Fort Albert, IOW

This is Fort Albert on the Isle of Wight, which was a quick hop and a skip from our holiday chalet. It was built to defend the western approach to Portsmouth (some say why bother it's only Pompy!!) It planned to house 29 guns in four tiers, and was among the last gun-towers constructed in England. It was one of the Royal Commission forts built in the 19th Century as part of Lord Palmerston's defences against the possibility of a French attack from Napoleon III. Designed to defend the Needles Passage, it was completed in 1856, after 4 years of construction and enhanced by the Royal Commission with batteries on the cliffs above. However the fort became obsolete by 1858. In 1886 it was chosen as one of the UK locations for the Brennan torpedo which had a range sufficient to close the strait. This too became obsolete, and was dismantled in 1906. After this, only small guns were mounted on the fort. The fort was altered during World War II, when it was used as an anti-shipping observation tower. It was closed to military use in 1957. Now it's been converted into luxury flats. I'd like one!