Southsea Castle in Southsea, Hampshire, United Kingdom | Museum

Welcome to Southsea Castle in Southsea, United Kingdom.   Built in 1544, Southsea  Castle was part of a series of fortifications
constructed by Henry VIII around England's coasts to protect the
country from invaders.  Barely was the work completed when Henry
VIII's flagship, the Mary Rose, tragically sank in front of the
Castle. During the English Civil War, nearly a century later, Southsea
Castle was captured for the only time in its history, by Parliamentarian
forces.

Over the centuries, Southsea Castle's defences were strengthened
so that it could continue to protect Portsmouth. In the 19th Century
a tunnel was built to defend the Castle moat. Visitors can still
enter the tunnel and see how Southsea Castle would have been defended
against invaders.

Southsea Castle has had many other uses besides defence. For a while
it was a military prison in Southsea. A lighthouse was built in the 1820s, and
is still in use by shipping today. In 1960 Southsea Castle left military
service. It was acquired by Portsmouth City Council, which restored
the Castle to its 19th century appearance.