Southsea Castle

24/09/2022

Thanks to everyone who came to this year's production of Rapunzel! We've had a great Summer bringing the show across the UK and have loved seeing all your photos from after the show. We are very excited to announce that next year's tour will be Hercules! With some venues already on sale, keep an eye on our booking page at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ikp for venues near you!

A massive thanks again to all our 2022 venues as well for being such fantastic hosts at Winterbourne Medieval Barn, Stage at the Dock, Stow Hall Gardens, Glastonbury Abbey, Waterperry Gardens, Southsea Castle, Brighton Open Air Theatre, Oystermouth Castle, The Museum in the Park, The BIG Sheep Family Attraction, Dunkertons Cider, theSpaceUK, Ordsall Hall, Cowley Manor, Cyfarthfa Castle & Park, WellbeingMerthyr, Lichfield District Council, Painswick Rococo Garden, Fordhall Organic Farm, Chiseldon House: Hotel & Restaurant and National Star.

23/06/2022

Our NEW breakfast and lunch menus launch TODAY!!
~ Whole Burrata, Parma Ham, Sun Blushed Tomatoes, Red Pepper Pesto, Pine Nuts, Parmesan and Honey Balsamic 😍

Our new menus have a real emphasis on food cooked from scratch using fresh, locally produced and supplied ingredients.

30/03/2022

Southsea Castle updated their business hours.

Southsea Castle updated their business hours.

04/08/2021

Looking for something to do in tonights glorious weather? Why not grab a ticket to tonights outdoor show!

02/08/2021

Not long left to go. Make sure you grab a ticket!

19/07/2021

Photos from IKProductions's post

17/06/2021

Looking for something to do indoors over the weekend? Why not visit Portsmouth Museum and see the Summer Jewels Exhibition by the ACJWessex

Out and about this week? Why not pop in to the museum and catch the last few days of the gorgeous Summer Jewels exhibition here at the museum.

12/04/2021

Southsea Castle updated their business hours.

Southsea Castle updated their business hours.

31/08/2020

Bank Holiday Monday WE ARE OPEN!! Join us 12-6 for a bottle of bubbles or maybe one of our new specials... Lemon Fizz, Pretty In Pink & The Keep are just a few; as our team for more details.

No need to book, just turn up!

14/05/2020

We have relaunched our website! You can read how parts of Southsea Castle have been changed and rebuilt over the centuries. Sometimes the castle has fallen into ruins, and once it was even blown up! http://ow.ly/sgmZ50ztbPB

12/05/2020

This photo from just before the First World War shows Royal Garrison Artillery soldiers who manned the defences at Southsea Castle.

09/05/2020

We have relaunched our website! You can read how Southsea Castle was captured during the English Civil War in 1642. A tale involving sprained ankles and cannons pointing the wrong way! https://southseacastle.co.uk/collections-stories/stories/southsea-castle-and-the-civil-war/

07/05/2020

This belt buckle (or badge) is from the uniform of the 1st Royal Garrison Battalion, soldiers based at Southsea Castle 1803-1806. It was found on the beach, not far from the castle. It was probably lost by a soldier passing by.

05/05/2020

We have relaunched our website! You can read how King Henry VIII played a big part in the original design of Southsea Castle, and what made it so unusual. http://ow.ly/YG0o50zt9ge

02/05/2020

This 1852 book "The Peril of Portsmouth. French Fleets and English Forts" by James Fergusson said Portsmouth's defences were vulnerable to attack. It was part of a debate that led to the building of sea and land forts around Portsmouth, as well as improvements to Southsea Castle.

30/04/2020

This is on display at Southsea Castle. Does anyone know what it is, and where in Portsmouth it was used?

28/04/2020

A panorama showing a review of ships of the in the , about 1900. is on the right, and Spitbank Fort on the left.

27/04/2020

Family Quiz Player Registration • Caudwell Children

Looking for online fun the whole family can enjoy together? Join in with the “We ❤️ Children’s Activities Family Quiz” put your awesome family quiz skills to the test and also raise vital funds for Caudwellchildren Emergency Appeal in the process.

You can register for just £1 at: https://www.caudwellchildren.com/family-quiz-player-registration/

There will be surprise appearances from some celebrity friends who will be reading out questions supplied by children activity suppliers like us.

Everyone will get a certificate and entry into the free prize draw for a signed David Walliams books.

It’s time for your little ones to get in on the online quiz experience with the “We ❤️ Children’s Activities” family quiz on 28th April with questions set by your favourite children’s activity providers and read out by celebrities!

27/04/2020

We have just relaunched our website. Find out more about the castle and its history! https://southseacastle.co.uk/

25/04/2020

To mark , here's a communication method that was used before telephones: the shutter telegraph on Common (close to our castle). It was used for signals to and from Royal Navy ships in the Solent. A frame on the roof held boards that were moved to sent messages which could be seen through a telescope. There was a chain of signal stations that could send a message from to London in only seven and a half minutes!

24/04/2020

Q&A from our fellow museum at 12pm today: don't miss! Do you have questions about D-Day, or what museums do?

21/04/2020

We have teamed up with the charity Caudwell Children and Children’s Activities Week for this exciting event.

Taking place on Tuesday 28th April it will feature questions for your little ones, provided by a host of children’s activity providers like us.

You can register at: https://www.caudwellchildren.com/family-quiz-player-registration/

There will be surprise appearances from some of our celebrity friends to add to the excitement.

Registration is only £1 per child and everyone will get a certificate and entry into the free prize draw for a signed David Walliams books.

All of the money raised will be donated to help disabled children and families during the COVID-19 crisis through Caudwell Children.

17/04/2020

Photos from Southsea Castle's post

10/04/2020

Today we have a photo of army officers at Southsea Castle during 1915. Some are from the Royal Artillery and some are from the Royal Engineers. The civilian with the arm band was probably the garrison doctor. The photo is taken right outside the Castle gate.

09/04/2020

Can you find the Easter Bunny in each picture?
Let us know by commenting below and you'll be able to claim a prize from Southsea Castle when we re-open!

07/04/2020

Some military history of Southsea Castle for you all today. This is the uniform of Master Gunner Arthur Pointing who served for 30 years in the Royal Garrison Artillery 1900s-1930s. Towards the end of the First Would War he was based at Southsea Castle and was responsible for all the local fortifications.

03/04/2020

This view of Southsea Castle is from around 1800. The Castle has changed shape and design many times over its 470+ years, but it has always had a moat. Did you know it was always a dry moat and has never had water? Can you spot the dog?

03/04/2020

31/03/2020

We've been looking through our collections for interesting things to show you all. We have this engraved print by Lempriere called "Southsea Castle from the Sea" published in 1738. The deep-water channel into Portsmouth Harbour passed the the Castle then, like today. The castle was built to keep an eye on ships entering the harbour.

27/03/2020

We may not be open at the moment, but we'll be posting some items from our collections about the history of Southsea Castle. This pocket watch was given to Master Gunner Richard Wicken when he retired from the army. He was Master Gunner at Southsea Castle 1852-1857.

26/03/2020

Southsea Castle was manned during the First World War. The garrison produced 'The 6" Bore', a house magazine reflecting the what life was like for them at the castle. ‘Bore’ refers to the diameter of a gun – but also the fact that life at the Castle was not very exciting!

25/03/2020

This painting by Richard Livesay shows the Worcestershire Regiment of Militia on parade. A Royal Navy warship is passing behind. You can just see part of Southsea Castle on the far left. On the right is a semaphore station for signalling to the navy’s ships in the Solent.

24/03/2020

Cricket anyone? This lovely oil painting by Alexander Hart shows a view towards Southsea Castle (in the background, on the right). In the foreground a group of men are playing cricket. Also depicted is The Cricketers pub, outside of which a squad of soldiers are drilling.

23/03/2020

More from our collections about the history of Southsea Castle. This print dated 1765 shows a view from next to Southsea Castle (which is on the left) looking towards Portsmouth – or what we today call Old Portsmouth. The city is surrounded by fortifications which today are almost all gone, though part of them still remains near the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour (King's Bastion, Long Curtain Moat and Spur Redoubt).