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394:. The hotel was unable to reopen as other English hotels did in July, "due to their unique requirements in both transportation and sanitisation requirements". All three Clarenco Forts were listed for sale in July. Spitbank Fort was described as a "33,000 sq ft boutique retreat on three floors". On September 14, 2020,
291:. Its main purpose was as a further line of defence for ships that made it past the two main forts. It is 49.4 metres (162 ft) in diameter across at its base, with one floor and a basement and armour plating only on the seaward side. It was originally planned to have been armed with nine 10" 18-ton
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In 1898 the role of the fort was changed to defend against light craft and the roof was fitted out with two 4.7" guns and searchlights. In the early 1900s all but three original large guns were removed. Minor upgrades to the smaller guns and searchlights continued through the years. A 2020 report
386:
A 2018 report however, stated that
Spitbank, "largely undamaged, has been protected from inappropriate development by its status ... as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and the designers have been scrupulously careful to preserve ... all the fitments...". At the time, the "9-suite Spitbank ...
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was locked in its dungeons. Cameras followed him as he coped with survival, plus learning skills with a different member of the public each week. These skills were put to the test as a live insert each
Saturday evening into
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800,000 but was sold before auction, reportedly for more than £1m. The fort was remodelled, with works reportedly costing around £2.6 million, and opened in 2012 as a luxury spa hotel and retreat with nine bedroom suites.
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The fort remained unused after the abolition of coastal artillery in 1956. The fort was declared surplus to requirements in 1962, and put up for sale the following year unsuccessfully. The fort was declared a
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spectacularly open for business, whether overnight stays, corporate events or weddings". Events for up to 60 guests could be accommodated, "during the day, but most would have to leave on the last boat".
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guns on the seaward side, and six 7" seven-ton RML guns on the landward side. However, by the time of completion the plan had changed so that the seaward side received nine
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The four armour-plated forts were designed by
Captain E. H. Stewart overseen by Assistant Inspector General of Fortifications,
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Hogg, I.V. and
Thurston, L.F. (1972). British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914-1918, pages 188-189. Ian Allan, London.
475:"Live in your choice of Victorian sea forts, from a boutique delight with helipad to a crumbling wreck that's a blank canvas"
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Following the purchase of the fort, it underwent restoration and was opened to the public as a museum.
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689:"Pendulum DJ set secretly recorded on Spitbank Fort in the Solent as exclusive new music is revealed"
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on
October 2, 2020. In June 2024 the fort sold at auction to an unknown buyer for £1,120,000.
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489:"Napoleonic History of Spitbank | No Mans | Horse Sand Forts"
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recorded a concert at
Spitbank Fort to promote their new single
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Beginning June 4, 2002 the fort was used as a location for
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667:"Queens Harbour Master Notice to Mariners No 48 of 2020"
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Sea fort located in the Solent, near
Portsmouth, England
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Solent Forts an amazing visit off the
Hampshire coast
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sold the fort to a private buyer in 1982, amid other
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were installed and these were in service until after
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Spitbank is smaller than the two main Solent forts,
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390:In 2020, use of the hotel was suspended due to the
711:"Historical sea forts each sell for more than £1m"
630:Clarenco to operate a trio of forts in the Solent
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653:"Solent Forts | Frequently Asked Questions"
243:. The fort is one of four built as part of the
937:List of Palmerston Forts on the Isle of Wight
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585:, 12 October 2009, accessed 12 October 2009.
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981:Military installations established in 1878
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579:"Sea fort put on the market for £800,000"
334:defence spending cuts in the early 1980s
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359:Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
351:. For six weeks British TV personality
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740:Victorian Forts detailed description
595:Historic Spitbank Fort sells for £1m
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268:Active naval installation, 1878-1956
297:12.5-inch muzzle-loading (RML) guns
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512:National Heritage List for England
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611:Tom Robbins (28 April 2012).
534:"History of the Solent Forts"
428:"History of the Solent Forts"
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536:. Royal Naval Museum Library
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745:Map of Portsmouth Defences
406:that was streamed live on
301:12-inch breechloading guns
293:rifled muzzle loader (RML)
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507:"Spitbank Fort (1018587)"
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299:. From 1884 more modern
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895:Sandown Barrack Battery
311:stated that during the
555:The Coalition Festival
430:. Royal Naval Museum.
106:50.770444°N 1.099083°W
804:The Needles Batteries
349:Banged Up With Beadle
814:Warden Point Battery
392:coronavirus pandemic
374:Hotel, 2012- present
111:50.770444; -1.099083
860:Nodes Point Battery
691:. 25 September 2020
669:. 10 September 2020
330:Ministry of Defence
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926:No Man's Land Fort
865:Steynewood Battery
809:Hatherwood Battery
799:Freshwater Redoubt
326:Scheduled Monument
319:Disused, 1956-1982
289:No Man's Land Fort
172:Reference no.
147:Scheduled monument
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885:Yaverland Battery
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601:, 4 November 2009
458:978-0-7110-0381-1
340:Museum, 1982-2009
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890:Sandown Fort
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792:Western side
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198:Site history
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135:Open to
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829:Fort Albert
540:26 December
305:World War I
211:In use
109: /
85:Coordinates
950:Categories
518:17 January
414:References
368:hard dance
253:Portsmouth
231:or simply
164:Designated
97:1°5′56.7″W
956:Sea forts
695:2 October
673:2 October
370:parties.
364:psytrance
235:is a sea
233:Spit Fort
214:1878–1956
206:1861–1878
190:Condition
715:BBC News
567:Overload
432:Archived
396:Pendulum
193:Complete
783:on the
721:19 June
438:12 July
408:YouTube
263:History
257:England
251:, near
176:1018587
35:England
904:Solent
617:Ft.com
456:
400:Driver
249:Solent
31:Solent
583:Metro
203:Built
723:2024
697:2020
675:2020
542:2020
520:2015
454:ISBN
440:2018
366:and
287:and
237:fort
125:Fort
122:Type
278:STG
227:or
223:or
140:No
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380:£
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