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This morning we set off to spend the best part of the day on a trip to Hurst Castle.
We began with a drive to Keyhaven to park the car and take a ferry to the castle, perched as it is on a spit in the middle of The Solent.
A youthful group were preparing for a sailing trip in the harbour.
Our small boat could take twelve people with weight evenly distributed on each side. I caused some amusement when I asked one small boy how much he weighed. There was keen competition to sit in the front.
A yacht sped past us on our way over.
We disembarked after our short trip,
and were soon confronting the castle walls
along which a couple of children ran freely.
A delivery of Calor Gas was in progress.
Maybe it was destined for the lighthouse.
We walked past this to the shingle bank
that is the nearest viewpoint to the Isle of Wight and The Needles.
Here a Wing battery forming coastal defence from late Victorian times flanks the Solent, and a gull takes a rest.
The 38 ton guns that fired from here are capable of firing a 12 1/2 inch shell, weighing 820 lbs, nearly 3 1/2 miles.They became part of the castle’s secondary armament and were kept permanently loaded.
Hurst Castle was built between 1541 and 1544 as one of a chain of artillery defences protecting key ports and landing places round southern England from Continental attack. It was sited to guard the Needles Passage, the narrow western entrance to the Solent, and gateway to the trading port of Southampton and the new naval base at Portsmouth.
The castle soon developed into powerful fortress. On occasion it was also used as a prison. King Charles 1 was briefly held captive there during the Civil War.
Having begun our tour in the Victorian section, we turned back and walked through the gateway to the Tudor original building.
The stone steps leading up to the first floor were reasonably manageable.
We wandered around the large circular room with its stone floors, mixed material walls,
and reinforced windows.
A young sailor had been left behind by his ship.
Ascending the outside wall was a further set of steps that were much more daunting;
through a door at the top of this flight, a spiral staircase became ever steeper.
Having reached the highest level a notice advised us to lower our heads. This involved almost crawling through the doorway. Young Toby, probably the only person up there who could stand upright, was delighted to provide my photograph with a sense of scale. He was rather chuffed to learn that his photograph would go round the world this evening.
From this viewpoint Jackie notice a peculiar meeting of currents in The Solent;
and we were able to look down on the West Wing, where we then enjoyed a wholesome lunch in the café.
Of the many other exhibitions and displays of information, were a number on the lighthouse;
a Bofors 40mm gun, designed in the 1930s, which was still in service in 2013, making it one of the longest serving artillery pieces of all time.
We were fascinated by the Garrison Theatre which is possibly the last such establishment to survive from the Second World War.
ENSA, or the Entertainments National Service Association, was known to the squaddies as Every Night Something Atrocious.
Apart from signing off in my usual manner, I have to leave the trip there, and report on the return home tomorrow.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s splendid penne pasta arrabbiata with which she drank Hoegaarden Anno 1445, and I drank Giulio Pasotti Bardolino Classico 2016.
A storied castle, that’s for sure!
Thanks very much, Laurie
Enjoyed that visit. I am fascinated by the Isel of Wight and looked forward to each view of the castle.
The wines/beers (never sure which…) always sound good with such pleasant names. Have a small sip for me the entirely sober gal, if you would! 🙂
OK, My pleasure. Thanks a lot, Cynthia
Sorry–Isle.
Looks a really interesting place for a visit.
I haven’t covered much of it. I think you would enjoy it. Thanks, John
The children running free makes the castle wall look even more like a prison. We are all prisoners of our own defence, aren’t we?
Good photo of the Isle of Wight. 🙂
Your second sentence is so typilcally philosophical, Mary. Obviously I got the Isle of Wight in for you. Many thanks
Thank you, Derrick.
Wow, I do wish we’d included that in our itinerary!
Next time, Leslie. Many thanks
Love Young Toby and the little door…Hello Toby, from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA! What a delightful visit. Thank you.
Thanks very much for that, Jeanne. I gave his Mum one of my blog cards. I do hope she reads the comments.
I love the structures of old castles. Could you feel the presence of those before? Amazing architecture.
Thank you very much, Dorinda. Normally I would feel the presence of those gone before, but no when there are so many of my contemporaries about.
Fascinated by your photographic castle tour and your historical description, thank you for the story.
Many thanks, Ivor
This was a great tour, Derrick. I have often wondered about the castle out there. I thought Mons Meg in Edinburgh Castle was large, but those guns with Jackie for scale are quite something. And of course, Toby was a charming yardstick as well!
‘Yardstick’ is good, Lisa. Thanks very much
Thanks for the pictorial thriller of a time travel. The very first impression the Fort had on me was that of a prison. It is a well preserved slice of history with still functioning canons, guns and theatre promising every night something atrocious. I loved the boy standing in the portal just his size. And I await the conclusion of the trip tomorrow.
Very many thanks, Uma
Fine trip and I appreciated I was allowed to tag along.
My pleasure, Cindy. Many thanks
Thank you for the wonderful trip, Derrick. The photos were splendid. I could almost feel the wind in the girl’s hair at the top. I’m fascinated by the history of this castle–Tudor era to the present. Toby and the door, the treacherous steps, the reinforced windows, the guns and views–all so fascinating. The Garrison Theater was interesting, and I’m glad you explained your title because I was a bit worried when I first saw it! 🙂 I can imagine the soldiers saying that–but still probably eagerly attending.
Your dinner sounds delicious, too! 🙂
Thanks for such a comprehensive set of comments, Merril. You may have noticed that I like to keep readers guessing with my titles 🙂
I have! 🙂
By reading your posts and photos I’m taking a vacation with my mind.
🙂 Many thanks, Elisabet
there seems to be endless things to do for you so close to home, great images, I often wonder when walking on worn through the ages stone, who tread there before I?
Quite. In this case throughout almost half a millennium. Thank you, Kim
It’s one of my all-time favourite days out and I’ve been there several times. That little boat trip is unmissable and an absolute necessity to avoid the shingle on the long walk along the spit. In fact we were there today- pictures to follow!
What a coincidence (almost)
Oh Wow.. what a place to visit.. Those are huge guns.. This is the kind of place I love to visit.. Many thanks for sharing Derrick
Thanks very much, Sue
Interesting description for somebody who cannot go to see the place. I hope to catch up with all your works soonest.
Very many thanks, Geetha.
Most welcome Derrick 🙂
As soon as I saw the post after this one, where you and Jackie left the castle, I came back to read this one. Thank you for telling the history as well as your photos. Fascinating!
And of course, just reading Isle of Wight (birthplace of my Grandfather and family), made me smile, too.
Many thanks, Laurie. Lovely family link
Ah, yes, the Hurst Castle in all its glory! Toby is absolutely perfectly fitted for that doorway 😀 What a great idea to carry blog cards, Derrick. I’ll have to get some, as well.
Thanks very much Rose. Our daughter Becky made the first set of cards and e-mailed me a sheet so I can print my own replacements.
That’s a great idea — thrifty, too! By the way, I cannot believe you’re a septuagenarian — quite a handsome new gravatar. You and Jackie complement each other very well. x
Many thanks, Rose – for the compliment, too 🙂
Great photos. And the weather looks perfect for a day out. Thanks for the history bits which are so interesting.
Thanks ever so much, LL/PS
When I first saw the title of this post I thought
“What the hell has Jackie cooked up for dinner tonight!”.
Had that young sailor appeared before his CO looking like that, he’d have been strung from the yard arm, and justifiably so!
🙂 Many thanks, Brian
Looks like a great day out, with some really interesting features. With Brexit I suppose we will have to get those guns loaded again.
Thanks a lot, Quercus. We won’t need our own defence – Mr Trump will have us covered 🙂
You know Derrick, that doesn’t really comfort me. 🙂
🙂
This looks like a wonderful trip, Derrick! And as always, thank you for the history lesson!
Thank you so much for all your reading and comments, Lavinia
Es un post excelente. Las fotografía del faro y las baterías costeras son muy interesantes.
Many thanks, Walter
This is a great tour, with wonderful photos!! Thank you for pointing me back to it, Derrick!
Thanks a lot, Ed