One in all a string of forts constructed by Henry VIII on the south coast, a time out at Hurst Fortress with children is a correct journey, proper from the journey to the historic web site, the place Charles I used to be additionally held prisoner.
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However in contrast to loads of different castles within the UK, this isnโt only a piece of historical past frozen in time โ when you can nonetheless discover the Tudor coronary heart of the fortress, it has been used for defence proper from the Napoleonic Wars within the Nineteenth century to the First and Second World Wars.
All helped alongside by the truth that Hurst Fortress sits proper on the finish of a spit of land by the sting of the New Forest, searching throughout the Solent to the Isle of Wight, so the one solution to get there’s both by ferry, or a stroll alongside the shingle which stretches for round two miles from the mainland.
As we had massive plans to go strolling elsewhere within the New Forest later within the day, we took the simple possibility and boarded the little ferry which runs from Keyhaven out to Hurst Fortress โ though I by no means say no to a ship journey, and itโs laborious to think about a greater solution to begin a beautiful sunny summer seasonโs day than cruising previous the wetlands throughout the water.
Though I knew there have been greater than 500 years of historical past to find at Hurst Fortress with children, I wasnโt positive how lengthy it could really maintain my daughter entertained. However in the long run, it shocked us each, with some enjoyable household actions, some wonderful views and a string of quirky shows within the previous fortress buildings.
The unique fortress was constructed between 1541 and 1543, with a 12-sided Tudor tower surrounded by a courtyard and three partitions, a part of Henry VIIIโs plan to maintain England protected from doable invasion by the highly effective Francis I of France and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V after his divorce from Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn.
Ultimately, the French invaded in 1545, barely additional alongside the Solent at Portsmouth โ the battle the place the Mary Rose sank โ earlier than trying to take the Isle of Wight, and finally slicing their losses and heading again to France three days later.
Thereโs an ideal set of knowledge boards within the Tudor tower supplying you with a potted historical past of Hurst Fortress, so itโs an ideal place to start out โ and journey ahead chronologically via time too, after all.
Throughout our go to in the summertime holidays, the tower was additionally arrange with a string of conventional video games, together with bean bag toss and big noughts and crosses, however there are additionally some brass rubbings to strive of creatures which reside round Hurst Fortress.
And a particular flag path to comply with, in case your children want persuading to discover each inch of the fortress โ in some way, regardless of wanting excessive, low and from finish to finish, we nonetheless managed to overlook one, however labored out the anagram anyway.
Try my video of a day at Hurst Fortress with children
When youโve discover inside, head as much as the close by battlements for some spectacular views โ there are a number of towers the place you possibly can look out again in the direction of Hampshire in addition to over to the Isle of Wight, which appeared extremely shut on a sunny day.
Shut sufficient, in truth, to identify the Needles rock formations simply off the coast, in addition to a string of little crusing ships scudding alongside the water.
Hurst Fortress was famend as a horrible place to be posted, so bleak within the late 18th century that there was hardly a dry room. I can think about that within the winter, itโs nonetheless freezing, windy and really inhospitable, however on a sunny day, itโs fairly merely beautiful.
For extra issues to do within the New Forest with children, try my high picks, in addition to extra concepts for household days out in Hampshire and my information to the Isle of Wight with children
For round 250 years, not a lot modified at Hurst Fortress โ and you may nonetheless discover loads of different historic particulars to identify, together with an enormous iron studded picket door, the previous portcullis and a really previous bathroom (mainly only a gap inside a stone seat. Very Horrible Histories).
Alongside the way in which, Charles I used to be briefly held prisoner right here after his time at Carisbrooke Fortress on the Isle of Wight, earlier than being taken to London for execution, whereas it was additionally used as a jail for a priest, convicted of selling or practising Catholicism, which was unlawful on the time.
However when struggle broke out with France in 1793, and particularly as soon as Napoleon got here to energy, Hurst Fortress grew to become a significant a part of the coastal defences as soon as once more.
New gun batteries and heavier cannon have been added to the fortress, with a much bigger garrison housed right here too, earlier than much more adjustments have been made within the mid-Nineteenth century because of the concern of invasion from (as soon as once more) France โ this time emperor Napoleon III.
Two enormous wings have been added to both facet of the Tudor fortress, designed to accommodate as many as 61 weapons, earlier than the twentieth century noticed new smaller fast firing weapons added when struggle broke out.
As you wander, youโll discover completely different areas arrange as they’d have been used through the First and Second World Struggle, from communications in a nook of the Tudor Tower, to bunks for First World Struggle troops and even a theatre arrange through the Second World Struggle.
It appears like there are limitless corners to find; when youโve climbed as much as the battlements and towers, you can too enterprise down into basements, via slender corridors and discover little previous rooms used for storage, together with munitions
As you go, there are just a few particular shows to look out for too, together with one set of twentieth century reveals close to the doorway.
Together with uniforms and different First and Second World Struggle artefacts, there are posters warning of the whole lot from sharing info to find out how to recognise the distinction between German and British plane.
Some of the uncommon areas consists of a number of rooms devoted to shows on lighthouses, together with loads of probabilities to get palms on.
Thereโs a little bit mannequin of a lightship, the place you can also make it mild up, or uncover how particular prisms have been used for the glass in lighthouses which my daughter helpfully demonstrated with a proof of how they labored โ because of her latest physics classes.
I couldnโt resolve whether or not I used to be extra fascinated by the previous management field for Beachy Head lighthouse, or the uniform lighthouse keepers have been anticipated to put on โ regardless of being one of the vital remoted jobs round, they nonetheless gave the impression to be in full uniform!
Should you maintain your eyes open as you go, thereโs all the time one thing else to find as you wander too, from enormous weapons to little decorations on cannons, an previous lighthouse now rusted into the previous partitions (its weathervane is close by within the grounds).
Thereโs even a memorial to all those that served at Hurst Fortress over the 5 centuries it operated as a army base.
The east wing of the fortress (and components of the west wing) is presently present process renovations too, so thereโll be much more to see in just a few years as properly.
And when youโve explored inside, you can too take a wander across the outdoors the fortress โ stroll over to the gleamingly white lighthouse constructing, and even in the event youโre not strolling the entire again alongside the shingle path, amble a little bit approach alongthe spit of land connecting the fortress to the mainland.
Ultimately, we spent round two hours right here, and will have stayed longer if the ferry hadnโt pulled up simply as I used to be planning lunch and our afternoonโs enjoyable!
Whereas weโve ticked off fairly just a few of one of the best castles within the UK, this was undoubtedly one of the vital uncommon. Whether or not youโre on the lookout for historical past, wonderful views, some household enjoyable, or a little bit of an journey to get there, thereโs one thing for everybody at Hurst Fortress with children.
Visiting Hurst Fortress with children: Must know
There are solely two methods to get to Hurst Fortress, through the little ferry from Keyhaven or on foot โ it’s not doable to drive there.
The ferry to Hurst Fortress
It pays to get there early in summer season as the primary boat of the day was a small one (12 passengers max) however when it crammed up, we really set off earlier than the official departure time and ended up attending to the fortress because it opened at 10am.
By the point we left at lunchtime, the larger 94-seat ferry was working with extra space for heaps extra passengers, though it might solely be used at excessive tide. It takes round 20 minutes every approach and you should buy return tickets. The ferry dock is only some minutes from a public automobile park at Keyhaven (you should utilize the RingGo app to pay, though information is proscribed) โ postcode SO41 0TP.
Ferries run from April 1 to November 2. The primary ferry leaves formally at 10am, and so they run each 20-Half-hour all through the day, with the ultimate ferry at 5.30pm (4pm from October 25-November 2), though occasions can range relying on the climate and the tide, in addition to how full the ferry is.
You possibly canโt prebook tickets, simply purchase them on board (thereโs a card machine) or on the fortress for a return journey. Theyโre dog-friendly (as is Hurst Fortress itself) and accessible.
Strolling to Hurst Fortress with children
The stroll to Hurst Fortress is round 1.5-2 miles, but it surelyโs all alongside shingle which might be laborious work, so do put on correct footwear and permit loads of time โ permit a minimum of 40 minutes, and keep in mind that if itโs windy, itโs going to be gradual going.
You possibly can scamble right down to barely extra protected paths via the wetlands for a few of it, and the views are unbelievable. Whereas I wouldnโt fancy doing it with a toddler (and also you couldnโt simply get an ordinary buggy alongside the trail), itโs undoubtedly doable with older children.
The closest automobile park is at Milford-on-Sea โ there are a pair by the seafront, though Sturt Pond and Hurst Highway East automobile park shaves round 5 minutes off your stroll vs Hurst Highway, plus some free parking on the roadside.
Should you solely need to stroll a method, it makes most sense to park right here, stroll over the shingle spit then get the ferry again, with round a 30-minute stroll from the ferry dock again to the automobile park in Milford on Sea. It doesnโt actually save a lot time/effort however is one solution to strive each.
How lengthy to spend at Hurst Fortress
The one restrict in your time is the ferry timetable (until youโre strolling) โ and Hurst Fortress recommends households permit round 4 to 5 hours.
Personally, Iโd say thatโs most likely greater than you want, though itโs simple to fill longer if you need. Round two hours provides loads of time to see the whole lot, or permit a bit longer in the event youโre additionally stopping for lunch.
Because the ferry journey takes one other 45-60 minutes, and the stroll each methods takes round 90 minutes, you do want a minimum of three in the event youโre hoping to discover correctly.
Tickets to Hurst Fortress
Hurst Fortress is an English Heritage property, so itโs free to members (the ferry remains to be paid, even in case you are a member). You possibly canโt purchase membership on the web site, so that youโll must have it upfront.
The location itself is operated by Hurst Marine, so in the event youโre shopping for tickets, you possibly can prebook these via their web site or purchase them on arrival.
We prebooked and I made positive I had a screengrab of the QR code as I wasnโt positive how a lot information thereโd be given the fortressโs location, however I donโt suppose it’s good to โ you possibly can pay by money and card on arrival.
The fortress is open from April 1 to November 2, from 10am to five.30pm (aside from October 25-November 2, when it closes at 4pm). Final entry is Half-hour earlier than closing, and the fortress is closed totally from November 3- March 31.
Services at Hurst Fortress
There are bogs contained in the fortress (just for guests) and a small cafe simply outdoors the fortress entrance, with picnic benches inside and out of doors.
There isn’t a working consuming water on the fortress (the water for laundry palms within the bogs is salt water) so that you do must carry lots or be ready to purchase it.
For extra issues to do within the New Forest with children, try my high picks, in addition to extra concepts for household days out in Hampshire and my information to the Isle of Wight with children
Disclosure: This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks โ any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee. All opinions on visiting Hurst Fortress with children are my very own
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