Haslar Police Barracks, Fort Blockhouse, Gosport, Hampshire

Haslar Gunboat Yard is a unique naval site built to house and repair British gunboats between 1856 and 1906. Such a large and prestigious site warranted the elaborately detailed Police Barracks, Guardhouse and boundary walls, which protected the entrance to the site and reflected its significance.

Designed in 1861 by William Scamp under the direction of Colonel Greene, the Director of Admiralty Works, the Police Barracks housed the Dockyard Police, providing dormitory accommodation for constables and individual rooms for the Inspector and sergeants. Apart from limited alterations carried out in the late 19th century and early 20th century, the building remains largely original and of high quality and historic interest. As such, it is listed as Grade II*.

Following the decommissioning of the gunboats in 1906, the Gunboat Yard became a centre for small vessels and later, as HMS Hornet, for Coastal Forces. However, by 1974, HMS Hornet had closed, and the whole yard fell into disuse. When Hornet Services Sailing Club [HSSC] secured a long-term lease of the site from the Ministry of Defence in 2015, the Police Barracks were in a state of near dereliction.

With support from Historic England, an initial package of urgent structural, roof and joinery repairs was undertaken to secure the external envelope and unsympathetic alterations were removed, restoring the original form of the building.

An innovative partnership between HSSC and the Army Sailing Association brought about further major investment in 2021 and the complete refurbishment of the interior, conserving original fireplaces, restoring floors and ceilings and introducing thermal improvements, modern services and the supporting facilities needed to create the Army Offshore Sailing Centre. This phase included financial support from the Nuffield Trust and the Army Sports Control Board.

Radley House Partnership were the architects and lead consultants for the second phase of work. Numerous other specialists were involved during the project, including M&E consultants Chris Reading Associates, structural engineers SFK Consulting Ltd and quantity surveyors Ridge. A team of skilled sub-consultants undertook the work under the dutiful direction of the Principal Contractor, T Coleborn & Son Ltd., who arranged and oversaw all aspects of the building work.

1_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_View from Main Gates_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

2_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Front Aerial View_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

3_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Side Aerial West_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

4_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Side Aerial East_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

5_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Oblique Aerial South__Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

6_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Oblique View South East_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

7_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Front View_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

8_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Oblique View West_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

9_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Side View East_Gosport_Hampshire .jpg

10_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Colonade View West_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

11_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Entrance and Colonade_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

12_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Colonade View East_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

13_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Entrance_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

14_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Internal Board Room_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

15_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Entrance Interior_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

16_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_Entrance Interior_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

17_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Oblique Colonade View_Lighting_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

18_Radley House Partnership_Architecture_Renovation_Conservation_Haslar Police Barracks_View from Main Gates_Lighting_Gosport_Hampshire.jpg

info

prev / next

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·