Tuesday Talk - Fort Gilkicker - 1 April

Published 00:25 on 7 Mar 2025

Fort Gilkicker is a historic Palmerston fort built at the eastern end of Stokes Bay, Gosport, Hampshire England to dominate the key anchorage of Spithead. It was erected between 1863 and 1871 as a semi-circular arc with 22 casemates, to be armed with five twelve-inch guns, seventeen ten-inch guns and five nine-inch guns. The actual installed armament rather differed from this. In 1902 the RML guns were replaced by two 9.2-inch and two six-inch BL guns, and before the First World War the walls were further strengthened with substantial earthwork embankments. The fort was disarmed in 1956 and used for storage until 1999. On 28th July 2022, the fort was sold at auction for just under £1.4M and planning has been granted for 26 homes. Since then a massive restoration project has been underway.

Lewis Sharp will tell about it's history and current alterations for a new use in today's world.

Lewis is the Secretary of the Palmerston Forts Society.

Sign up on WebCollect (here) to give an indication of numbers attending - - or just turn up on the night.

Friends and family also welcome. The talk is free.

Bar open from 19.00 and the talk starts promptly at 19.30.

There will be a collection at the end of the evening in aid of the Palmerston Forts Society charity - so please bring some cash if you can.

If anyone requires any further information, please contact Viv, our Social Secretary

Last updated 09:51 on 24 April 2025