Lymdens Bulwark

Has been described as a Certain Artillery Fort

There are no visible remains

NameLymdens Bulwark
Alternative NamesThe bulwark of Mr Sperte's making
Historic CountryHampshire and the Isle of Wight
Modern AuthorityHampshire
1974 AuthorityHampshire
Civil ParishGosport

Around 1539 another fortification known as Lymden's Bulwark was built to the south-west of the Blockhouse, possibly on or near the present day site of Haslar Hospital. This may have been a wooden structure of no great durability. Both the Blockhouse and Bulwark are shown on a portrait of 1545 as a round tower with supporting buttresses and battlements and a larger two-tiered circular fortification respectively, although the accuracy of this portrait is open to question. However, an armament list of c.1547 mentions the Bulwark but not the Blockhouse, possibly suggesting that the latter had been disarmed by this date. Indeed, the Blockhouse is not shown on a map of c.1588 the Bulwark was described as old and decayed and its remains were still visible as a mound in early-mid 17th century. (Hampshire AHBR)

Gatehouse Comments

Supplementary bulwark to the chain tower and blockhouse of Gosport.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSZ623990
Latitude50.7872314453125
Longitude-1.11756002902985
Eastings462300
Northings99000
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 50
  • Williams, G.H., 1979, The Western Defences of Portsmouth Harbour 1400-1800 (Portsmouth City Council)
  • Williams, G.H., 1974, Earlier Fortifications of Gosport (Gosport Historic Records and Museum Soc) p. 10-14
  • Comey, A., 1966, Fortifications in Old Portsmouth p. 30

Primary Sources

  • Gairdner, J. and Brodie, R.H. (eds), 1896, Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII Vol. 15 p. 131 no. 323 online copy
  • c. 1548, The Encampment of the English forces near Portsmouth, Together with a view of the English and French fleets at commencement of the action between them on the XIXth  July MDXLV (Cowdray picture) For a discussion of this picture see Dominic Fontana, The Cowdray engravings and the loss of the Mary Rose

Other

  • Dave Hopkins, 2004, Extensive Urban Survey - Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (English Heritage) Download copy
  • C. Donnithorne, 1999, Fort Blockhouse