The history of the Fort
Built on the site of the earlier Fort Monckton Auxiliary Battery, Fort Gilkicker was constructed to defend the deepwater anchorage at Stokes Bay. Commenced in 1863, completed in 1871, it consisted of twenty-two gun emplacements in a semi-circular series of granite-faced casemates designed to sweep the approaches to Portsmouth harbour with devastating gun fire.
During its service history the Fort was modified several times. Its casemates were strengthened to protect it against the constantly developing artillery of the day. It was upgraded with the latest coast defence guns in the late nineteenth century and finally it was re-armed during WWI to protect Portsmouth from air attack.
After a brief new lease of life during WWII it began to fall into disuse and was released by the military in 1956. From then on it served as workshops and was acquired by Hampshire County Council in 1986.
