En un regard
Le château en bref
Fort Rowner is one of the so-called Palmerston Forts built west of Portsmouth to protect the naval base against a land attack from the west. It forms part of the Gosport defence line, between Fort Brockhurst and Fort Grange, two almost identical works, and today lies within the grounds of the Royal Navy establishment HMS Sultan.
Designed by William Crossman, it was begun around 1858; after the Inspector of Works judged it faulty, the contractor was dismissed in 1862 and the Royal Engineers completed the work, at a total cost of about £53,000. Manned by companies of the Royal Garrison Artillery, it served as an artillery depot in the 1880s and early 20th century, before the forts were disarmed in 1902. It was then used as barracks, received an anti-aircraft gun in 1916, and later became a Royal Navy degaussing establishment until 1991; in 1945 it was incorporated into HMS Siskin, which became HMS Sultan in 1956.
Built of red brick with granite dressings, the fort has a six-sided polygonal plan surrounded by a wide wet moat, flanked by caponiers, with a circular keep ringed by its own moat. Almost intact, it belongs to the Ministry of Defence; the keep is largely derelict and the moat is used for club angling.
