Freshwater Redoubt, also known as Fort Redoubt (map reference ) is an old Palmerston fort built in Freshwater Bay on the western end of the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Is ...

. Construction work for the fort began in 1855 and was completed in 1856. It was finally sold in 1928 and has now been converted into a private residence.

Army use

Freshwater Redoubt is a Palmerston fort, completed in 1856 to defend Freshwater Bay, which was a possible landing beach for enemy troops. The deep, dry ditch protects the landward approaches. The

Caponier A caponier is a type of defensive structure in a fortification. Fire from this point could cover the ditch beyond the curtain wall to deter any attempt to storm the wall. The word originates from the French ', meaning "chicken coop" (a ''capon'' ...

building in the ditch served as barrack accommodation for 24 men. With its iron window-shutters and rifle slots the Caponier also provided a means of ditch defence. The original bridge had a section, which could be withdrawn, near the entrance gate, for defence purposes. The main building, visible through the gate, was originally a single storey, flat-roofed barrack comprising 3 Officers’ Rooms, an Officers’ Kitchen, Staff Sergeant's Quarters, and 2 rooms for 5 and 11 men. The fort was designed with 2 batteries for a total of 7 guns. The Upper Battery, facing the sea, had four gun emplacements and a separate Lower Battery with three gun emplacements covered Freshwater Bay. Early muzzle-loading guns, using gunpowder and firing cannonballs, were replaced over the years by rifled, breech-loading guns firing shells as military technology advanced.

Location

The fort is on the Western headland of Freshwater Bay at the foot of

Tennyson Down Tennyson Down is a hill at the west end of the Isle of Wight just south of Totland. Tennyson Down is a grassy, whale-backed ridge of chalk which rises to 482 ft/147m above sea level. Tennyson Down is named after the poet Lord Tennyson who l ...

. It enjoys outstanding views of Freshwater Bay to the East and the English Channel to the South and West, with the Solent visible to the North across Freshwater and Yarmouth. The view from the top of the drive is of the Isle of Wight coast running along

Compton Bay Compton Bay is a bay located on the southwest section of the Isle of Wight, England. Its northwestern edge is defined by the distinctive white chalk cliff of Freshwater Cliff, named after adjacent Freshwater Bay, which forms a small cove ...

, with

Brighstone Down Brighstone Down is a chalk down on the Isle of Wight. It is located close to the village of Brighstone, in the southwest of the island (the Back of the Wight), and rises to at its highest point, northeast of the village of Mottistone. Towards ...

beyond and continues past Atherfield Point, Chale and Blackgang, towards St. Catherine's Point, with St. Boniface Down in the distance. The small tower visible on the rocks off Hanover Point is an artillery range marker built by the Army. The guns would always fire to seaward of this point

Recent history

The fort is known locally as Fort Redoubt. It was sold by the Army in 1928 and is privately owned. The main building was converted into a two-storey private residence in 1936, and further extended in 1976 but not finished. During the 1980s and 1990s it operated as a tea room. The current owners have completed their own accommodation in the main building and carried out landscaping improvements in the grounds to recover the original setting of the property. The bridge over the moat was replaced in 2011 and, like the original bridge, affords a view of the Caponier along the moat. The restoration of the

was completed in 2020, and is now 2 holiday lets Fort Redoubt - Upper Caponier
Caponier Holiday accommodation Moonfleet cottage in the grounds was originally married quarters accommodation for the master gunner and is now a holiday cottage called Moonfleet Moonfleet cottage Holiday Let
Moonfleet cottage Holiday Let. Since 1994, it has been a Grade II

Listed Building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern I ...

. In 2005, Peter White wrote ''Moonfleet the opera'', based on the story of '' Moonfleet'' by J. Meade Falkner, while staying at Fort Redoubt.Peter White
LinkedIn - Peter White, Composer and conductor.

Caponier Restoration (2014-2020)

The

building in the ditch had originally served as barrack accommodation for 24 men. By 2000 the roof and floors had been removed at some time in the past (possible for sale of the timber) and all that was left was the brick walls. When the ivy that had grown rampantly over the walls was removed, the render to the external brickwork was found to be in good condition, along with the structural brick work. Caponier 2008

The

is accessed from the courtyard via a brick tunnel and down 19 steps before arriving at the upper floor of the 2 floor Caponier building - posing practical and logistical challenges for getting materials and furniture in and out. In 2014 renovation of the

building began by stabilising the brick work, and installing a new insulated flat roof and a new first floor. Works continued on and off until 2017 when the period timber sash windows and shutters were installed - making the building weather proof for the first time in over 40 years. In 2018 works began again to convert the weather proof shell into 2 three bedroom holiday lets. During the last phase of the works, a scaffold bridge was built from the North Side of the bridge, across to the North West upper floor window (pictured in gallery). This temporary structure was removed when the works concluded in 2020. Every effort has been made to retain the authentic history of the

building despite modern fixtures and fittings. The original metal hooks used to hang soldiers hammocks from have been retained throughout; The gun slits (

Embrasure An embrasure (or crenel or crenelle; sometimes called gunhole in the domain of gunpowder-era architecture) is the opening in a battlement between two raised solid portions (merlons). Alternatively, an embrasure can be a space hollowed out ...

) have been retained and glazed keeping the original lines of sight; the original 2 foot thick brick walls have been exposed emphasising the original military purpose of the building. The Caponier is now 2 comfortably appointed holiday lets arranged over 2 floors (more images available at links)
"Fort Redoubt - Upper Caponier"
- on the first floor
"Fort Redoubt - Lower Caponier"
- on the ground floor

Further Images

File:Freshwater Redoubt Court yard January 2013.jpg, Courtyard January 2013 File:Caponier 2008.png, Deralict Caponier 2008 File:Aerial Photo of Freshwater Redoubt.jpg, Aerial Photo of Freshwater Redoubt Feb 2018 File:Scaffold bridge to facilitate caponier.jpg, Scaffold bridge to facilitate caponier File:Dump trick lowered into Ditch for works.jpg File:Caponier 2020 from West looking East.jpg, Caponier 2020 from West looking East File:Frsshwater Redoubt plan.jpg, Plan of Freshwater Redoubt

References

Publications

External links

Victorian Forts data sheet

Moonfleet cottage Holiday Let

Fort Redoubt - Upper Caponier Holiday Let

Fort Redoubt - Lower Caponier Holiday Let
{{Redoubts Redoubts Palmerston Forts Forts on the Isle of Wight Government buildings completed in 1856 Grade II listed buildings on the Isle of Wight Grade II listed forts 1856 establishments in England