Recently going under the hammer for £1,010,000, the iconic Spitbank Fort has a fantastic history – and it is constantly at the forefront of people’s interest when visiting the city. The fort was built between 1861 and 1878 to provide additional defense as an active naval installation. Spitbank is smaller than the two main Solent forts, Horse Sand Fort and No Man's Land Fort and it was used as naval defence until 1956. Following years of being disused, the fort underwent a refurbishment inside to form a musuem which was in operation between 1982 and 2009.
In 2012 it was transformed into a luxurious, high end hotel equipped with a spa, cinema room, multiple bedrooms, a restaurant and panoramic views of the Solent. Plans for the fort, following its sale in June of this year, have not been disclosed as of yet.
Here are 17 pictures of Spitbank Fort over the years:
9. Spitbank Fort
Solent forts, No Man’s Fort and Spitbank Fort both sold following an auction with Savills back in June. Photo: From The Air Property:Savills
10. Spitbank Fort
Plans for Spitbank Fort following its sale have not been disclosed yet but people are excited to see what the future of the fort holds. Picture: Tony Weaver Photo: SCC
11. Spitbank Fort
Spitbank Fort was built between 1861–1878 and was in use until 1956. Picture: Shaun Roster Photo: SCC
12. Spitbank Fort, Solent
The original purpose of the fort was to provide additional defence alongside No Man's Fort and Horse Sand Fort. Photo: Zoopla