Newhaven Fort

Newhaven Fort was built on the recommendation of the 1859 Royal Commission to defend the growing harbour at Newhaven, on the south coast of England. It was the largest defence work ever built in Sussex and is now open as a museum.

History

The fort proper was originally armed on the Eastern side in the 1870s with two 9-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns on "Moncrieff" disappearing carriages, the only such arrangement in the UK. From about 1906 the armament consisted of two modern 6-inch Mark VII breechloading naval guns, and two modern light QF 12-pounder guns for defence against torpedo boats.

The main 6-inch Mark VII guns were replaced in 1941 by a battery of 6-inch Mark 24 guns (a modern coast-defence version of the Mark VII built during World War II^[1]), which were located west of the fort.

The Army vacated the fort in 1962. Restoration began in 1982 following a failed commercial redevelopment venture, and 6-inch Mk VII guns have been re-installed in the fort to approximate the 1906 - 1941 armament. The fort is preserved and maintained by Lewes District Council as Newhaven Fort.^[2]

Image gallery

• 

  5.5-inch field gun from World War II outside the tearoom
• 

  6-inch Mk VII gun which was installed in the 1980s to replace a previously removed gun
• 

  QF 12-pounder gun at the fort

Notes

1. ^ Tony DiGiulian, British 6"/45 (15.2 cm) BL Mark VII 6"/45 (15.2 cm) BL Mark VIII 6"/45 (15.2 cm) BL Mark XXIV
2. ^ http://www.palmerstonforts.org.uk/pdf/newhaven.pdf Newhaven Fort History, Description and Plan

See also

• 50°46′59″N 0°03′16″E / 50.783184°N 0.054361°E / 50.783184; 0.054361Coordinates: 50°46′59″N 0°03′16″E / 50.783184°N 0.054361°E / 50.783184; 0.054361 map coordinates
• Eastbourne Redoubt
• Pevensey Castle

External links

• Newhaven Fort History, Description and Plan at Palmerston Forts Society website
• Newhaven Fort : official website
• Redoubt Fortress Museum
• Eastbourne Redoubt
• The Royal Sussex Living History Group