Description

PORTSMOUTH

SZ6399 BROAD STREET, The Point
774-1/11/454 (West side)
30/10/69 18 Gun Battery & Flanking Battery,
King's Stairs, Sallyport, Point
Barracks
(Formerly Listed as:
BROAD STREET, The Point
Square Tower Kings Stairs Sallyport
18 Gun Battery Round Tower Flanking
Battery)

I

Fortifications, now monument.
Eighteen Gun Battery and Flanking Battery. Late C17. By Sir
Bernard de Gomme. Reconstructed 1847-50 when the casements
were deepened and second tier of 3-gunports added to Flanking
Battery. Ashlar stone with mid C19 brickwork in Flemish bond
to north face and Flanking Battery. Roof-stone paved. 12 bays,
1-storey, Flanking Battery 2 storeys. Facing Broad Street, on
left and at centre is a 2-leaf boarded door, each set under a
segmental brick arch. Across front are 12 tunnel vaulted
casements each with a round-headed stone gunport facing
seaward (now blocked) set within a splayed recess with stone
voussoir segmental arch, except fifth bay from north which has
a late C18 Sallyport known as "The Common Sallyport" which
replaced the gun port. In front of the fourth bay is a brick
with stone stepped stairway to roof level, now promenade
pedestrian way. The 4 casements on the right, each has a C20
boarded front infill, now toilets and store. Stone band over
with stone capped parapet and attached railings.
On right return is the 3 bay 2-storey Flanking Battery at
right angles to the Round Tower (qv), each storey has 3 gun
ports facing seawards. On left is a brick and stone stepped
stairway to pedestrian level.
Between Flanking Battery and Round Tower are 2 casements each
with similar gun port to Eighteen Gun Battery. East of
Eighteen Gun Battery is a short late C16 stone sea wall and
further left the late C17 remains of the stone abutment to
King James' Gate (demolished c1870 and re-erected in Burnaby
Road) with open tunnel vaulted recess and boarded door on
right set under a flat stone voussoir arch.
Between former site of King James' gate and Square Tower (qv)
is a late C16 stone firing platform, upper parts reconstructed
in C20. On right is the late C18 "Old Sallyport" set under
segmental stone arch which formerly had a stepped landing

stage known as "The Kings Stairs". Inscription reads "From
this place naval heroes innumerable have embarked to fight
their Country's battles. Near this spot Catherine of Braganza
landed in state May 14 1662 previous to her marriage to
Charles II at the Domus Dei a week later".
To north-east of Round Tower is the Point Barracks 1847-50 in
Flemish bond brickwork with 4 tunnel vaulted chambers. The
east facing front half demolished C20. On left 34 stone steps
lead to firing platform. To left of Point Barracks adjoining
Round Tower and on far right is a 1-storey brick gallery with
stone slab roof.
(Balfour A: Portsmouth: London: 1970-: 18; Corney A:
Fortifications in Old Portsmouth: Portsmouth City Museums:
1965-: 25-29; Lloyd DW: Buildings of Portsmouth and its
Environs: Portsmouth: 1974-: 59; The Buildings of England:
Pevsner N & Lloyd D: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight:
Harmondsworth: 1967-: 422-424).

Listing NGR: SZ6292699463

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17528962

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)