No Mans Land Fort
Encyclopedia
No Man's Land Fort was a fort built in the Solent
as part of the Palmerston Forts
. It is 2.2 kilometres off the coast of the Isle of Wight
and built between the years 1867 and 1880 to protect Portsmouth
. It was built for a cost of £462,500, a considerable sum if adjusted for inflation*. (*According to the Bank of England Website, £462,500 at 1880 prices is equivalent to £43,391,356 as at December 2010)
No Man's Land Fort is almost identical to Horse Sand Fort
. It is now a luxury home/hospitality centre for high-paying guests – due to the privacy it offers – with an indoor swimming pool and two helipads. In July 2004, Legionella
bacteria found in the hotel's water system forced its closure. The Fort was put up for sale in 2005 and again in 2007, but the company collapsed. In March 2008, Harmesh Pooni, claiming to still be the owner, barricaded himself inside the fort in protest against the administrators KPMG
.
The property was eventually sold by KPMG, who repossessed the fort as acting administrators of property finance company Lexi Holdings
from Mr Pooni, for £910,000 in March 2009.
The 1972 Doctor Who
serial The Sea Devils
used the fort as a filming location for several scenes.
Other sea forts include Spitbank Fort
, St Helens Fort
and Horse Sand Fort
.
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
as part of the Palmerston Forts
Palmerston Forts, Portsmouth
The Palmerston Forts that encircle Portsmouth were built in response to the 1859 Royal Commission dealing with the perceived threat of a French invasion. The forts were intended to defend the Dockyard in Portsmouth. Construction was carried out by the Royal Engineers and civilian contractors...
. It is 2.2 kilometres off the coast of the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
and built between the years 1867 and 1880 to protect Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. It was built for a cost of £462,500, a considerable sum if adjusted for inflation*. (*According to the Bank of England Website, £462,500 at 1880 prices is equivalent to £43,391,356 as at December 2010)
No Man's Land Fort is almost identical to Horse Sand Fort
Horse Sand Fort
Horse Sand Fort is one of the larger Royal Commission sea forts in the Solent off Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. It is 240 feet across, built between 1865 and 1880, with two floors and a basement, armour plated all round....
. It is now a luxury home/hospitality centre for high-paying guests – due to the privacy it offers – with an indoor swimming pool and two helipads. In July 2004, Legionella
Legionella
Legionella is a pathogenic Gram negative bacterium, including species that cause legionellosis or Legionnaires' disease, most notably L. pneumophila. It may be readily visualized with a silver stain....
bacteria found in the hotel's water system forced its closure. The Fort was put up for sale in 2005 and again in 2007, but the company collapsed. In March 2008, Harmesh Pooni, claiming to still be the owner, barricaded himself inside the fort in protest against the administrators KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
.
The property was eventually sold by KPMG, who repossessed the fort as acting administrators of property finance company Lexi Holdings
Lexi Holdings
Lexi Holdings plc was a United Kingdom based finance, property management and property development company, that collapsed in to administration in October 2006 with debts of over £100M.-Background:...
from Mr Pooni, for £910,000 in March 2009.
The 1972 Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
serial The Sea Devils
The Sea Devils
The Sea Devils is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from February 26 to April 1, 1972.-Synopsis:...
used the fort as a filming location for several scenes.
Other sea forts include Spitbank Fort
Spitbank Fort
Spitbank Fort or Spitsand Fort or Spit Sand Fort or simply Spit Fort is a sea fort built as a result of the 1859 Royal Commission. The fort is located in the Solent, near Portsmouth, England....
, St Helens Fort
St Helens Fort
St Helens Fort was built between 1867 and 1880 as a result of the Royal Commission, in the Solent close in to the Isle of Wight to protect the St Helens Road anchorage, it suffered badly from subsidence which forced many changes to the plans, ending up with two 10-inch 18-ton rifled muzzle loading ...
and Horse Sand Fort
Horse Sand Fort
Horse Sand Fort is one of the larger Royal Commission sea forts in the Solent off Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. It is 240 feet across, built between 1865 and 1880, with two floors and a basement, armour plated all round....
.
External links
- Detailed description, history and plans of Horse Sand and No Man's Land forts at Palmerston Forts Society
- No Man's Land Fort Photograph at Palmerston Forts Society
- Map of Portsmouth Defences at Palmerston Forts Society
- Peaceful setting with good sea views! No Man's Land Fort, Touching History
- JBT Marine delivery to No mans land fort
