Portsdown hill road portsmouth, united kingdom on map. Welcome to portsdown hill portsdown hill is a 120metre high chalk ridge that overlooks the harbours, islands and urban areas of the portsmouth area. These tunnels were then reused as a relay station for the defence teleprinter network of the nato communications organisation during the cold war in. A preliminary raid on the inchindown tunnels was quickly organised, and prelimary pages and pictures were put on the web. Sitting on the top of portsdown hill, fort nelson houses the royal armouries collection of artillery.
Initially i believed the pipeline would emerge out of the fuel bunker and run south under the sea across portsmouth harbour to the fuel depot as this seemed to be by far the easiest and least expensive method. Jun 19, 2016 the start is the car park on widley way alongside the churchillian pub on top of the hill from the west southampton on m27. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. With the 70th anniversary of d day approaching, a visit to the little village of southwick and southwick house, tucked behind the protective hill of portsdown seems appropriate. The tunnels book series by multiple authors includes books tunnels, deeper, freefall, and several more. Fort widley tunnels are where most of the ghosts sightings are reported.
The book placed on the new york times childrens chapter books. Fort southwick, southwick and widley 11672 historic england. It is the highest fort on the hill, and holds the water storage tanks for the other forts, supplying them via a brick lined aqueduct. The adjacent countryside is part of what was a royal hunting forest. Outdoors youll find plenty of space to let off steam. Royal armouries fort nelson, portsdown hill road, fareham 2020. Fort widley, portsdown hill, cosham, portsmouth, po6 3ls. Sited in large chalkpit behind paulsgrove, on portsmouths portsdown hill, are some world war ii underground workings. Naval fuel bunker, portsdown hill, hampshire the urban explorer. In fact, the sides of a tunnel book might make you think of an accordion. Su 60 nw southwick and widley portsdown hill 12 fort southwick i one of a series of forts wallington now demolished, nelson, southwick, widley and purbrook along the chalk ridge of portsdown hill, built for the defence of portsmouth against landward attack in the 1860s, and known as palmerstons folly. May 08, 2014 southwick house small place big history crucial planning for dday. Construction was started in 1861 and completed by 1870.
Tunnel books are made up of a series of pages that are held together by folded strips of paper on each side. Australia and america and appearing in books, newspapers and on tv and radio. We explore a hidden ww2 fuel bunker in portsmouth youtube. Friends of portsdown the friends are local people who enjoy portsdown hill in one way or another and wish to keep it as an important amenity for everyone to enjoy. Portsdown hill fuel depot were built during the late 1930s as bombproof naval oil reservoirs. See the complete tunnels series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. The single exception seems to be bob hunts excellent site on the portsdown tunnels, which includes information and a very useful plan on the portsdown fuel bunker. Located mainly on portsea island, it is the united kingdoms only island city. The highest point of the hill lies within fort southwick at 1m above sea level. Fort widley portsdown hill road portsmouth po6 3ls in portsmouth. Underground tunnels went from the barrack block to the caponiers in the moat. Portsdown tunnels researching the sites of portsdown. During the 1990s the extensive undergrowth was cleared away, the perimeter fence was replaced, and the site.
The portsdown underground fuel bunker was built during the late 1930s and early 1940s, by sir robert mcalpines construction company, as a bombproof royal navy fuel oil reservoir to serve the fleet at the portsmouth naval base. Please note daily gun firings at the fort are currently suspended. Portsdown locally referred to as the hill is located to the north of portsmouth uk. Portsmouths 5 haunted places to visit spooky isles.
The overall effect of a tunnel book is to create the illusion of depth and perspective. Books and journals lloyd, d w, buildings of portsmouth and its environs, 1974, 80,81 pevsner, n, the buildings of england. Royal armouries fort nelson, portsdown hill road, fareham. Hear the echoes as you head deep into the dark tunnels of this unique victorian fort, poised for attack from a french invasion. Paulsgrove quarry radio station subterranea britannica. View from a hill written in a time when gazing from a.
Located on top of portsdown hill near fareham, fort nelson is home to the royal armouries national collection of artillery including the big guns. Hambledon to portsdown hill wayfarers walk weekend walk 68 posted on november 18, 2017 november 18, 2017 by duncan toms from the downland village of hambledon, through denmead and the eastern edge of the forest of bere, the path then slowly. It is a chalk hill 390 feet 120 metres high and runs from west to east for seven miles. New book revels in portsmouths literary heritage the news. Explore 19 acres of ramparts, outer fortifications, secret underground tunnels, and ammunition bunkers of this fully restored victorian fort, on top of portsdown hill overlooking the solent. View from a hill written in a time when gazing from a hill. It is widely believed that the death toll would have been significantly higher, were it not for the preparation taken to provide private these shelters and the work. Apr 16, 2020 during world war ii tunnels were excavated under the hill to be used as headquarters with 700 staff working underground on the 6th june 1944. Fort southwick, southwick and widley 11672 historic.
Tunnels including the whole series is another incredibly wellwritten and plotted series for its age group and genre. Clocking in at more than 450 pages, the story meanders and drifts for the first third, often getting mired in exposition that will have english teachers everywhere yelling. The book will now be published as an e book through amazon. The buried pipeline from the fuel bunker ran south for 6 miles 9. Paulsgrove underground ww2 radio station, portsmouth sited in large chalkpit behind paulsgrove, on portsmouths portsdown hill, are some world war ii underground workings. Aug 08, 2015 on top of portsdown to the west of fort southwick is a large high fenced valve compound, which is to the north and slightly to the west of the main southern portals. The term popup book is often applied to any book with threedimensional pages, although properly the umbrella term movable book covers popups, transformations, tunnel books, volvelles, flaps, pulltabs, popouts, pulldowns, and more, each of which. Tunnels book 1 mass market paperback february 1, 2009. Its abit slippery to get to but worth it just for the view for some reason the camera speed increased in edit and light.
But tunnels also has some rookie mistakes from the firsttime authors and suffers from the lax editorial hand that has become all too common in modern. It is situated on portsdown hill beneath fort southwick, a large 19th century palmerston fort. Photo of portsmouth, the view from portsdown hill c. These tunnels were then reused as a relay station for the defence teleprinter network of the nato communications organisation during the cold war in the 1960s. I heard that it was going to have been made into a movie at one point, but was really disappointed when it got canceled, however, this is a book that one must read. Yet the tragedy unfolding at her alma mater chills her to the. Oct 30, 2009 the barrack block of fort widley on portsdown hill the enormous structure is surrounded by a dry moat with mortar batteries in case anyone tried to enter the moat. Fort widley portsdown hill road portsmouth po6 3ls. Fort widley, city of portsmouth 87128 historic england. Discover spooky history at fort nelson visitengland. Armed with corned beef sandwiches and orange juice we would. There are many acres of open space on the hill, with footpaths leading off into the countryside beyond. Dont be put off by the necessary technical stuff, as theres lots of useful nuggets.
Beneath it is a massive network of tunnels, many not completely mapped, and there are stories of people getting lost. They are independent but have strong links with the portsdown hill countryside service based at fort widley, and with the portsdown hill conservation volunteers. Thanks to tablet computers and smartphones, combined with ebook technology, you can browse for new. The ridge offers good views to the south over portsmouth, the solent, hayling island and gosport, with the isle of wight beyond. Hampshire and the isle of wight, 1967, 387,388 corney, a, portsmouth city museums in fort widley and the great forts on portsdown. Inside, there are two main rooms on different levels, lined with steel sheeting and supporting girders, the standard style for the for. There are many stories about real and imagined tunnels in the hill.
It has a fantastic plot which constantly keeps the reader into. Portsdown hill petroleum storage depot this is the location of a number of large underground fuel tanks for storing oil used by the dockyards during the wars and later, part of the government. This gave direct access to the pumping station below. Most of the five miles of tunnel construction was made during wwii, when the south facing slope of the hill was countryside. I was very interested to read your piece in the portsmouth news last night regarding the portsdown tunnels. They are believed to be a radio facility for the nearby underground hq at fort southwick. Gr 59roderick gordon and brian williams fantasy chicken house, 2007 is an exciting story about two 14yearold boys, will and chester, who discover, while digging a tunnel, a strange and dangerous civilization underneath modern london. Situated on portsdown hill, 100ft beneath fort southwick, a large 19th century palmerston fort. They are independent but have strong links with the portsdown hill.
During the 1990s the extensive undergrowth was cleared away, the perimeter fence was replaced, and the site including the pipeline was decommissioned. Burrows, has recently disappeared, and the boy has reason to believe that his dad may have discovered the entrance to this underground. Fort widley ghost hunt at fort widley portsdown hill road. The distance between the southern portal and this site is 400 yards. At the end of this decade, for a day out, my mum would take me on a number 4 bus to visit her sister who lived in tintern close paulsgrove which is an estate located on southern portsdown. In the past, you needed to head to the library or the bookstore to browse through physical books on the shelves to find a new adventure to check out or buy with todays modern technology, though, your next great read is just a few clicks away. If you know any interesting object in portsdown hill road portsmouth, feel free to share it with other visitors comment using your facebook, hotmail, yahoo or aol account. Discover spooky tunnels at the royal armouries fort. In addition to these 123 semi underground trench shelters were built as well as more substantial brick built shelters, tunnels cut into portsdown hill were also used as shelters. Situated on portsdown hill, 100ft beneath fort southwick, a. The site is listed in the mod national asset register see links for more info as the portsdown oil fuel depot. Fort southwick is one of the forts found on portsdown hill, which overlooks the naval base of portsmouth in the county of hampshire, england. In the past, residents in the surrounding area have complained of strange. Portsdown hill is a chalk ridge that overlooks portsmouth and provides a stunning viewpoint over the city, the harbours and over to the isle of wight.
You can explore the dark, spooky maze of underground tunnels that previously stored. These are accessed from tunnels deep underneath the parade ground. I will be looking into the forts and any underground tunnels in portsmouth and the \uk. But tunnels also has some rookie mistakes from the firsttime authors and suffers from the lax editorial hand that has become all too common in modern childrens fantasy. The war department purchased the necessary acreage along portsdown hill.
Then follow signs for a3 waterlooville near the top of the hill turn left onto the b2177 to southwick, portsdown hill road. It has a fantastic plot which constantly keeps the reader into it. This large underground headquarters was built in 1942 as a naval command centre. See more ideas about hampshire, england and history. Jan 03, 2017 portsdown hill tunnels ww2 dday radio shelters paulsgrove. However significant new information regarding the fuel bunker has come to light and publication will now take place after this has been incorporated into the book. During the 1930s a vast underground fuel bunker was dug deep in to portsdown hill, capable of holding up to around 180000 tons of oil. Fort widley is a victorian fort designed to repulse attack from the landward side of portsmouth, and sits in a string of forts on the chalk downs overlooking the city. Much of portsdown s extensive chalk grassland is a site of special scientific interest. Tunnels was critically well received, although some complaints about its lengthy, slow start were recorded. During ww2 a secure underground radio station was installed in tunnels excavated in the face of the paulsgrove chalk quarry a short distance to the south of.
My father was an engineer during the war working at the gosport fuel depot responsible for maintaining the pumps that pumped the oil off the tankers into the storage tanks in the depot and from there to the reservoirs under portsdown hill. In her decade tracking serial killers, fbi special agent kelly jones has seen some of the worst humanity can inflict. Portsdown hill is a long chalk ridge in hampshire, england. Experience the haunted atmospheric tunnels of fort widley. I believe that three of this type were built in uk. During world war ii tunnels were excavated under the hill to be used as headquarters with 700 staff working underground on the 6th june 1944. Directly below us, at the head of the bay, was a huge square enclosure of. The start is the car park on widley way alongside the churchillian pub on top of the hill from the west southampton on m27. The barrack block of fort widley on portsdown hill.
Armed with corned beef sandwiches and orange juice we would then climb the hill and wander off to southwick village to the north. You can explore the dark, spooky maze of underground tunnels that previously stored ammunition. It also provides spectacular views over the forest of bere to the south downs. Portsdown hill tunnels ww2 dday radio shelters paulsgrove. The book placed on the new york times childrens chapter books bestseller list in february and march 2008. Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of hampshire on the south coast of england. On top of portsdown to the west of fort southwick is a large high fenced valve compound, which is to the north and slightly to the west of the main southern portals. Our special big gun firings will take place as advertised. Photo prints old maps folded maps calendars photo books jigsaws mugs tableware tea towels cushion covers gift cards wallpaper trade colour contrast galleries. Fort widley ghost hunt tickets fort widley portsdown hill. Portsdown hill is a chalk escarpment running east to west, providing a useful natural defence along the northern landward side of portsea island.
Southwick house small place big history crucial planning for dday. Explore 19 acres of ramparts, outer fortifications, secret underground tunnels, and ammunition bunkers of this fully restored victorian fort, on top of. Oct 12, 2018 the site is listed in the mod national asset register see links for more info as the portsdown oil fuel depot. Explore 19 acres of ramparts, outer fortifications, secret underground tunnels, and ammunition bunkers at this fully restored victorian fort.