More information : (SU 45120885) Netley Castle (1)
One of the Solent forts built in 1542 by Sir William Paulet at the request of Henry VIII. A single storeyed oblong structure with archways on the seaward side and strong battlemented parapet, the battlements curving convexly on their outward face. The fort was garrisoned until 1627 when it became a private residence. c1840 the fort substantially remained, with little enlargement. c1840-60, an upper storey was added, and in 1885-90 the building was transformed and greatly enlarged, with the addition of a third storey and a new wing on the SE side rising to three storeys. (2-3)
Netley Castle, in use as a hospital, as described above and in excellent condition. The walls of the fort are still visible in the faces of the present building.
Published 1/2500 survey correct; see 1:2500 map diagram for extent of original building. (4)
Completed by 1547, the Henrican Castle was probably commenced in 1544 or 1545 by Lord St John, later 1st Marquess of Winchester. In September 1547 he was pardoned for contributing a fort without licence. Full description and history of he castle until its disablement by Parliamentarians in 1642. (5)
Used as a residence until ca. 1850 when it was altered, and a Gothic tower was added by Guillaume. Extended and remodelled by Sedding in the 1880's. (6)
Grade II*. The core of the present day building comprises of the 1542 artillery fort. Remains of the original structure include the curving top of the parapet with some splayed apertures which protected the gun emplacements. The present day building was altered between 1840-60 with the addition of a Gothic tower. It was remodelled extensively in 1885-90 to the designs of Sedding and includes a two-storey central block with attic and basement. There are three gables above the castellated parapet. The south front has four windows and there is a central bay on a splayed basement on the ground floor. The wings are more complicated architecturally; the south wing has two storeys ending in an octagonal tower and turret.
For more detailed information please refer to the source. (7)
Additional references. (8-9)
Archaeological observations made during refurbishment works to convert the building into apartments proved the assessments of Colvin and others to be largely correct, except with respect to two significant features of the forts original form; there is no evidence of a moat, and the keep and northern platform enclosed open spaces at ground floor level probably roofed by wall fast timber structures.
Although estimates of the fort's construction date vary, it was functioning by at least 25th March 1545, when the records for payments to the garrison begin. The fort was one of a group of three around the Solent, with Southsea and St. Andrew's Point. It was maintained and garrisoned until at least 1626-7 when it was surveyed by Dutch engineers, and possibly as late as 1642 when it was reported as disabled. It was later repaired, in 1650, under the Commonwealth, in anticipation of royalist support for Charles II, but with the re-establishment of the monarchy the fort became redundant and its design obsolete.
The fort's ruinous fabric presented an ideal canvas for 19th century Romantic artists and Gothic architects. Early 18th century estate surveys indicate a gabled roof over the keep whilst the 1838 Tithes survey shows the presence of a tower at the south end by that time. Continuous redesign and refurbishment took place after the fort became a residence in the early 19th century. In 1936 the castle was sold and purchased for conversion into a convalescent home. It was converted to apartments in 2001. (10)
A Solent fort built in 1542 and garrisoned until 1627. It then became private house. It was heightened in 1857 and an asymmetrical Gothic tower was built 1885-90. The 19th century additions added two more floors to the original single-storeyed Henry VIII building. (11)
The Henrician artillery castle consisted of a single-storey rectangular tower (19.5m wide by 14m deep) flanked by gun platforms on either side. There were four wide embrasures facing the sea on the roof of the main building. It was built by Lord St John for Henry VIII. (12)
The Castle become a Convalescent Home in 1946 and has recently been converted into luxury apartments. (13) |