Is there any more entrances any one has found? After spending a few minutes recording the carvings in the chalk tunnel walls, we continued downwards, following a sign that told us we were heading towards the west caponier. Used by a charitable trust as an outdoor activities centre. Would do but not local, never been there and a long way to go and fail. portsdown, In 1953, this area was converted into the bunker and was planned to be used in the event of an Atom bomb falling.. Part of the nationwide Cold War measures put in place around the UK at this time. Jan 28, 2018. archaeologist, in a tumulus during excavations on Portsdown Hill near Cornwall. Most of the five miles of tunnel construction was made during WWII, when the south facing slope of the hill was countryside. Four men were killed and the locomotive was trapped inside the tunnel. This is typical when you do a subterranean explore, so was not at all unexpected. Also visited here recently, wasn't expecting much as heard these weren't accessible anymore, but gave it a go nonetheless. Explore the fascinating tunnels that burrow deep into the chalk hill high above Portsmouth. is an aerial photograph east of Fort Purbrook taken in 1969 when For over 45 years, Portsdown Technology Park (PTP) has integrated and tested complex combat and communications equipment and software for all Royal Navy warships prior to their deployment at sea. Hi please may you direct me in how to enter this bunker? Excelsior Tunnel. bunkers, and until that time I didn't know they existed, always saw the back out and not walk around in circles and by using the flint we wasn't RF E5TNY5 - Entrance to Fort Nelson, Portsdown Hill, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK; part of the Royal Armouries. Unfortunately we were not permitted to enter the Fort Widley bunker, but I did manage to take a number of photos in the immediate area that surrounded the locked door. Additional walls had to be built in the intervening space, filled with concrete. The slopes are home to impressive shows of wildlife that can be explored through miles of paths. That was it, I was hooked. would welcome any contributions that would conclusively prove it READ MORE: The tiny Hampshire village of Micheldever that was built around a train station. | As we reached the west caponier, the tunnel opened up into a larger room with a high ceiling. AsSecretary you will work with the other Principal Officers to ensure the smooth running of the HGS. Yeah, after I posted this I realised my error and think I have found it. Entrance to the tunnel system was via two inclined staircases from the surface. Overall, sold prices in Portsdown Hill Road over the last year were 10% up on the previous year and 9% up on the 2020 peak of 1,050,000. Four tunnels can be accessed beneath the fort, built in the 1860s and armed until the early years of the 20th century. Compensation for residents evicted from their homes is unknown. Unfortunately all entrances have been welded shut with a big steel bar. Read More How These Local Fields of Green Played a Huge Role in WW2Continue. 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. At just over 3,500 feet, it's a long way through the tunnel. The Naval Fuel Bunker is not a hard place to find. If we had, it would have taken us up to the very top of Fort Widley where the equestrian centre activities take place plus even some grazing sheep! Fort Widley was built in the 1860s and is one of five Victorian forts that overlook Portsmouth harbour. Portsdown Police are currently at the scene of a serious collision on the B2177 Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth. via a trapdoor in the roof of the vault. In 1939 the Army returned, it also housed the Home Guard Headquarters and the Ambulance Depot. Ive only ever managed to enter through the north entrance and walk the distance and go in the pump room, I dont suppose youve ever been in the east entrance? Within about 5mins of reading this article, the comments & searching Google Ive found what I think is at least three of the entrances! We now walked into a different tunnel. is supposed to pass to haunt the manor when there is a honeymoon couple was surprised on how big they are inside once you drive into the hill Id been wanting to explore these two, Read More Holton Heaths Anti-Aircraft Gun TowersContinue, Watkins and Williams American soldiers in the new forest with, Read More Can You Help Identify these American GIs in the New Forest During WW2?Continue, There is so much World War 2 heritage and history in the Totton and Ashurst areas of Southampton that I felt they deserved a bit, Read More Totton Air Raid Shelters + Ashurst, Calmore, & Eling WW2 HistoryContinue, In Spring of 1944, the New Forest airfields were teeming with RAF and USAAF fighter bombers in preparation for D-Day. P.s Im a very good climber. An FFP3 mask will not protect you if there are toxic fumes or a lack of oxygen. 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. Id like to go this weekend. 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. During a few visits to the site, we managed to see the entire place. The North entrance that people have mentioned is no longer there. Tim Hortons Gosport: Here's what to expect from new drive-thru restaurant after plans approved, Women's activewear brand Sweaty Betty opening at Westquay with exclusive giveaway for first 50 customers, New Havant Co-op store opens creating 15 jobs off Bedhampton Road, The gym near Hampshire with amazing forest views where you'll want to work out, South Downs walk near Hampshire border which tracks a lost Roman Road through stunning countryside, The underground pipeline in a section that heads beneath the M27. Please email me at. So we packed our bags and set off to explore this abandoned pocket of Singapore. 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. Fort Wallington, completed in 1865, was built on blue slipper clay. Its cool theres other ways in but you need a rope to get down the final part be careful the ladders are very rusted! Please note Fort Nelson ramparts are closed until further notice. on iOS, Android & AppGallery. As it neared the western entrance, 190 feet of the tunnel. Tunnels. Like the other Portsdown Hill forts, beneath Fort Widley is an extensive tunnel system dug into the chalk and earth. it very interesting and surprised on how much history there is regarding They came The bunkers were designed to provide a bombproof Royal Navy fuel oil reservoir to serve the fleet at the Portsmouth Naval Base. working as a HGV driver for a well known Portsmouth based builders Unless any local yobs have smashed through the wall that leads down into the tunnel (it would take some doing) its still blocked. putting graffiti everywhere as it is either chalk and flint everywhere vibrations what I thought was outside, but considering it was in the If I remember rightly, the compound with the road access is the east access tunnel. the hill. Message me the location please bud been searching for this place for nearly a week ? The Hampshire Records Office (HRO) has announced that its probate records collection on the Ancestry website has now been launched. how to turn off caps lock on acer chromebook. Facebook. The barrack block walls were 4 - 5 feet thick with a thick reinforced concrete roof. Tenure: Not available. The road is currently closed in both directions, between the junctions with Farlington Avenue and Crookhorn Lane. Went down there myself a few days ago to see the damage and it looks like a pretty substantial concrete wall. One of them was locked, and it was explained to us that this door was the Fort Widley bunker that had been created in 1952. The Fort Southwick, completed in 1870, was the only hill fort used by the armed forces. It is running north Ive been walking around trying to find one but just cant seem to! Find Young Men's Christian Association Of Singapore (YMCA) Car Parking Charges and Timings in Singapore, covering major Shopping Malls, Office Buildings and Hotels. During the Second World War it was modified to provide more accommodation. The forts remained the property of the War Department until 1920 when the Admiralty took over some of them. Two shelters, which together could hold around 5,000 people, were built. Good luck though If you do head up that way, let us know if its unblocked! way the brickwork was if it were a tunnel it would have been running from After finding the site about "Portsdown Tunnels", I found stopped rounds. Sharing ideas and thoughts will always lead us to progress. Id take a closer look at aerial maps if I were you, sounds like you were close! my dad informed the council and it was promptly backfilled with concrete After a good few minutes of stamping thanks to David Moore of the Palmerston hear noises and feel vibrations, even before the M27 was built and was Six large 19th Century Palmerston forts sit on top of the hill alongside the modern Type 45 destroyer test rig which looks as though Portsmouth was subject to an incredibly high tide! Me and a few other explorers are looking to go up and have a look and we need some direction. m.woodyer@hotmail.com if anyone wants to point me in the right direction. It was used for military purposes for over 100 years before being taken over by the council. The two south entrances are welded and the only north entrance I found next to Fort Southwick is blocked with concrete. So where are the other entrances on the hill in relation to the east entrance? Search for Carpark Rates, ERP Gantry and Petrol Station in Singapore. Portsdown Hill gives anyone (for free) the most amazing 360degree view of the area. The Fort Widley tunnels date from the 19thcentury, rather than being a more modern Second World War addition like the Fort Southwick ones are. The design was that they should be surrounded by a deep ditch on the west, north (front) and east sides. the sailing club as this is in direct line from the hill to the dockyard. Fabulous picnic spot! Eyeing down on Eastney. Cheeky. Today the 130 year-old Laurel Hill Tunnel has been re-purposed as an Area 51 of racing technology. Image 1. The Excelsior mine sett at one time embraced much of the Kit Hill area, just over a mile N. E. of Callington in Cornwall, but the name later came to be more closely associated with the Excelsior Tunnel, sometimes known as Kit Hill Tunnel. Did you only try the 2 fronts or did you try one of the other 2? How would I go about getting in here please? truth if any there may be in these stories but, as they say, anything is The Can be done as just has. Totton Air Raid Shelters + Ashurst, Calmore, & Eling WW2 History, The Heroic Wartime Actions of Patrick Dumbo Taylor Who Crashed Near Blackfield & Fawley, How These Local Fields of Green Played a Huge Role in WW2, The German underground hospital tunnels in Jersey. Thanks, Due to damage caused by the recent bad weather there will be no . Would you mind sending me some information on where I can find an entrance please? possible. 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. Please can you tell me where to find the entrances! 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. Nearest MRT: Kranji. 2021 to 2023 New Forest & Hampshire Wartime Association, Sway Airfield: The WW2 Emergency Landing Ground (ELG) / Decoy Site. They want a postcode, a coordinate, a pin on a map. On Opening Times. Interested in this property? 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. ("South Seas"), HM Naval Base and the Compensation of 95,200 was granted to his estate for damages to amenities, the question not fully settled until September 1862. If I was a believer in ghosts, this is where I would imagine they might want to appear! 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. My first ever visit to the fuel bunker that entrance was open, while its interesting its a bit of a let down in comparison to the rest of the site. HGS may also be there on 22nd October if some HGS volunteers are able to attend, so if any HGS members are interested [], Hampshire Genealogical Society We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. There are 9 tanks as I recall 7 are 700 feet long with 2 shorter ones. The Portsmouth Papers, published by Portsmouth City Council. A copy of [], The Hampshire Genealogical Society requires your help. Just found a possible way in, requires some climbing though! Jason Suthers. be nothing but Ive always wondered. The tunnels have been sealed up, so there is nothing much to be seen now. Something went wrong, please try again later. felt like a fleet of armoured tanks rolling past, quite a lot of us was an extract from an email received about Wymering Manor. Our adventurous souls craved an unconventional trekking experience. We also saw another locked door behind which we were told Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service have conducted training in the past. Portsdown Hill is a great place for seeing the views of the City of Portsmouth, picnics, and dog walking. Portsmouth. Credits Palmerston Forts. Martin Long - April 2013. Pm me I will send you location. church on the right, with the Manor in the background, in which Thank You! Sorry to be blunt but thats all there is to it! Forts Society, Aerial Portsdown Hill is a long chalk ridge in Hampshire, England. true local legends. Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. from HM Naval base Portsmouth to the Victorian forts on Portsdown and Underground tunnels went from the Barrack block to the caponiers in the moat. Portsdown Hill. samuelkelly14@gmail.com. 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. We shortly came out of the first tunnel to an open area. Horsham. [1] [2] This is a linear south-facing escarpment with a rich chalk grassland flora. - [Has anyone heard of this? The fuel bunker was targeted by German bombing in 1940, luckily missing by a few hundred yards but sadly hitting several homes & two piggeries bringing loss of life to many of the pigs housed there. there is supposed to be a priests hole. Find out more about things to do and activities in Hampshire with our free Whats On email HERE . PT after open, circa 1940s. Here is below if you can't display frames. Gaz. The two main access tunnels in the side of Portsdown Hill are very similar, the eastern access tunnel leads to a dead end, while the main access tunnel passes over the aforementioned pump room (via a very oily ladder) and continues at a steep gradient around half a kilometre to the north compound. Improve this listing All photos (52) Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more. Perhaps the best-known setup is that which exists beneath Fort Southwick, one of several forts built on Portsdown Hill to defend the overland approach to Portsmouth's naval base. So my question being have you ever heard of any tunnels in that area? Suppose it doesnt make its way up the tunnel anyway, can smell it though from be outside! The thing that sticks in my head the most walking around the Portsdown fuel bunker was the sheer feeling of infinity when looking down the entrance shafts with no end in sight. Starting at a junction with Portchester Road, Downend Road initially formed the boundary of Downend House and the land to the west, now given to the housing area of The Ridgeway. The discovery of these remains has as interesting bearing Whilst it was tempting to do so, we didnt climb the spiral staircase. Access to abandoned locations changes daily! Her diary entries were never meant to record the war [], Trial Saturday opening Hampshire Record Office are having a trial Saturday opening on SATURDAY 22nd October 2022. In 1952 the fort became home to a bomb disposal squadron and a year later an emergency civil control centre for Portsmouth was constructed in the forts magazine. The walls had loopholes for rifle fire. The other one is supposed to run from Fort Purbrook to Purbrook Portsdown Hill provides magnificent views over Portsmouth and beyond. If you park on Lime Grove, a street by the bottom and walk across the fields, basically follow the danger signs you will see a few entrances where you can reach the edges of the bunker but its still sealed off at the moment mainly. Email. Explore! The sludge meant that they were unsuitable for alternative use. Today its run as an equestrian centre, as well as being home to the Pompey Pals wartime museum. For more information about Palmerstons Folly visit the Palmerston Forts Society website. During the Second World War, the New Forest area was a hive of aviation activity with airfields and bases such as RAF Beaulieu and Calshot. Service Maintenance for a while and visited just about every underground Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. quarry, naval, Fort Purbrook, completed in 1870, was occupied by the Army until 1925. Birth, Marriage & Death (BMD) Unwanted Certificate Service. Id be worried with the build up of fumes as there would be nowhere for it to now escape? all over the face of the caponier shown in the background of the photo The paddock is completely secure, fully enclosed with 6ft high fences, 2 layers of weald mesh (better for smaller dogs) and secure gates to stop your pooch running back to the car. I really dont understand the need for people to deface these places?! apprentice in HM Dockyard Portsmouth in the early 1970s, I worked in Yard This now runs beneath roads including the M27 and retains some visible signs above land - with an inspection pit and fencing remaining, in some places, as its location was marked on the surface. Found two entrances but all sealed up with metal doors any other ways in would be great to see inside done a few others but would like to get in here. Any tips would be appreciated, Fencing has been repaired as of 30th November. Terms of use I went to the top left one on top of hill. It is said that they were built in secret and even the local villagers were unaware of them. some variation at the entrance and exit. hump in the centre of the picture was used as a firing step. It also makes photography somewhat difficult, not wanting to get our kit covered in oil and the blackness soaking up the torchlight I got a really awful set of photos from down there! jake.davi@yahoo.co.uk, Is there any possibility the wall could be climbed or is it completely sealed off. middle of the night, the motorway was totally empty, but it sounding and Real shame I didnt go in when I was peering down the tunnel only couple of weeks ago! The Fareham side is classified C371. And getting there is full of thorns. tracy hurley vince clarke. huge amount of academic interest, from around the world, with the following explanations Really want to visit this place could anyone help me with finding an entrance please ? Top ways to experience nearby attractions Portsmouth Historic Dockyard: Ultimate Explorer Ticket 145 It is a chalk hill 390 feet (120 metres) high and runs from West to East for seven miles. Ive looked online and everyone is saying its all sealed up? wheel disappeared into the ground. This web publication contains 152,464 pages of information and 237,139 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them. The hike from the parking lot to Rays Hill Tunnel is a gentle uphill walk. On the Gosport side of the harbour, Fort Blockhouse (now HMS Dolphin) was updated. I would like to go and explore please could you let me know details of how and where to go. Email. It may I dont believe in ghosts, but there have been reported sightings of ghosts and spooky goings on here. There was also a dry moat around the five forts which varied in depth from 40 60 feet and width from 30 70 feet. Past quiky mart, up hill park at dead end, follow path through RHS gate 100m. Start photo slideshow. 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.

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