Fort Nelson was built in the 1860s on Portsdown Hill above Portsmouth. It is a classic example of one of 'Palmerston's Follies', a group of forts which were recommended by the Royal Commission of 1859, and promoted by Lord Palmerston. Fort Nelson is situated to the West of Fort Southwick, and forms part of a line along Portsdown Hill with forts Widley and Purbrook. The fort is polygonal in shape, with a Redan to the South and a double caponnier to the North. Two demi caponniers protect the East and West ditches of the fort. The fort was mounted with 10 7-inch Rifled Breech Loading guns and 6 Rifled Muzzle Loaders; it was also later used as an Anti Aircraft site during WW2.
The fort has been restored and is open to the public as the Royal Armouries Museum
Plan, courtesy of the Palmerston Forts Society
Entrance to Fort Nelson
Just inside the Fort, to the right is the redan, to the left are the tunnels
Tunnel leading to the centre caponnier, magazines and mortar battery
Unlined tunnel section
Entrances to the magazines
Inside one of the magazines
Tunnel carries on to mortar battery and caponnier
Entrance to the caponnier
Looking into the ditch through an embrasure
Upper level of the caponnier
Gun ports facing into the ditch
Looking back into the tunnel
The Mortar Battery
Passage leading from the Mortar Battery to the parade ground
Looking across the parade ground to the gun positions on the tereplein
The Eastern Haxo Casemates
Inside one of the Haxo Casemates
Another gun mounted on the Tereplein
The Redan
The Redan courtyard
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