If you want to get a sense of Hurst Castle and its location, check out this fantastic drone footage from Wayleebird.
Hurst Castle is near Milford-on-sea in Hampshire on the south coast of England. Completed in 1544, the castle is one of a chain of device forts built to protect the Solent, including others at No Man’s Land, Spitbank, and Horse Sand. They were designed to defend the naval base at Portsmouth and the port of Southampton, from invasion and attack by the French and Spanish navies.
Situated at the end of a 1.5 mile shingle spit that joins the castle to the mainland, the castle is a natural strongpoint, guarding the western entrance to the Solent. Extended and modernised in subsequent generations, the castle today retains much of its grandeur. At its height, more than one hundred and fifty soldiers and support staff lived at Hurst.
The castle has a rich and varied history. King Charles I was imprisoned here in 1648 before being taken to London to face trial and execution. In the latter half of the 18th century, the castle fell into disrepair and was used by smugglers. Heavily refortified in the 19thcentury to counter the threat posed by Napoleon with new wing batteries housing modern cannon.
The battery was closed in 1928 but recommissioned for World War II when soldiers were again stationed there throughout the war.
The original lighthouse at Hurst was named The Hurst Tower and lit for the first time in 1786. The lighthouse that remains today was completed in 1867.
To find out more information, visit the Hurst Castle website. Ferries leave daily from Milford-on-sea from Easter to October.
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