# Fort Hubberstone, Pembrokeshire, September 2011



## T4toria (Jan 11, 2012)

Info from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Hubberstone

Fort Hubberstone, on the west side of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, is a Grade II* Listed Building which belongs to a series of forts built as part of the inner line of defence of the Haven following the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom. Together with Popton Fort on the opposite shore, it provided an interlocking field of fire, and represented the last layer of defence before reaching the Royal Naval dockyard at Pembroke Dock. Construction began in 1863 and was completed in 1865 at a cost of £55,000. It is a large battery, with eleven guns in casemates, eight in an open battery above, with another nine in an open flank battery, and a large barracks to the rear.

The barracks had capacity for 250 men, sourced from the Royal Pembrokeshire Artillery and the 24th Regt of Foot. Recruitment however was frequently constrained by the isolation of the fort, lacking the appeal of more urban stations. The fort was often required to fire live practice rounds, and in 1894 participated in experiments to illuminate targets with searchlights so they could be engaged at night. Notoriously, in 1875 Lt Walter of the militia was murdered by a Doctor Alder in a drunken brawl.

The fort was abandoned after World War I as a consequence of the Haldane Reforms. A 1919 proposal to convert the structure into social housing came to nothing.[2] World War II saw the fort once again in active use, when it was used as an air raid shelter and army camp for American military personnel.

On a good site, the fort has fallen into disrepair. The current owners had plans to restore the structure, but these have fallen through. Owned by Milford Haven Port Authority, the site is not currently open to the public, and has been the scene of non-fatal injuries to trespassers. In 2011 it was named as the fifth most endangered archaeological site in the UK by British Archaeology, which prompted a campaign to seek a long term sustainable use of the site.


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## jonney (Jan 11, 2012)

loveing your photos T4 it's a fantastic place and needs to be saved the petition to save it is here http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-hubberston-fort.html it'd be a sad day if we lost another piece of our heritage thanks for sharing


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## T4toria (Jan 11, 2012)

Have signed. Agreed, its an awesome place and needs saving


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## gingrove (Jan 12, 2012)

I'll sign up to that! Great report.


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## TeeJF (Jan 12, 2012)

Mmmmm... how interesting is that! Compare your pix of the barrack blocks with the same thing we saw in France last spring, not a million miles different really...






Great stuff Missy!


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## night crawler (Jan 12, 2012)

What a brilliant place, I agree it should be saved.


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## jools (Jan 12, 2012)

Magic place and great pictures ,,,,,,, there are other forts round there that would benefit from exploration






I note you have caught the "Jesus" image


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## highcannons (Jan 12, 2012)

re: Jesus image. Mate! I tried squinting and I tried going cross eyed, but I can't see it - does that mean it's too late for me

Great report, T4, great pictures and at this rate you will run out of places..


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## jools (Jan 12, 2012)

,,,oh ye of little faith,,,,


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## krela (Jan 12, 2012)

jools said:


> ,,,oh ye of little faith,,,,



Nope, still looks like rubble to me...


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## Landsker (Jan 12, 2012)

Nice pics! Was a lot of talk about the "saving of the fort" but all seems to have gone quiet on that front.


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## flyboys90 (Jan 12, 2012)

I,ve signed, Great report and photos.


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## godzilla73 (Jan 12, 2012)

Yeah - I think me and Fluffy came close to being one of those near fatal injuries! Great site though - must make a trip back there!Thanks for sharing
Godzy


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## chizyramone (Jan 13, 2012)

Nice report T4.

Must really get my arse into gear and get over to the Fort next time I'm home.


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## Captain-Slow (Jan 13, 2012)

chizyramone said:


> Must really get my arse into gear and get over to the Fort next time I'm home.



No attending any kind of Rock concert this time though. Thank you


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## Foxylady (Jan 15, 2012)

I love seeing this fort. A mate of mine lives in Hubberstone (not the fort though, lol) with an open invite for me to visit...and I really must get over there this year. Cheers T4. 
Signed too, btw.


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## fluffy5518 (Jan 16, 2012)

Crackin' report !! Been there a couple of times now and despite its reletively chavved nature it has a good feel to the place !! Have signed the petition too !! The 1595 person to do so !!


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