Calshot Castle
Fearing the threat of invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, King Henry VIII ordered this castle to be built on Calshot Spit between 1539 and 1540. The castle stands on the end of a mile long spit of land that sticks out into Southampton Water and construction was intended to defend the port from seaborn attack. The castle was armed with 36 artillery guns.
Today the castle is merely a tourist attraction operated by English Heritage. The tower alongside was built in 1973 and served as a coastguard lookout station until the 1990’s when it was taken over by the National Coastwatch Institution. It is manned by staff who monitor all shipping movements up and down Southampton Water.
Calshot Castle
Fearing the threat of invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, King Henry VIII ordered this castle to be built on Calshot Spit between 1539 and 1540. The castle stands on the end of a mile long spit of land that sticks out into Southampton Water and construction was intended to defend the port from seaborn attack. The castle was armed with 36 artillery guns.
Today the castle is merely a tourist attraction operated by English Heritage. The tower alongside was built in 1973 and served as a coastguard lookout station until the 1990’s when it was taken over by the National Coastwatch Institution. It is manned by staff who monitor all shipping movements up and down Southampton Water.