The week of the November lockdown, my partner and I were on the Isle of Wight on an exploring holiday. Luckily when lockdown started, we were able to stay till the end of the week and explored alot of the island.
This site is just up the road from the Needles Old Battery. By orders of Lord Palmerston, this battery was built to protect the naval dockyards at Portsmouth from any potential French invasion /attack. During both WW1 and WW2, the battery was used as the intended purpose (but not from the French, but the Germans). The site was operated secretly. In 1955, Saunders Roe rented the site to test the rockets 'Black Knight', 'Black Arrow' and the satellitle 'Prospero.' These tests were done prior to the rockets being sent to Australia. The first rocket to be tested was the Black Knight. This was tested in April 1957, then transfered to Wommera, Australia for launching. The Black Knight was designed to test the effect of re-entry to the earths atmosphere and develop the design of large liqud fulled rockets. The Black Arrow rocket was desgined to put a satellte into orbit. This was developed in late 1960s. Eventually being launched from Woomera, Australia with Prospero satellte. After a few days, the Britsh governement canceled the space programme. And the final Black Arrow rocket was built and given to the Science Musuem, London.
The explore was a very wet and windy day. However, we did risk walking along and exploring the site. Waterproofs on and still soaking wet afterwards. We firstly walked from the carpark along to the Needles and looked around the Battery site. The undergound rooms of the battery were closed due to the Covid pandemic- staff not being able to clean the handrails. We then decieded to walk up to the Old Battery and the High Down Rocket Testing site. Ducking under the fence and slowly walking down the hill, we started to explore. Was defienlty a beauitful to see such an untouches site. (Near to no graffiti).
Please note the site is owned and maintained by National Trust. Also, go in the winter (less people around) and not on a wet and windy day!
This site is just up the road from the Needles Old Battery. By orders of Lord Palmerston, this battery was built to protect the naval dockyards at Portsmouth from any potential French invasion /attack. During both WW1 and WW2, the battery was used as the intended purpose (but not from the French, but the Germans). The site was operated secretly. In 1955, Saunders Roe rented the site to test the rockets 'Black Knight', 'Black Arrow' and the satellitle 'Prospero.' These tests were done prior to the rockets being sent to Australia. The first rocket to be tested was the Black Knight. This was tested in April 1957, then transfered to Wommera, Australia for launching. The Black Knight was designed to test the effect of re-entry to the earths atmosphere and develop the design of large liqud fulled rockets. The Black Arrow rocket was desgined to put a satellte into orbit. This was developed in late 1960s. Eventually being launched from Woomera, Australia with Prospero satellte. After a few days, the Britsh governement canceled the space programme. And the final Black Arrow rocket was built and given to the Science Musuem, London.
The explore was a very wet and windy day. However, we did risk walking along and exploring the site. Waterproofs on and still soaking wet afterwards. We firstly walked from the carpark along to the Needles and looked around the Battery site. The undergound rooms of the battery were closed due to the Covid pandemic- staff not being able to clean the handrails. We then decieded to walk up to the Old Battery and the High Down Rocket Testing site. Ducking under the fence and slowly walking down the hill, we started to explore. Was defienlty a beauitful to see such an untouches site. (Near to no graffiti).
Please note the site is owned and maintained by National Trust. Also, go in the winter (less people around) and not on a wet and windy day!
