Priddy's Hard Gosport
Established in 1777, Priddy’s Hard is believed to be the second oldest ordnance depot in the world. The 25 acre site was a restricted-access military site for over two hundred years - first becoming a fort and then an armaments depot for Royal Navy and British Army weapons, explosives and other stores. The site now lies within its own Conservation Area, safeguarding its preservation.
The magazines and related structures at Priddy's Hard date from the late 18th century. The site also encompasses 18th Century earthwork defences. The Ramparts, the area of earthworks around E magazine and the area just outside the southern end of the defences are included within the site’s Scheduled Ancient Monument listing.
The site is of immense importance in the history of the local Gosport community, which not only armed the Navy but also fed and watered it. The site provided employment for generations of local people engaged in the manufacture of ordnance. Much of this activity was carried out within the scheduled Ramparts in a series of shell-filling rooms each separated by blast walls to prevent the spread of explosion.
At its peak the site employed 2,500 local workers, mainly women during the war years; the contribution these key workers made to the economy of the Borough is highlighted in the onsite Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower.
The site was last used for significant naval activity during the Falklands Conflict in 1982 and was vacated by RNAD Gosport in 1988 when it relocated to Frater further north on the Harbour.
The Property Trust took on stewardship of the site in 2010.
Below is a list of the properties and areas of Priddy's Hard that the Property Trust currently looks after. Click on a thumbnail to find out more information and see further images.