Bembridge Fort (Culver)

Located on the highest point between Sandown and Bembridge, on Culver Down the fort was meant to serve as the island’s final line of defence in the event of a French invasion. There have been several renovations to the fort over the years; for further information, check the PDF provided by The Palmerstone Forts Society.

A garrison of 100 soldiers initially manned 7″ RML guns. It was commissioned and built in May 1862 at a cost of £48,925 as part of the 1860 Royal Commissions plan to protect the ports of Portsmouth and Southampton on the South Coast.

From 1945 to 1965, the fort was abandoned and suffered extensive vandalism; the IW County Council bought the building in 1965 and later sold it to the National Trust, which still owns it today; the interior was renovated and is now leased by the National Trust to the local company Micronair as office space and storage space

• https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/isle-of-wight/bembridge-fort-and-downs/history-of-bembridge-fort
• Palmerstone Forts Society – Bembridge Fort (PDF)

• https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/isle-of-wight/bembridge-fort-and-downs/history-of-bembridge-fort
  
• Palmerston Forts Society PDF’s are reproduced with kind permission of the Palmerstonforts Society