Spitbank Fort is a Victorian sea fort built on Spit Sand in the Solent, the channel between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, to defend Portsmouth dockyard from seaborne attack. Construction ran from 1867 to 1878, and the fort was later converted into a luxury hotel that opened in 2012. It lies about 1.1km south-west of Southsea Castle and is a Scheduled Monument, the UK’s legal protection for nationally important historic sites, but Visit Portsmouth currently lists the Solent Forts as closed until further notice, so it isn’t open to casual visitors.

History of Spitbank Fort

Spitbank Fort’s story runs from Victorian invasion fears through two world wars to a luxury hotel conversion, and it is told in Historic England’s list entry, the national register of protected sites, and on the Solent Forts history page. It is one of many castles and historic attractions worth knowing about in England.

Spitbank Fort and Palmerston’s Sea Forts

Historic England says Spitbank Fort was one of a chain of four sea forts in the Solent recommended by the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom in 1860, designed to protect Portsmouth dockyard from seaborne attack. Solent Forts, the forts’ operator, says fear of invasion by France under Napoleon III led the British Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, to commission them. It adds that they took about 15 years to complete and that by then the feared invasion no longer loomed, so the forts became known as Palmerston’s follies.

Spitbank Fort’s Construction and Armament

Historic England records that construction of Spitbank Fort began in March 1867 and finished in June 1878. The fort is circular, with seabed foundation walls made of pre-cast concrete blocks weighing 8 tons each, faced inside and out with masonry. Solent Forts says the large stone blocks for the forts’ foundations were carried from the quarry by train, then by barge, and set in place by divers.

Historic England says the soldiers’, sergeants’ and officers’ quarters and washing facilities sit in the centre of the fort, behind the casemates (vaulted gun chambers) and the gun gallery. It adds that the small building cantilevered out from the exterior is all that remains of the soldiers’ latrine. The fort was armed with nine 12.5-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns, each weighing 38 tons, on its armoured side and with 7-inch, 7-ton guns facing landward, according to Historic England.

Spitbank Fort in the World Wars

Historic England says Spitbank Fort was armed during both world wars and that its last gun was removed in 1948. Solent Forts says the forts were equipped with 4.7-inch and 6-inch guns in the First World War to target smaller fleets trying to slip past the heavier defences, although the Solent’s defences were so strong that the forts saw little action. In the Second World War, according to Solent Forts, they guarded Portsmouth dockyard and its approach channels and took damage from air attack, a threat they had not been designed to meet.

Spitbank Fort from Museum to Luxury Hotel

Solent Forts says coastal artillery was abolished in 1956, leaving the forts empty, and that they were put up for sale in 1963 but attracted no investment until the 1980s. It says Spitbank Fort was originally bought by a couple who restored it and turned it into a museum. Work began in 2009 on converting Spitbank into a luxury hotel, according to Solent Forts, and the hotel opened in 2012. Its website now describes eight luxury bedroom suites, four function rooms for up to 60 guests, a wine cellar, a rooftop hot pool and a lighthouse.

Spitbank Fort Since 2021

A notice on the Solent Forts website dated August 2021 said the company would not take new bookings or sell vouchers, cited uncertainty over Covid-19 restrictions and the logistics of running the forts, and said the forts were being marketed for sale. Visit Portsmouth, the city’s official visitor site, currently lists the Solent Forts as closed until further notice.

Why Spitbank Fort Matters

Historic England describes Spitbank Fort as a well-preserved example of its type and says its massive structure is a visual reminder of how strategically important the Solent was in the later 19th century. Historic England lists it as a Scheduled Monument, a category of legally protected, nationally important site.

Visiting Spitbank Fort: Practical Information

• Opening hours: Visit Portsmouth lists the Solent Forts as closed until further notice, so there are no public opening hours at present.
• Tickets: Visit Portsmouth’s listing points to the Solent Forts website for booking details, and the forts are currently listed as closed.
• Managed by: Solent Forts.
• Location: On Spit Sand in the Solent, 1.1km south-west of Southsea Castle, off Portsmouth in Hampshire, according to Historic England.
• Reaching the fort: Visit Portsmouth’s listing describes Spitbank Fort as a private venue for hire that can only be reached by boat.
• Getting there from London: Solent Forts says its forts are 1 hour 30 minutes by train from Central London. The fort itself stands out in the Solent, so the final stage is by boat.

Prices last checked: October 2026.

Opening hours last checked: October 2026.

Where to book: There is nothing to book at present, because Visit Portsmouth lists the Solent Forts as closed until further notice. Enquiries go through the Solent Forts website.

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