Hurst Castle

Hurst Castle is an artillery fort established by Henry VIII on the Hurst Spit in Hampshire, England, between 1541 and 1544. It formed part of the king's Device Forts coastal protection programme against invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, and defended the western entrance to the Solent waterway. The early castle had a central keep and three bastions, and in 1547 was equipped with 26 guns. It was expensive to operate due to its size, but it formed one of the most powerful forts along the coast. During the English Civil War of the 1640s, Hurst was held by Parliament and was used briefly to detain King Charles I before his execution in 1649. It continued in use during the 18th century but fell into disrepair, the spit being frequented by smugglers.

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1541 Website,  Wikimedia, Wikidata
English Heritage, fort, Device Forts, military museum, Device Forts, South Coast Palmerston Forts, Hurst Castle and lighthouse, 

• Historic England research records page^@
• Gatehouse Gazetteer page^@
• Mapping Museums page^@
• Tripadvisor page^@
• Subterranean History page^@
• Victorian Forts and Artillery page^@
• Solent Papers 2: The Needles Defences page^@
• CastlesFortsBattles page^@
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Location: 50.7064, -1.5512, KML, Cluster Map, Maps,
51 places

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  Battle of Netley ⓘ
  508 battle

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  Battle of Bonchurch ⓘ
  1545 battle in the French invasion of the Isle of Wight

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  French invasion of the Isle of Wight ⓘ
  1545 battle between England and France during the Italian Wars

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  Battle of the Solent ⓘ
  naval conflict between England and France in 1545

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  Skirmish at the Isle of Wight ⓘ
  1647 engagement of the English Civil War

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  Battle of Mudeford ⓘ
  1784 skirmish between smugglers and customs officers

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  Southampton Blitz ⓘ
  WWII aerial bombardment of British port city

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  Browndown Battery ⓘ
  grade II listed building in Gosport, Hampshire, England, UK

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  Lower Needles Point Battery ⓘ
  architectural structure in Totland, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  New Battery and High Down Test Site, The Needles ⓘ
  architectural structure in Totland, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  New Needles Battery ⓘ
  architectural structure in Totland, Isle of Wight, England, UK  

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  No 1 Battery, Stokes Bay Lines ⓘ
  architectural structure in Gosport, Hampshire, England, UK

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  Old Needles Battery ⓘ
  architectural structure in Totland, Isle of Wight, England, UK  

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  The Needles Batteries ⓘ
  historic military defence sites on Isle of Wight, England

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  Yaverland Battery ⓘ
  artillery battery in Sandown, Isle of Wight, England, UK  

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  Warden Point Battery ⓘ
  artillery battery in Totland, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  Sandown Barrack Battery ⓘ
  battery on the Isle of Wight, England, UK  

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  Puckpool Battery ⓘ
  mortar battery on thr Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  Cliff End Battery ⓘ
  artillery battery in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  Hatherwood Battery ⓘ
  artillery battery in Totland, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  Bouldnor Battery ⓘ
  architectural structure in Shalfleet, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  Christchurch Hampshire County Council and County Borough of Bournemouth Area Control ⓘ
  civil defence centre in Hampshire, UK

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  Fort Henry ⓘ
  bunker in Studland, Dorset, UK

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  Gosport Borough Control ⓘ
  civil defence centre in Hampshire, Uk

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  Christchurch Castle ⓘ
  castle, now ruinous, in Christchurch, Dorset, England, UK  

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  East Cowes Castle ⓘ
  former Device Fort in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, England

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  Highcliffe Castle ⓘ
  Grade I listed historic house museum in Highcliffe and Walkford, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset, England, UK  

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  Carisbrooke Castle ⓘ
  motte and bailey castle and museum on the Isle of Wight, England, UK  

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  Calshot Castle ⓘ
  artillery fort on the Calshot Spit, Hampshire, England, UK  

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  West Cowes Castle ⓘ
  castle in Cowes, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  Netley Castle ⓘ
  castle in Netley village on the border of Hampshire, England, UK

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  Brownsea Castle ⓘ
  grade II listed Device Fort in Purbeck, United Kingdom

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  Sandown Castle ⓘ
  Device Fort built at Sandown on the Isle of Wight

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  Yarmouth Castle ⓘ
  English artillery fort  

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  Fort Victoria ⓘ
  fort in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England, UK  

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  Hurst Castle ⓘ
  Device Fort in Hampshire, England  

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  Fort Albert ⓘ
  tower fort on the Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  Freshwater Redoubt ⓘ
  Palmerston fort in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  Fort Gomer ⓘ
  former fort in Gosport, England

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  Fort Rowner ⓘ
  Palmerston Fort in Gosport, Hampshire, England, UK

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  Fort Fareham ⓘ
  fort in Fareham, Hampshire, England, UK

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  Fort Gilkicker ⓘ
  fort in Gosport, Hampshire, England, UK

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  Fort Grange ⓘ
  fort in Gosport, Hampshire, England, UK

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  Golden Hill Fort ⓘ
  1863-1872 defensible barracks building at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England, UK

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  Sandown Fort ⓘ
  Palmerston Fort on the Isle of Wight

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  The Wight Military And Heritage Museum ⓘ
  museum on Isle of Wight, England

• 

  Grace Dieu ⓘ
  1418 English warship, destroyed by fire in 1439

• 

  HMT Warwick Deeping ⓘ
  1934 naval trawler

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  HMS Assurance ⓘ
  1747 fifth-rate frigate

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  HMS Pomone ⓘ
  1805 Leda-class fifth-rate frigate

• 

  HMS Acheron ⓘ
  1930 A-class destroyer

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1541 Hurst Castle

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508 Battle of Netley

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1545 Battle of Bonchurch

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1545 French invasion of the Isle of Wight

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1545 Battle of the Solent

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1647 Skirmish at the Isle of Wight

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1784-07-15T00:00:00Z

1784 Battle of Mudeford

1940-01-01T00:00:00Z

1944-01-01T00:00:00Z

1940 — 1944 Southampton Blitz

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1861-01-01T00:00:00Z

1861 The Needles Batteries

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1861 Yaverland Battery

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1862 Warden Point Battery

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1863 Sandown Barrack Battery

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1865-03-01T00:00:00Z

1865 Puckpool Battery

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1868 Cliff End Battery

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1869 Hatherwood Battery

1937-01-01T00:00:00Z

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1937 Bouldnor Battery

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1100 Carisbrooke Castle

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1539 Calshot Castle

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1539 West Cowes Castle

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1542 Netley Castle

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1545 Brownsea Castle

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1545 Sandown Castle

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1547-01-01T00:00:00Z

1547 Yarmouth Castle

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1856-01-01T00:00:00Z

1856 Fort Albert

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1856-01-01T00:00:00Z

1856 Freshwater Redoubt

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1964-01-01T00:00:00Z

1858 — 1964 Fort Gomer

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1858-01-01T00:00:00Z

1858 Fort Rowner

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1861-01-01T00:00:00Z

1861 Fort Fareham

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1863-01-01T00:00:00Z

1863 Fort Gilkicker

1863-01-01T00:00:00Z

1863-01-01T00:00:00Z

1863 Fort Grange

1863-01-01T00:00:00Z

1863-01-01T00:00:00Z

1863 Golden Hill Fort

1864-09-01T00:00:00Z

1864-09-01T00:00:00Z

1864 Sandown Fort

1747-01-01T00:00:00Z

1747-01-01T00:00:00Z

1747 HMS Assurance

1805-01-01T00:00:00Z

1805-01-01T00:00:00Z

1805 HMS Pomone

1931-10-13T00:00:00Z

1931-10-13T00:00:00Z

1931 HMS Acheron

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Frameless

British School, Early Georgian - Shipping off Hurst Castle - RCIN 405062 - Royal Collection

The yacht 'Owen Glendower' running before the wind into the Solent RMG PU6512

H.M.S. Magicienne passing through the Needles March 10th 1816 RMG PU6087

Hurst Castle, 18th century

Hurst Castle, 1840

Hurst Castle and Lighthouse

Hurst Castle (1)

Hurst Castle (2)

Hurst Point â at sunset from up the Solent

Hurst Point â at sunset from up the Solent

• Hurst Castle: the evolution of a Tudor fortress 1790–1945 - , 1985, online
• Hurst Castle - guide book published in 2013
• Solent Papers 2: The Needles Defences - booklet on the fortifications of Portsmouth

Type	Subtype	Date	Description	Notes	Source
area	region		Kings of the Isle of Wight		Wikidata
event	armed conflict	508	Battle of Netley	battle	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1545	Battle of Bonchurch	battle, Kingdom of England	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1545	French invasion of the Isle of Wight	Kingdom of England, invasion, Kingdom of France	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1545	Battle of the Solent	France, Kingdom of England, naval battle	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1647	Skirmish at the Isle of Wight	Kingdom of England, Swedish Empire, skirmish	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1784	Battle of Mudeford	battle	Wikidata
event	armed conflict	1940	Southampton Blitz	United Kingdom, Nazi Germany, aerial bombing of a city	Wikidata
link	page		Historic England research records page@		Wikidata
link	page		Gatehouse Gazetteer page@		Wikidata
link	page		Mapping Museums page@		Wikidata
link	page		Tripadvisor page@		Wikidata
link	page		Subterranean History page@		Wikidata
link	page		Victorian Forts and Artillery page@		Wikidata
link	page		Solent Papers 2: The Needles Defences page@		Wikidata
link	page		CastlesFortsBattles page@		Wikidata
object	watercraft		SM U-122	minelaying submarine, U-boat, Type UE II submarine	Wikidata
organisation	arms industry	1694	J. Samuel White	shipyard, arms industry, shipbuilding, enterprise, business	Wikidata
organisation	arms industry	1913	Supermarine	arms industry, aerospace manufacturer, aircraft industry	Wikidata
organisation	arms industry	1966	VT Group	arms industry, business	Wikidata
organisation	factory	1866	John I. Thornycroft & Company	shipyard, shipbuilding, shipbuilding company	Wikidata
site	artillery battery		Browndown Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery		Lower Needles Point Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery		New Battery and High Down Test Site, The Needles	test facility, artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery		New Needles Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery		No 1 Battery, Stokes Bay Lines	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery		Old Needles Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery	1861	The Needles Batteries	artillery battery, military museum, National Trust	Wikidata
site	artillery battery	1861	Yaverland Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery	1862	Warden Point Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery	1863	Sandown Barrack Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery	1865	Puckpool Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery	1868	Cliff End Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery	1869	Hatherwood Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	artillery battery	1937	Bouldnor Battery	artillery battery	Wikidata
site	bunker		Christchurch Hampshire County Council and County Borough of Bournemouth Area Control	Hampshire County Council, civil defense center, Bournemouth Borough Council	Wikidata
site	bunker		Fort Henry	bunker	Wikidata
site	bunker		Gosport Borough Control	civil defense center, Gosport Borough Council	Wikidata
site	castle		Christchurch Castle	English Heritage, castle	Wikidata
site	castle		East Cowes Castle	fort, castle	Wikidata
site	castle		Highcliffe Castle	historic house museum, English country house, castle	Wikidata
site	castle	1100	Carisbrooke Castle	English Heritage, castle, independent museum, historic house museum, local museum	Wikidata
site	castle	1539	Calshot Castle	fort, English Heritage, castle	Wikidata
site	castle	1539	West Cowes Castle	castle, fort	Wikidata
site	castle	1542	Netley Castle	fort, castle	Wikidata
site	castle	1545	Brownsea Castle	John Lewis Partnership, fort, castle	Wikidata
site	castle	1545	Sandown Castle	destroyed building or structure, fort, castle	Wikidata
site	castle	1547	Yarmouth Castle	military museum, fort, English Heritage, castle	Wikidata
site	fort		Fort Victoria	fort	Wikidata
site	fort	1541	Hurst Castle	fort, English Heritage, military museum, Device Forts	Wikidata
site	fort	1856	Fort Albert	fort	Wikidata
site	fort	1856	Freshwater Redoubt	redoubt	Wikidata
site	fort	1858	Fort Gomer	fort	Wikidata
site	fort	1858	Fort Rowner	fort, Royal Navy, British Army	Wikidata
site	fort	1861	Fort Fareham	fort, bunker	Wikidata
site	fort	1863	Fort Gilkicker	fort	Wikidata
site	fort	1863	Fort Grange	fort	Wikidata
site	fort	1863	Golden Hill Fort	fort, barracks	Wikidata
site	fort	1864	Sandown Fort	fort	Wikidata
site	museum		The Wight Military And Heritage Museum	history museum, military museum	Wikidata
site	shipwreck		Grace Dieu	shipwreck, warship	Wikidata
site	shipwreck		HMT Warwick Deeping	naval trawler, shipwreck	Wikidata
site	shipwreck	1747	HMS Assurance	fifth-rate frigate, shipwreck	Wikidata
site	shipwreck	1805	HMS Pomone	Leda-class fifth-rate frigate, fifth-rate frigate, shipwreck	Wikidata
site	shipwreck	1931	HMS Acheron	shipwreck, A-class destroyer, destroyer	Wikidata
commons	image		British School, Early Georgian - Shipping off Hurst Castle - RCIN 405062 - Royal Collection		Commons
commons	image		The yacht 'Owen Glendower' running before the wind into the Solent RMG PU6512		Commons
commons	image		H.M.S. Magicienne passing through the Needles March 10th 1816 RMG PU6087		Commons
commons	image		Hurst Castle, 18th century		Commons
commons	image		Hurst Castle, 1840		Commons
commons	image		Hurst Castle and Lighthouse		Commons
commons	image		Hurst Castle (1)		Commons
commons	image		Hurst Castle (2)		Commons
commons	image		Hurst Point â at sunset from up the Solent		Commons
commons	image		Hurst Point â at sunset from up the Solent		Commons