Golden Hill Fort, Military Road, Freshwater, Isle of Wight
Golden Hill Fort was built between 1863-72. It is built between Cliff End and Freshwater. It was built to cover other forts in West Wight against land attack from the east. The fort is an hexagonal defensible barracks to accommodate 8 officers, 128 other ranks and 14 hospital patients. During the First World War it was used as an infantry training depot. In the inter-war period, infantry battalions and gunners continued to occupy the fort. During the World War Two, it again served as a depot, this time for British and Canadian infantry. In 1945 it was taken over by the RASC for waterborne troops. Post war, the Water Transport Training Company and Junior NCOs' Training School shared the fort until 1962. From 1969 to 1984 the fort was an industrial estate. In 1984 restoration began and the fort was opened to the public in 1985, although it still retained some light industrial units. Despite this conversion to light industrial units, the fabric of the fort remained essentially complete. In 2008, the fort was undergoing redevelopment for conversion into 18 luxury apartments, which were due for completion in 2009.
