Mobile History
DEENFR
FortressPortsmouth

Southsea Castle

Southsea Castle
Navigate here · Google MapsApple Maps

The Fortress can be visited
Museum

On England's south coast, Southsea Castle is a fortress that once guarded the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour.

History+

The fortress was constructed between 1543 and 1544 under Henry VIII, built in just six months. It was part of a series of coastal fortifications the king ordered after his break with the Roman Church, aimed at protecting his realm from potential invasions by Catholic powers like France and Spain. Indeed, a French invasion fleet appeared off Portsmouth in 1545, and Henry VIII witnessed the sinking of his flagship, the Mary Rose, from Southsea Castle. The site served military purposes for over 400 years.

Want to learn more about this site?

The full description is available with Premium — plus offline packages, audio guide and high-resolution images.

  • Every description, including the ~17,700 Premium sites
  • Audio guide: have descriptions read to you on location
  • AR finder: see sites through your camera, with distance and bearing
  • Unlimited saved sites
Unlock Premium14 days free

14 days free, then from €2.99 a month. Cancel anytime.

Already Premium and still locked?

Sign-in works per address. On mobilehistory.app you need to sign in once separately — your Premium then applies here too.

Sign in →

Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.

Location: 50.7782, -1.0888