Whale Island is a small island in
Portsmouth Harbour, close by
Portsea Island
Portsea Island is a flat and low-lying natural island in area, just off the southern coast of Hampshire in England. Portsea Island contains the majority of the city of Portsmouth.
Portsea Island has the third-largest population of all th ...
. It is home to
HMS ''Excellent'', the oldest shore training establishment within the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
, and the location of the
Navy Command Headquarters. The island is linked to Portsea Island and thence to the mainland by road bridges.
Early history
Ordnance Survey
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maps of Portsmouth Harbour from 1862 show Whale Island as a narrow strip: its east-to-west dimensions were similar to present times, but north to south it measured only tens of yards. To its northwest was Little Whale Island.
[Maps, documents and photographs on display in the Quarterdeck building, HMS Excellent.] Modern Whale Island is predominantly
reclaimed land, using the deposits dredged from Portsmouth harbour during the 19th century, increasing the land area by about 125%. It was constructed with the help of the many prisoners taken in the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
.
Expansion
During 1867 a
viaduct
A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers or columns supporting a long elevated railway or road. Typically a viaduct connects two points of roughly equal elevation, allowing direct overpass across a wide v ...
was constructed from the north wall of the dockyard to the south-east corner of Big Whale Island which allowed spoil to be moved from dredging the docks (part of the expansion of
HMNB Portsmouth
His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is lo ...
), reclaiming the land between Big Whale Island and Little Whale Island, forming the basis of the island as it is today.
The railway which ran on the viaduct was extended around the island to help with the distribution of the spoil and much of the track is still present today, buried under the roads. Manual construction work was mostly undertaken by convicts; a favourable assignment because of the extra food.
By 1885 the island had five rifle ranges, but three of these were soon decommissioned to make room for the Gun Drill Battery and Drill Ground (today this is the Summer Parade Ground).
Photos on display in Whale Island Quarterdeck (constructed 1888) show that a footbridge to Stamshaw,
Portsea Island
Portsea Island is a flat and low-lying natural island in area, just off the southern coast of Hampshire in England. Portsea Island contains the majority of the city of Portsmouth.
Portsea Island has the third-largest population of all th ...
, was added sometime before 1898 (incorporating a swing-bridge). A small road-bridge now joins the islands at the same point.
From September 1916, the island was home to the
Anti-Aircraft Experimental Section
The Anti-Aircraft Experimental Section of the Munitions Inventions Department was an organisation set up within Lloyd George's Ministry of Munitions in early 1916. Originally based at RAF Northolt, Northholt aerodrome, in May 1916 the section moved ...
.
Before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
Whale Island was home to a zoo which gave a home to several animals presented to British representatives by friendly countries.
Ceremony
The gun carriage that carries the coffin in
British state funerals is maintained on Whale Island.
Visiting
HMS ''Excellent'' is an active Naval base so it is not open to the general public, but there are occasional open days
HMS Excellent Opened to the Public, Navy News
/ref> and prospective visitors are advised to contact the base.
References
{{coord, 50, 49, N, 1, 06, W, display=title, region:GB_type:isle_source:GNS-enwiki
Artificial islands of England
Islands of Hampshire
Portsmouth
Royal Navy bases in Hampshire