Press Release - 16th Oct 2024

The National Trust and the Bembridge Fort Trust are pleased to announce that they have agreed a long-term lease for the Palmerston era Bembridge Fort, located on Culver Down on the Isle of Wight.

As part of an ambitious conservation and community development program, in partnership with other heritage organisations, Bembridge Fort Trust will now seek to develop the fort as one of the Island’s major attractions, and a venue for a wide range of public events and community activities.

The Trust not only plans to continue conserving Bembridge Fort as a building, but also celebrate the fort’s history and its place in the defence of the Island, whilst creating something that will leave a legacy for future generations.

The Bembridge Fort Trustees and its management committee are keen to bring the fort into the 21st century, providing new opportunities as a community heritage hub to revitalise the building. This will include a new visitor experience along with interpretation and research to fully explain the long heritage and unique history of the building. The Trust will also seek to make the building open and accessible to the island community and provide services that are beneficial to the community.

As a non-profit making Charitable Trust all monies will be invested into the building fabric and immediate environment to ensure safe and secure access and long-term protection for this unique and important building. The trust is actively recruiting volunteers for a wide range of different roles. People from all walks of life are encouraged to join the team with training provided wherever required. It is likely that the fort will be closed for up 18 months whilst major renovation works take place.

However, it will be possible for organised groups to visits the fort for guided tours of the accessible areas. For more information please visit: www.bembridgefort.org   

Mike Greenslade, General Manager of the National Trust on the Isle of Wight, says, “This is an exciting opportunity for Bembridge Fort to reach its true potential as a place to welcome visitors on the island. A place of exploration, education and discovery, all delivered in the safe hands of the Bembridge Fort Trust, which will bring benefits for the community and secure the long-term future of the fort.”

Brief History of the Fort

Bembridge Fort is a Palmerston era fort, one of 18 on the Isle of Wight along with four Solent forts. It was built between 1863 and 1867 to defend Sandown Bay and other gun batteries in the immediate area as a response to the perceived threat of a French invasion. It fell into disuse by WW1 but was reactivated in 1939 when the Fort played a pivotal role in the defence of the Isle of Wight and the south coast.  During WW2, the fort was one of the most secret places in Great Britain because of its role in the development of radar, a centre for loop detection, hydrophones and remote minefield systems. Anti-aircraft and search light batteries were installed as part of the fort’s defences and the fort also played a key role in D-Day.

The fort was abandoned by the Ministry of Defence in 1956 and Bembridge Fort Trust intends to highlight the fort’s invaluable contribution to the defence of Britain and the Island during WW2.

In 1965 Culver Down was purchased by the Isle of Wight County Council and in 1967 the headland, including the fort, was sold to the National Trust as part of Project Neptune, a plan to purchase and preserve Britain’s coast. Sadly, in the intervening ten years the fort had been vandalised and stripped of many features.

In 1968 the National Trust leased the fort to a commercial company who built a large works and factory unit in the western part of the parade ground and heavily modified many other areas of the fort.

Since then, it has remained private and not much used. However, around 20 years ago, a dedicated team of volunteers worked with the National Trust to initiate a site clearance. The volunteers successfully cleared one of the defensive caponiers and parts of the fort, allowing for a number of pre-booked guided tours. These tours have been a cherished opportunity for visitors.

Editors: For further information please contact  info@bembridgefort.org

About the National Trust:  

The National Trust is an independent conservation charity founded in 1895 by three people: Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley, who saw the importance of the nation's heritage and open spaces and wanted to preserve them for everyone to enjoy. Today, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we continue to look after places so people and nature can thrive.

We care for more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 780 miles of coastline, 1 million collection items and 500 historic properties, gardens and nature reserves. In 2022/23 we received 24 million visitors to our pay for entry sites. The National Trust is for everyone - we were founded for the benefit of the whole nation, and our 5.7 million members, funders and donors, and tens of thousands of volunteers support our work to care for nature, beauty, history for everyone, for ever.