Two former powder magazines at Tipner Magazine
Tipner Magazine, Tipner Point, Tipner
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1387240
- Date first listed:
- 22-Nov-1979
- List Entry Name:
- Two former powder magazines at Tipner Magazine
- Statutory Address:
- Tipner Magazine, Tipner Point, Tipner
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2003-03-27
- Reference:
- IOE01/10197/33
- Rights:
- © Mr Colin Cromwell. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1387240
- Date first listed:
- 22-Nov-1979
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 18-Mar-1999
- List Entry Name:
- Two former powder magazines at Tipner Magazine
- Statutory Address 1:
- Tipner Magazine, Tipner Point, Tipner
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Tipner Magazine, Tipner Point, Tipner
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- City of Portsmouth (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SU 63997 03560
Details
774-1/3/463
TIPNER
TIPNER POINT
Two former powder magazines at Tipner Magazine
(Formerly listed as: TIPNER, TIPNER LANE, TWO FORMER POWDER MAGAZINES AT TIPNER MAGAZINE)
22-NOV-79
GV
II
Two former powder magazines. North magazine of c1796-8, south magazine of 1856. Red brick in Flemish bond with grey headers, stone dressings. Late C20 gambrel-shaped roof with troughed metal covering.
EXTERIOR: each magazine one storey and attic, three bays. To main east facade each magazine has three large openings each with a two-leaf iron door set under flat stone arch; far right door to north magazine missing. At each jamb are three stone block inserts each with large built-in door hinge. On each side of centre doors is a long narrow ventilation slot with stone surround. Brick band at first floor and three two-leaf eight-pane recessed casements each set under gauged brick segmental arch, stone sill. Attic has two blinded window openings to north magazine and two similar openings to south magazine but with slated timber panels, each set under gauged brick segmental arch and gambrel-shaped gable with stone coping. South wall rebuilt mid C20 for vehicular access.
INTERIOR: the brick vaulting remains intact at east end of each magazine for approximately one third of the length. Rear wall to north magazine demolished, late C20 rebuilt rear wall to south magazine.
HISTORY: the recent war with France, and the invasion scare of 1779 led to concerns about the vulnerability of the arsenals and had exposed an alarming situation concerning the state of the nation's gunpowder. The former was foremost in the mind of the new (appointed 1782) Master-General of the Board of Ordnance, George Lennox the Third Duke of Richmond. Although his plan to enhance the landward fortifications of Portsmouth and Plymouth was defeated in the House of Commons in 1786, his other strategy - to divide and separate the magazines - was implemented at Portsmouth with the acquisition of land at Tipner Point between 1789 and 1791.
The original design for a pair of circular vaulted magazines was superceded by the present one for a magazine with groined arches and a copper-clad wooden roof. From 1805 until the mid 1820s Tipner acted as deposit magazine for the restoving of old gunpowder at Stamshaw nearby (demolished). The magazine accommodation at Tipner, Marchwood and Upnor was increased following appraisal by Lord Panmure, the Secretary of State for War, of the Committee on Magazines report of March 1856.
The southern extension to the magazine was built with parabolic arches, as used at Weedon Bec and Upnor. On the division of the ordnance depots between the two services in 1890, the site passed to the Army, and on conversion of the magazines into general ordnance storage the present iron doors were inserted.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 475172
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Other
David Evans, Ordnance Yards. Research for English Heritage
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 05-Jun-2026 at 19:04:34.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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