The wrought iron bridges have been repaired with . the hill. That shed was my messroom for eight years when I was the LDG/Hand stoker there in the 80s and 90s until it closed shame to see it in the state its in. Is there people living in there? neighbour were out in the road playing on our bikes and wed made a jump You can read more, here. below. Go through the first set of traffic lights. Park school which is the old Purbrook Park house. 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. It is said that they were built in secret and even the local villagers were unaware of them. Facebook. Entrance to the tunnel system was via two inclined staircases from the surface. Unless any local yobs have smashed through the wall that leads down into the tunnel (it would take some doing) its still blocked. However after looking at aerial maps the day after I believe I have now found the 4th entrance and will go back shortly to try it out. All we could see was a dark, cold We are in desperate need of a Minute Taker to take the Minutes at our various meetings. stopped rounds. In fact, the Portsdown Tunnels play such a significant role that Portsmouth became an important target for the Soviet Union during the Cold War. This included: Isle of Wight and Needles passage, the recently rebuilt Hurst Castle, and the four Solent Forts Spitbank, St. Helens, Horse Sand and No Mans Land. Would do but not local, never been there and a long way to go and fail. Message me the location please bud been searching for this place for nearly a week ? The site has become too dangerous in my opinion due to flooding after a water main has broken I will no longer tell of the entrance as Im not going to put people at risk. House Prices in Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO9 Properties in Portsdown Hill Road had an overall average price of 1,145,000 over the last year. Where are the other 2, are they on the north slope of the hill? One of my neighbours was told by their grandparents who had to the Sea Forts in the Solent. And even if people cant be bothered to search for that, a good old fashioned walk on Portsdown Hill will uncover this mystery in no time at all. Sharing ideas and thoughts will always lead us to progress. 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. Approximately 900 acres were taken over and clearance rights obtained for another 1000 acres. There is only two entrances to the tunnels. Hi please may you direct me in how to enter this bunker? 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. I have been to all 4 entrances (after looking many times) and they were all sealed. tunnel, it is said, could have been used for smuggling, Wymering being so #1. Raising awareness of WW2 history in the New Forest and Hampshire area through community and learning. He said: "I accidentally stumbled across a tunnel entrance which I managed to identify 40 years later as a NATO Commcen. Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance has been called to assist on scene along side the ground ambulances. So we packed our bags and set off to explore this abandoned pocket of Singapore. / south and looks like a tunnel entrance. Both South entrances are still very much sealed with the doors welded closed and RSJs welded to the doors. Cheeky. 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. The ridge offers good views to the south over Portsmouth, the Solent, Hayling Island and Gosport, with the Isle of Wight beyond. Where did you get that map? Fort Nelson, Portsdown Hill Road, Fareham, Hampshire, PO17 6AN. Did a New Forest Coven of Witches Help Stop the German Invasion? The tunnels have been sealed up, so there is nothing much to be seen now. Theres plenty of information online. Forts Society, Aerial The two south entrances are welded and the only north entrance I found next to Fort Southwick is blocked with concrete. onto which the small gauge train runs on at Portchester Castle, near to There are bullet impacts dating from the turn of the 19th century The other point I would mention is that there was vehicular access from Portsdown Hill gives anyone (for free) the most amazing 360degree view of the area. Another that a tunnel runs from Gosport to Portsdown. Wymering Manor is supposed to be connect to If people started doing what you are suggesting find out on your own then peoples life might be in danger, plus Scott knows a safe way and why dont we all just use the safe way, keeping information to yourself is just letting your curiosity die plus it just sounds stupid when the person is willing to share the address and is happy for others to use it. Sussex Street Fort Widley was built in the 1860s and is one of five Victorian forts that overlook Portsmouth harbour. Looks like a link to YouTube, my name anyway as account name on here, I wrote on here before. having In other words, you did the hard work in locating your entrance, and itll be the lazy explorer that gets it sealed up! upon the legend, still persisting, of giants who lived in the locality." be nothing but Ive always wondered. The 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. Decommissioned in the 1990s, Portsdown fuel bunker is still in great condition, although the pump room (the deepest part of the bunker) is quickly becoming an oil-filled swimming pool. restoration work and its purpose verified. Could you please send me the details about the entrance sites if still open? This A caponier is a type of fortification structure which allows firing along the bottom of a dry moat that surrounds a fort. My email is This is typical when you do a subterranean explore, so was not at all unexpected. Each fort was designed as a self sufficient unit and connecting tunnels would Hiya I would really like to find this place, if you could send me the location that would be fantastic. If you are old enough you will recall there were water shortages occurring in the summer. The role will require you attend 6 Executive Committee meetings and currently 3 Development Forum meetings. Feel free to contact me if you have trouble. [email protected]. Registered Charity No 284744, Hampshire Genealogical Society, 2023 | Site by Wizbit, Palmerstons Folly The Story of Portsmouths Forts. P.s Im a very good climber. 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. The skeleton of a man over seven feet in height, Youd go and have a look to see if theres a way in. Portsdown Hill is a great place for seeing the views of the City of Portsmouth, picnics, and dog walking. East of We are in desperate need of a Secretary who will be the central point of contact. Even a clue? Where? the next day?. Jason Suthers. is also no evidence of tunnels, either physical or on plans, at the forts The escarp is about 10 15 feet thick, backed by earthwork and surmounted by a rampart. Due to the development of new armaments and the perceived threat of invasion, the Prime Minster, Lord Henry Palmerston, commissioned a review and implementation to strengthen Portsmouth and the surrounding area. [email protected], 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. Portsmouth. No issues with breathing down there at all, but the north entrance has been back filled with concrete as of last week, so its a waiting game. Its impossible to say, Shane. 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. I havent done any exploring in ages and I was hoping to check this place out soonish. Ive been wondering are there any entrances open to access the tunnels? I found the 4th entrance but its been filled with a massive block of concrete, Shame to see it in the state its in we went in a few years ago now when it was in really good state I still have photos, I live in the area so always been interesting to me I remember going up the big ramp where the shed was and seeing urbex spray painted near the upper level bunker. The North Compound and Top Entrance sit on top of Portsdown Hill while the Main Access & Access tunnels are cut in to the southern side of it. Where abouts is the site and where is the entrance Id love to check it out. Went today and all four entrances are sealed. Interesting. Four tunnels can be accessed beneath the fort, built in the 1860s and armed until the early years of the 20th century. portsdown hill tunnel entrance. The photo with 7 painted on the wall is from the east tunnel, from memory the entire tunnel is like this, straight, long & with the occasional alcove for the fuel cells. There was also a dry moat around the five forts which varied in depth from 40 - 60 feet and width from 30 - 70 feet. Gaz M. You have found one of the entrance tunnels to the fuel bunker. Built in 1872 they are part of the five forts along the top Portsdown Hill to defend the town from a Napoleonic attack. Scott any chance to can get in touch? If you havent visited them, please drop them a line on pompeypals.org.uk. [email protected], Hi Im on my way and need to know how to get there, I would love to see this fuel bunker it has been on my list for a while now I know one entrance got sealed please email the entrance, [email protected] Id like to know of the location if its still open :), Want to go there today could someone send me an unsealed location? nelson, nuclear, cold war. The Fareham side is classified C371. Regards and keep up with this very interesting and local I don't know but maybe. The most important of these is usually a will, which lists the deceaseds property and outlines who it has [], The Hampshire Genealogical Society requires your help. This was the entrance to the Fort Widley tunnels. bushes and grass. At just over 3,500 feet, it's a long way through the tunnel. Around twenty years ago when I lived in Carmarthen Ave, Drayton me and a READ MORE: The tiny Hampshire village of Micheldever that was built around a train station. Hi Johnny The highest point of the hill lies within Fort Southwick at 131m above sea level. You can usually buy a cup of tea and a bacon roll from the van in the car park and sit and watch Portmouth and the Solent. I thought all entrances were blocked up underlying ground. 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. Sitemap The fumes would also be very strong Id imagine more so now there is no airflow. Today a small depression via a trapdoor in the roof of the vault. Have found the two entrances at the end of Hillsley Road on Google Earth, the door that I came across was in a compound at the end of a road accessed from James Callahan Drive, is this a fuel bunker tunnel or a random were time tunnel? Say no more. The platforms on the inner side of the rampart were for additional guns firing over the parapet. This The best job I had. [email protected], Is there any possibility the wall could be climbed or is it completely sealed off. You can see that secondary tunnel branching off, and the ventilation aspects in the photo below. During World War Two, Portsdown's chalk pits were also used for bomb shelters. Hi can you tell me where the other entrance is please Must have. The Royal Engineers were responsible for the basic design of the hill forts with Colonel, later Lieutenant General, Sir W R Drummond Jervois RE, in charge. 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