms, tunnels, and stories from the soldiers who once lived here. Join me as I explore the structure, uncover the history, and show what remains inside this incredible sea fortress.
In today’s video, I explore Spitbank Fort, one of the most unusual and isolated military structures in the UK. Sitting out in the Solent just off the coast of Portsmouth, this huge circular sea fortress was built in the 1860s as part of a defensive chain known as Palmerston’s Follies — a series of forts designed to protect Britain from a feared French invasion under Napoleon III. The invasion never came, earning the forts their nickname, but Spitbank remained a powerful symbol of Victorian engineering and coastal defence.
Constructed from thousands of tons of granite, iron, and concrete, Spitbank Fort took over a decade to complete. It was equipped with massive cannons capable of firing across the Solent, designed to stop enemy ships from ever reaching Portsmouth Harbour. Inside, soldiers lived in cramped, damp conditions surrounded completely by the sea, with no land in sight.
The fort continued to serve military purposes right through both World Wars, acting as an observation and defence station. After the wars, it was finally decommissioned and left abandoned for years — a rusting, weather-beaten reminder of Britain’s coastal defences.
In recent years, Spitbank Fort has had multiple attempts at transformation: from a luxury retreat, to private ownership, to periods of complete abandonment. Many of the original barracks, gun floors, and Victorian architecture still exist beneath the modern additions, making it a unique blend of old military history and modern decay.
Today, the fort stands alone in the middle of the water — isolated, iconic, and full of hidden rooms, tunnels, and stories from the soldiers who once lived here. Join me as I explore the structure, uncover the history, and show what remains inside this incredible sea fortress.
