Square Tower

Coordinates: 50°47′22″N 1°06′24″W / 50.78935°N 1.106545°W / 50.78935; -1.106545

The Square Tower

The Square Tower is one of the oldest parts of the fortifications of Portsmouth, England.

History

The tower was built in 1494 as part fortifications and as a home to the Governor of Portsmouth.

In 1584 it was converted to a gunpowder store, the governor moving residence next to the Garrison Church. At the time of the royalist surrender of Portsmouth at the end of the Siege of Portsmouth during the English Civil War 1200 barrels of gunpowder were stored in the tower;[1] the royalists were able to use the threat of detonating the store as a bargaining chip during the negotiations leading up to the surrender.[1]

From 1676 Pierson's Wharf, at the northern tip of The Point, was leased to the Board of Ordnance to serve as a gun wharf (where naval cannons and other items were stored for easy loading on to ships, which could moor nearby). The led to gunpowder barrels routinely being rolled the length of The Point, between the tower and the wharf. In the 1690s an additional magazine (the 'New Magazine') was built on a triangular promontory on the east side of The Camber. All these locations were alongside built-up areas, and concerns about the hazards of an explosion led to calls for Portsmouth's gunpowder stores to be relocated.[2]

In 1779, the gunpowder having been relocated to Priddy's Hard, the Square Tower was converted to a Royal Navy meat store until 1850, when this function was moved to the new Victualling Yard complex at Gosport. The tower was manned during World Wars and was purchased by Portsmouth City Council in 1958-1960.

Present day

The Square Tower is now used for hosting functions such as weddings, christenings and funerals. It also hosts regular tea rooms and markets.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Webb, John (1977). The Siege of Portsmouth in the Civil War. Portsmouth City Council. pp. 20–21. ISBN 0-901559-33-4.
  2. ↑ Underwood, Michael (2015). Gunwharf Quays Portsmouth: the history, architecture, conservation and development of a remarkable military site. Portsmouth: Tricorn Books.
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