Collection: Nothe Fort

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  Nothe Fort is a Victorian Coastal Defence Fortress, built between 1860 and 1872, as one element in the protection of Portland Naval Harbour and Weymouth Bay.

  The Fort remained in use with regular updates in armament, until 1956 when the Government of the day rescinded the Military Policy of Coastal Defence.

  The Fort was de-armed and transferred to a care and maintenance only situation. In 1961 the Fort was sold to Weymouth and Melcombe Regis Borough Council for the sum of £6,000.

  Unable to find a buyer or suitable use for the Fort the Council allowed the structure to decay. Immense damage was done during this period: most of the woodwork being used for firewood; metal fittings stripped out and sold for cash, stonework mutilated and covered in graffiti.

  In 1979 the Weymouth Civic Society persuaded the Council to grant a license to restore the fort and open it to the public. There followed years of work, directed and mainly carried out by the Civic Society volunteers aided by secondees from a succession of government training and employment programmes.

  Guided tours of the partly restored fort began in 1980. As the work progressed and rooms became habitable, the decision was made to collect items for display illustrating the use of the fort. As time progressed, and the collection grew, the concept of a Museum of Coastal Defence was developed. Following a period of academic research, a ten-year development plan was instituted resulting in a planned collection, based around the subject of Coastal Defence, mainly displayed in a series of dioramas and tableaux.

  Today the fully restored fort is visited by 50,000 people a year who come to see the impressive architecture and masonry of the Royal Engineers, real and replica guns of the ages, views of the Dorset Coastline, and over 70 rooms of which many are filled with displays of the history of the site, military life in the fort and wartime in Weymouth.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2019

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  The aim of the collection is to gather and preserve historical items, to be held in Trust for the benefit and education of the public, and shall aim to consist of items with a relevance to Coastal Defence, the Nothe Fort and items related to the:

  1. Military history of Weymouth and Portland
  2. Wartime memorabilia with a connection to local residents.

  Classifications:

  • Medals and Honours
  • Military uniforms
  • Military equipment
  • Military kit
  • Civilian
  • Models
  • Weapons
  • Documentation

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2019

  Licence: CC BY-NC