Hi Johnny The role will require you to liaise with the many other role holders anddeal with [], The Valerie Bacon Archive Living with War in Emsworth is now on display at the Portsmouth History Centre on the third floor of the Central Library. Work to prepare the site started - and finished - in 1942 and provided the Armed Forces with a bombproof HQ to oversee its plans. Did you only try the 2 fronts or did you try one of the other 2? nelson, nuclear, cold war. The diagram was just inside the east access tunnel, however long gone now I expect someone has liberated it! Eyeing down on Eastney. The Portsdown Underground Fuel Bunker, located under the hills North of the Royal Dockyard in Portsmouth, was built during the late 1930s by the Sir Robert McAlpine's construction company. Hi please may you direct me in how to enter this bunker? Keep checking. The main tunnels which appear to have more stuff in are well and truly shut up now (properly locked and welded shut) however the radio tunnel in the side of the white cliffs is still accessible (but hard . We now walked into a different tunnel. Anything please. In 1953, this area was converted into the bunker and was planned to be used in the event of an Atom bomb falling.. Part of the nationwide Cold War measures put in place around the UK at this time. Today a small depression Four tunnels can be accessed beneath the fort, built in the 1860s and armed until the early years of the 20th century. Birth, Marriage & Death (BMD) Unwanted Certificate Service. on iOS, Android & AppGallery. Properties sold Filter: This area only All years As you can see in the photos above and below, there are still remains on the wall that were created when the bunker was built, including electrics, signage, and even some old decor. Tunnels. It was then used by a number of units before housing members of the Royal Corps of Signals and Auxiliary Territorial Service supporting the navy command at Fort Southwick. | From the staircase room there was another tunnel which would take us deeper into Portsdown Hill. Besides five new batteries constructed along the sea front, there were six new forts built Gomer, Grange, Rowner, Brockhurst, Elson and Fareham. The sludge meant that they were unsuitable for alternative use. underground, portal, portals, cave, caves, bunker, bunkers, pipeline, pipelines, / south and looks like a tunnel entrance. Unless any local yobs have smashed through the wall that leads down into the tunnel (it would take some doing) its still blocked. Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This mobile home site in a disused chalk pit was the entrance to a tunnel complex built into the hill to provide air raid shelter accommodation during WWII. At Hilsea Lines the moat was widened and walls strengthened. The highest point of the hill lies within Fort Southwick at 131m above sea level. Didnt go all the way though so who knows. I used to live in Hillsley Road, when Portsmouth Housing Association had It is in fact a firing step used for rifle To get there, you'll have to head to Keppel Hill Road. 2021 to 2023 New Forest & Hampshire Wartime Association, Sway Airfield: The WW2 Emergency Landing Ground (ELG) / Decoy Site. A copy of [], The Hampshire Genealogical Society requires your help. Went down there myself a few days ago to see the damage and it looks like a pretty substantial concrete wall. My email is On the Gosport side of the harbour, Fort Blockhouse (now HMS Dolphin) was updated. This has been demolished and back filled. Having just had a look through your site and being born in Portchester and With the fort buildings and extensive tunnels cut into the chalk they allow an unprecedented amount of space to investigate. Hi, i live locally and wondered how to get access and where? Portsmouth has so many famous landmarks and places to visit above ground - but you might not know about the world of intrigue and history beneath the city. Portsmouths naval history is a long & proud one which the residents of the city are constantly reminded of living in the shadow of Portsdown Hill. This stained glass window, known as the D Day Window, is in Christ Church, Widley the Garrison Church for the Portsdown Forts when the Army were in occupation. in the ground marks this site. The tunnels have been sealed up, so there is nothing much to be seen now. "Relic of a Giant Race. They then found a new lease of life in World War Two, when they became the communications "nerve centre" for the Underground Headquarters and Operation Overlord - the invasion of Normandy. Id like to go this weekend. lived in Paulsgrove from when the estate was first built, that they would Portsdown Hill is a great place for seeing the views of the City of Portsmouth, picnics, and dog walking. However, [** removed **] looks easier to gain access through. It featured heavily in the preparation and operation of OVERLORD in 1944. Upon entering the tunnels, my first thought was how it had a very-1950s and 1960s' vibe to it, even down to noticing some wooden flecked wallpaper on one of the walls. Going to check it out at a later late. There is only two entrances to the tunnels. below if you can't display frames. No idea Shane, its been years since I visited the site Im afraid. felt like a fleet of armoured tanks rolling past, quite a lot of us was Pennsylvania Turnpike after open, circa 1940s. If you found a way, or anyone has, please let me know! We are in desperate need of a Secretary who will be the central point of contact. Me and a few other explorers are looking to go up and have a look and we need some direction. portsdown hill tunnel entrance. In fact, the Portsdown Tunnels play such a significant role that Portsmouth became an important target for the Soviet Union during the Cold War. AsSecretary you will work with the other Principal Officers to ensure the smooth running of the HGS. 104 30K views 2 years ago This incident took place on Portsdown Hill, Hampshire on the 19th of May 2020. portsdown hill tunnel entrance david toma obituary / hampton, nh police log january 2021 / portsdown hill tunnel entrance. Pretty tough stuff, would take a bit of work to get through. The middle of the night, the motorway was totally empty, but it sounding and Whoever graffd Urbex doesnt represent this hobby, theyre an idiot. I may still have some plans from the report I prepared back then. about on the grass around the hole there was a crater of over a meter Mr Hunt's fascination began with a childhood day out on Portsdown Hill, and was cemented when he came across a tunnel entrance. marked the tunnels walls with flint, with arrows so we could find our way I would like to go and explore please could you let me know details of how and where to go. Please book your free ticket in advance to guarantee your visit and pay for parking on arrival at the reception desk. Is there people living in there? The carvings were names etched into the walls, some dates, and some rudimentary attempts at pictures. SO23 8TH, Affiliated to the Family History Federation. | Box Tunnel passes through Box Hill on the Great Western Main Line (GWML) between Bath and Chippenham.The 1.83-mile (2.95 km) tunnel was the world's longest railway tunnel when it was completed in 1841. Portsdown Hill gives anyone (for free) the most amazing 360degree view of the area. Explore the fascinating tunnels that burrow deep into the chalk hill high above Portsmouth. photo site location, Panoramic inside the tunnels. Offers are being invited in excess of 1m (EPC Band C). Her diary entries were never meant to record the war [], Trial Saturday opening Hampshire Record Office are having a trial Saturday opening on SATURDAY 22nd October 2022. Fabulous picnic spot! Take the exit sign posted for Gosport and Fareham. Not going to have much luck finding a PPF3 mask right now! Explore! Ive been walking around trying to find one but just cant seem to! The site was uncovered by contractors during a period of go to the chalk pits by Chalkpit Road, before Lime Grove was built to Be interested to hear! At the roundabout take the first left turn, signed A27 Portchester. In 1939 the Army returned, it also housed the Home Guard Headquarters and the Ambulance Depot. So my question being have you ever heard of any tunnels in that area? In August 1859 the Royal Commission received the instruction to begin work, by considering the defence of Portsmouth. Also at the time when I lived in Hillsley Road, I was my dad informed the council and it was promptly backfilled with concrete We say where we are with coordinates, have the clothing, do underground stuff. Cheeky. Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn8Bi7M05rRsINBxQ_LbyIw/joinWeve mapped out some locations to explore Portsdown hi. Driving Test Centre. The walls were no longer dug out tunnels, but instead a red brick structure, and part of the main fort architecture itself. As Jake said, blocked with concrete although nothing a sledge and a bolster cant remove. As we descended further into the tunnels we started to feel the temperature drop and get colder. The tunnel consist of two bores that pass through Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh, Pa, carrying two lanes of one-way traffic in each direction for S.R. For more information about Palmerstons Folly visit the Palmerston Forts Society website. But what this change in temperature did do was change the conversation over to reports of hauntings. Underground tunnels went from the Barrack block to the caponiers in the moat. But that doesnt mean Fort Widley wasnt used during WW2. The engine powered the ventilation plant. Top ways to experience nearby attractions Portsmouth Historic Dockyard: Ultimate Explorer Ticket 145 "My mum then finalised the whole deal by telling me stories of how she sheltered from the blitz during World War Two by taking refuge in the Wymering Deep Tunnel Shelter. Just to let everyone know the police do regular visits to this bunker now due to the amount of idiots that have been up there, there is a way in but I wont share it, anyone looking at this comment that thinks its funny to start a fire down there and flood it with oil is a idiot and has ruined it for the rest of us, considering we have never been closer to nuclear war Id like to know I can take my family there! Scott any chance to can get in touch? hump in the centre of the picture was used as a firing step. Fort Widley was completed in 1871. These notions are not true, except for the fact that they are The fort was leased to Portsmouth City Council in 1961 and was sold outright to the council in 1972. After finding the site about "Portsdown Tunnels", I found purchased the blocks of flats at the top, I was in the last block, on the This is one of a series of forts on the coast of Britain built to protect Britain from invasion by France in the 1860s. King George VI was among the visitors who attended to look at how the D-Day invasion was plotted, with a historic photo capturing him in the "TURCO" operations room (TURCO stood for "Turnround Control" and was responsible for plotting the deployment of the invasion fleet and turning them round for return to Britain). If I remember rightly, the compound with the road access is the east access tunnel. Another that a tunnel runs from Gosport to and of course locked, what I can remember is the doors were fixed on was surprised on how big they are inside once you drive into the hill Id been wanting to explore these two, Read More Holton Heaths Anti-Aircraft Gun TowersContinue, Watkins and Williams American soldiers in the new forest with, Read More Can You Help Identify these American GIs in the New Forest During WW2?Continue, There is so much World War 2 heritage and history in the Totton and Ashurst areas of Southampton that I felt they deserved a bit, Read More Totton Air Raid Shelters + Ashurst, Calmore, & Eling WW2 HistoryContinue, In Spring of 1944, the New Forest airfields were teeming with RAF and USAAF fighter bombers in preparation for D-Day. The escarp is about 10 - 15 feet thick, backed by earthwork and surmounted by a rampart. If you look into the Solent between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight you may be able to see a circular fort built on the water. Underground tunnels went from the barrack block to the caponiers in the moat. Four men were killed and the locomotive was trapped inside the tunnel. The design was that they should be surrounded by a deep ditch on the west, north (front) and east sides. This included: Isle of Wight and Needles passage, the recently rebuilt Hurst Castle, and the four Solent Forts Spitbank, St. Helens, Horse Sand and No Mans Land. Only five out of the seven recommended forts for Portsdown Hill were built plus a redoubt at Farlington, due to heavy Parliament criticism. practice. I think it was the right hand corner, there was a small doorway with wooden makeshift door blocking access. down the track, which is still there, at the western end of the side [This location there - I never found any evidence to support these ideas. historic website. Hi can you tell me where the other entrance is please On October 2nd, 1925 the tunnel unexpectedly collapsed as a work train was passing through. Real shame I didnt go in when I was peering down the tunnel only couple of weeks ago! From the west Caponier an underground gallery leads back to the spiral stairs and then southwards towards the barracks. I have been 3 times over the last 3 weeks and I havent found an open entrance yet, I know of a entrance that will not be secured yet . During World War Two, Portsdown's chalk pits were also used for bomb shelters. inside them, but that we will never know as all we had was a torch, no pen end. We were then invited to continue walking into the tunnels. Interest in the tunnels has been sparked for years, with the site also having a role to play during World War Two. north to south and the hole appeared about two thirds up the road. Been to them all and you need some kind of oxygen to breathe in them as the farther you go in you cant breathe in there.