Lumps Fort recognised as Scheduled Monument

We are delighted to announce that, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has decided to add Lumps Fort (Southsea) and the site of the nearby practice battery to the National Heritage List for England as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. 

Lumps Fort was completed in October 1861, the result of recommendations to close the gap in Portsmouth defences between Southsea Castle and Fort Cumberland. The Armament of the fort was periodically upgraded until the Owen Committee review of the nation’s defences recommended that the fort was no longer needed and was disarmed in 1907.  During WW2 the fort served as Headquarters for the Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment – the “Cockleshell Heroes”.  Outside the fort is an inclined stone platform of what was the principal practice battery for Portsmouth between the 1860s and 1900s.  Up until today the fort was the only surviving Victorian fortification in Portsmouth not to have the protection of listed status.

In approving the listing, Historic England have recognised Lumps Fort as a well documented part of the internationally important Nineteenth Century defences of Portsmouth dockyard. They feel it is a good example of the construction and form of a victorian coastal battery and its later development to upgrade its artillery in the face of changes in military technology. It also has group value with the other fortifications associated with the defence of Portsmouth, and the Grade II Southsea Common Historic Parks and Gardens. As such they agreed Lumps Fort and practice battery is a site of clear national importance and should be added.

Today’s decision is a great achievement for the Palmerston Forts Society, the first Scheduled Monument Status that we have instigated. The announcement marks the culmination of years of detailed research and applications.  Special thanks should go to PFS Member Duncan who conducted the primary research that has established the full history of the fort and its origins (see Redan 83).

More details can be found on the Historic England website  https://historicengland.org.uk/  as list entry Number: 1490402