Maritime Portsmouth: A History and Guide

For the past 300 years the port has been the leading base of the British Royal Navy, but its origins as a military harbour date back to Roman times when Portchester was first fortified.

Since the time of Henry I expeditions have sailed from Portsmouth to wage naval and military campaigns in France, Spain and much further afield.

Henry VIII established a permanent naval dockyard there and from the Napoleonic era onward Portsmouth was the Navy’s most important dockyard and base. Portsmouth’s history is thus inextricably entwined with the history of the Royal Navy and some of the most momentous events in the history of the British Isles.

The naval heritage of Portsmouth is manifested in the fortifications, buildings, docks and preserved ships described in this book. From 2000 year old Roman walls to its preserved Georgian dockyard and buildings to the fully restored centrepiece that is HMS Victory , Portsmouth can lay claim to being the most important naval site in the UK and perhaps the world. Although the Royal Navy has shrunk in peacetime from some half million personnel in 1946 to 37,500 today, Portsmouth remains an important contemporary naval base now augmented and kept busy by the growth in cross-Channel ferry traffic.

This first guidebook to maritime Portsmouth has been written by Dr Paul Brown, who was born in the city and developed an interest in naval history while growing up in Gosport. This well produced and accessible volume is further enhanced by 120 illustrations, 30 of which are in colour.

Maritime Portsmouth: A History and Guide
By Paul Brown.
Published by Tempus Publishing.
ISBN 0 7524 3537 X.
Paperback, 160 pages
Price £14.99