Monument record MWX1430 - Upton Fort, Osmington

A coastal defence battery built between 1901 and 1903, part of the defences of Portland Harbour. Alterations and additions were made to fit the battery for use in World War I and World War II, and it was finally decommissioned in 1956.

Coastal battery. Two emplacements for 9.2in guns are visible. They retain their original protective coverings and are in good condition. BOP or CASL building is visible to the SE, c. 200m distant. <1-3>

Upton Fort located at SY 743 815. The coastal battery was completed in 1903 and mounted two 6-inch breech-loading (BL) Mk. VII guns. Two 9.2-inch guns were added to the armament between July and September that same year. In 1908 one of the 6-inch guns was transferred to Nothe Fort. By 1941 the 9.2-inch guns had been replaced by 6-inch naval guns and the site was reduced to care and maintenance in 1943. During the Second World War the fort was manned by 134 Battery of 522 Coast Regiment.

No. 1 gun emplacement was located at SY 743 815 and No. 2 gun at SY 7415 8150. The coast artillery searchlights (CASL) were positioned at SY 7400 8140 and SY 7430 8130. The battery observation post (BOP) was at SY 7405 8150 and the emergency BOP at SY 7420 8150.<4-5>

Aerial photography from 1978 shows two emplacements for 9.2-inch guns visible. They retain their original protective coverings and are in good condition. A building between the emplacements, possibly a magazine survives. The BOP/CASL building is visible to the south-east of the main fort approximately 150-200 metres away, and a second ancillary structure is present approximately 50-75 metres to the south-west. <6>

Upton Fort was first built between 1901 and 1903 as a static defensive positon for Portland harbour. It was enlarged during the First World War and again in 1940-41. The battery was finally decommissioned in 1956. <7>

Upton Fort World War II coastal battery located to the east of Osmington. The site of the fort (including gun emplacements, buildings and the battery observation post or a coastal artillery searchlight building which is situated about 200 metres to the southeast) is clearly visible on aerial photographs and was digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project <8-9>.

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0015047 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, S0015047 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0015047 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> Dobinson, C S, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume 6.1. Coast Artillery, 1900-1956 (Monograph). SDO17228.

<5> Dobinson, C S, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume 6.2. Coast artillery, 1900-1956 (Monograph). SDO17229.

<6> Anderton, M J, 2000, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two Coastal Batteries (Unpublished document). SDO17230.

<7> Bellamy, P, 2004, Upton Fort, Osmington, Dorset. Assessment (Unpublished document). SDO12399.

<8> Royal Air Force, 16-JAN-1962, RAF 58/4878 0082-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11780.

<9> Royal Air Force, 07-MAR-1950, RAF 541/454 0086-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11781.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1429133 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 18 2024 1:35PM