What's Grey and Concrete and Sits in the Sea? (St Helens Fort (Solent))

Member Name: JJJJ

Product:	St Helens Fort (Solent)
Date:	12/11/08 (278 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Rich in History

Disadvantages: It has no owner

If you ever see a large concrete structure off the coast of the Isle of Wight, it's likely to be a Fort.

The Island has a few of these circular bases dotted around its coastline, including 'Horse Sand Fort', 'St Helens Fort', 'No Mans Land Fort' and 'Spitbank Fort'. St Helens Fort in particular was constructed towards the end of the 18th Century in order to repel a potential attack from the French, who were led at the time by Louis Napoleon III. In later years, the fort was used in both the World Wars as a heavy-gun station, and in modern times as a mini-lighthouse.

At the moment, no-one own St Helens Fort, and it is currently for sale. If you want to purchase an incredibly important piece of British history, it could be yours for roughly £200,000! - which actually doesn't seem much when you consider the scale of the place.

On one day a year, during a particularly low tide, it is possible to walk out to the fort from the beach. A natural path appears, and although you will have to do a little wading, you can reach the structure and walk round the outside. This has become a tradition, and hundreds and hundreds of people will make the short journey (which looks like a scene from Exodus!) to the concrete sea-battery. I've done it myself, although you do have to be quick on the way back, as the tide can come in rather fast, and you can find yourself waist deep in surging water.

All in all, St Helens Fort is an impressive building, and one which has an important factor in the defence of our country for centuries. It's sad to see it without an owner, but there you go. Anyway, that gives you something to do for next August - the St Helens Fort Walk!, just make sure you can swim...

Summary: Interesting Building