Report - Fort Gilkicker - September 2019

[Dragon_Urbex]

Fort Gilkicker is a former 19th century Palmerston fort situated on the Hampshire coastline in Gosport, near Portsmouth. The fort was built between 1863 and 1871 with 22 casemates and equipped with five twelve-inch guns. The site fell into disuse in 1999, with several attempts to redevelop the site into apartments failing. The fort is a complete example of a Palmerston Fort.

The Explore:

A friend and I took a trip down on the south coast the day before I went to university. We had several places lined up for our day, Fort Gilkicker being the first. Access was tremendously easy and within minutes we were inside. The site is a semi circular structure consisting of 22 casemates. However, some of them have been concreted up and the original gun ports have been covered by a huge bank of earth on the side facing the sea. Whilst there, we encountered numerous residents - pigeons and seagulls! One pigeon however was nice enough to let me photograph it. Enjoy the photos.

Nice view of the Spinnaker Tower and also the water tower at Haslar! :^)

She's happy to see me, see that smile?

Thanks for readin'!

 

[MarkusCP87]

Never expected to see a shot of that Pigeon Haha, looks a good place.

 

[Bikin Glynn]

I like that thanks for sharing

 

[Calamity Jane]

Nice this. Who doesn't like a fort or 3. I dont pretend to know every area of a fort. But understand some. Ive always wondered why are casemates called that? And what roll did they actually play. I really am interested.

 

[ACalamita]

Lovely place and even more lovely pigeon

 

[Dragon_Urbex]

Never expected to see a shot of that Pigeon Haha, looks a good place.

I wasn't expecting it to sit still so calmly. I was waiting for it to suddenly take flight and fly into me!

 

[Dragon_Urbex]

I like that thanks for sharing

No probs! Just wish I had a better quality camera - those pics were taken with my Nikon Coolpix bridge camera which tends to overexpose sometimes.

 

[Dragon_Urbex]

Nice this. Who doesn't like a fort or 3. I dont pretend to know every area of a fort. But understand some. Ive always wondered why are casemates called that? And what roll did they actually play. I really am interested.

Aye, forts are very interesting. I spent the time between 2002 and 2012 living in Brittany in France and all along the southern coastline between Vannes and Lorient were Napoleonic forts. - Fort Bloque being one of the most striking as to reach it you had to go along a causeway that gets submerged at high tide. Majority of them were derelict so you could just wander into them. They were incredible, especially with all the tunnels underneath them.

As for casemate, I looked into it and found this: "The word casemate comes from the Spanish term meaning a fortified position, chamber or an armored enclosure; and there is a very good reason why it is so called."

 

[Dragon_Urbex]

Lovely place and even more lovely pigeon

Aye, a good specimen! Pigeons get too much stick in my opinion. They're actually pretty intelligent and friendly.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Aye, forts are very interesting. I spent the time between 2002 and 2012 living in Brittany in France and all along the southern coastline between Vannes and Lorient were Napoleonic forts. - Fort Bloque being one of the most striking as to reach it you had to go along a causeway that gets submerged at high tide. Majority of them were derelict so you could just wander into them. They were incredible, especially with all the tunnels underneath them.

As for casemate, I looked into it and found this: "The word casemate comes from the Spanish term meaning a fortified position, chamber or an armored enclosure; and there is a very good reason why it is so called."

Ah cheers, I suppose I should of looked it up, I normally would do. I did thing its an outter fortification of some sort, but was curious why casemates as its name. Makes sense now