Yachtie's nav mark Fort becomes a brewery - beware the French!

Long used by sailors as a navigation mark - Painting by William Lionel Wyllie from the late Nineteenth Century SW

Inside the walls © SW

Spitbank Fort is one of the best navigation marks for yachts in the UK's famed waterway between the Isle of Wight and the mainland, the Solent.

In 1859 Lord Palmerston wanted to build the Fort because he thought that France was about to invade England, and Queen Victoria agreed. Obviously today's Brits don't think that the French are going to invade any time soon, because they plan to turn it into a brewery.

What Lord Palmerston might have thought of the idea of turning this UK icon into a brewery would be a challenge to guess, but it is a sure bet that he would have been appalled.

The 19th century fort in the Solent, built to defend Portsmouth Harbour, is currently a private museum. It is 162 feet in diameter across at its base, with 1 floor and a basement and armour plating only on the seaward side.

It was originally planned to have been armed with nine 10' eighteen ton rifled muzzle loader (RML) guns on the seaward side, and six 7' seven ton RML guns on the landward side. However, by the time of completion the plan had changed so that the seaward side received nine 12.5' thirty eight ton RML guns.

In 1898 the role of the fort was changed to defend against light craft and the roof was fitted out with two 4.7' guns and searchlights. In the early 1900s all but three original large guns were removed. Minor upgrades to the smaller guns and searchlights continued through the years.

The fort was declared surplus to requirements in 1962 and disposed of by the Ministry of Defence in 1982

Spitbank Fort today © SW

Now the owners of Spitbank Fort, nifty entrepreneurs Neale Brickwood, Paul Holland and Ian Price, have proposed building the brewery using fresh water drawn from the fort's own 400 foot deep well to make real ale.

A mineral water bottling plant using the same supply source may also be set up as part of the development proposed for the fort. The project also includes plans for a recording studio, three sets of dormitories, a classroom, and a helipad, although the fort's primary function will continue to be that of a museum. With all these new plans, it's a wonder that the venerable Lord isn't preparing to haunt the corridors.

Apart from the museum on the site, the owners currently run regular lunches and other functions at the fort, and it is available for corporate events. There is also limited accommodation, but there's apparently no responsibility on the guests to report stray French warships sailing past.

Though always equipped for high level defence, the fort never fired a single shot in anger. In fact, by the time the fort was built, France was far too busy fighting the Prussians to worry about invading England.