Register Your Interest Stage
In 1860 a civil engineering contractor was awarded the contract to build Nothe Fort. The first stage was
the construction of a sea wall that would allow a level site to be formed on the sloping ground at the end
of the Nothe Peninsula. The fort is constructed on three levels. The lowest level, Magazine Level, was
originally designed to store gunpowder and shells. The middle level, Gun Deck Level, was designed to accommodate 12 heavy muzzle loaded cannons and provide accommodation for the soldiers manning
the cannons. The top level formed the ramparts and provided a raised platform that could be used to fire muskets and light muzzle loaded cannons during an attack on the fort.
Nothe Fort did not see action against an enemy until World War 2, when the main threat came from the
air. Until then the heavy 6 inch guns had mainly been fired in training and in competitive events. However
in July 1940 two ships failed to identify themselves and were fired on.
They quickly turned on their lights to reveal themselves as refugees from the Channel Islands. In 1938 alterations were made to the fort to allow it to be used as a central anti-aircraft ammunition depot for the
south west, this included installing an electrically operated hoist and constructing a loading platform.
Coast defence was abandoned in 1956 and as a consequence the fort was no longer required to protect
the entrance to Portland Harbour. For the following 5 years the fort was used to house naval stores and degaussing equipment. By 1961 the navy had no further need of the fort and it was sold to Weymouth and Melcombe Regis Borough Council.
Under the ownership of the council the fort was left unoccupied and
quickly became vandalised and started to fall into a state of dereliction.
The fort was eventually saved from falling into state of total dereliction as a result of work undertaken
under the Manpower Services Scheme and the efforts of interested individuals. The relentless dedication
of the team of individuals and the assistance provided by the Weymouth Civic Society has resulted in the
fort becoming one of the best preserved forts of its kind.
The site has always had a legendary ghostly whistling gunner and many people claim to have heard his
eerie whistling in the Fort's extensive underground passageways. Tales of this phantom have been talked about for decades around Weymouth and the Fort affectionately has a passageway dedicated to him. Who
this 'shade' actually is, is at this time, unknown.
A survey carried out in 2007 by The National Lottery discovered that the Fort was voted one of the
spookiest locations in the UK; in fact staff members sometimes refuse to visit certain areas by
themselves. Other eye witness reports are that of a white figure seen walking the parapets of the building
when it is locked and there should be nobody there.
All ghost hunters are invited to bring their own digital cameras and night vision equipment to assist them. In addition to the scientific equipment, the group will be able to speak to the resident historian to gain factual information about the property’s past.
