38 YEARBOOK 2022 CONVERSION AND ADAPTATION While it is important to recognise the value of unaltered monuments historically and architecturally, the inescapable reality is that not all of these forts can be saved in perpetuity without a viable use. It is therefore important to identify the ‘best’ examples of each type, and to focus resources on maintaining these. Over the years many forts have been converted with varying degrees of success. Some have adopted a raised pitched roof to protect the structure from the rain. While this has the greatest impact on the external appearance of the building, it is also a relatively reliable solution. At Aldeburgh in Suffolk (illustrated on page 35), the Landmark Trust took on a Martello tower which had been converted in the 1930s by the addition of a penthouse designed by Justin Vulliamy, so that the structure below could be retained with minimal alteration. However, by 1971 when the trust acquired it, the penthouse had been abandoned and the tower was in decay. Extensive repairs were carried out, the penthouse removed to restore the tower’s external appearance, and the tower itself was converted to provide holiday accommodation. One of the more unusual examples is Spitbank Fort which was constructed from 1867–78 to guard the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. The structure was sold by the Ministry of Defence in 1984, and later converted into a luxury hotel. The neighbouring structures, No Man’s Fort and Horse Sand Fort have been purchased by the same owner, with Horse Sand being preserved as a museum, and No Man’s turned into a hotel. As in so many areas of conservation, there is no right or wrong solution for these structures, as each option brings with it pros and cons. It is always a balancing act to retain aspects of significance. This article was prepared by Jonathan Taylor and Jessica Tooze of Cathedral Communications. Spitbank Fort, built 1867–78, is one of four heavily armed sea forts in the Solent. Despite being a scheduled monument it was successfully adapted for hotel use in 2012. The ‘Victory Room’ shown here retains the iron floor rails on which the guns swivelled, using pulleys attached to the ceiling hooks to adjust their position. (Photo courtesy of SolentForts.com) Spitbank Fort (Photo: Sian Abrahams, Wiki Commons)
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