Hidden away in the urban sprawl of Portsmouth is a gem of English history. The approach is about as unprepossessing as you can get: dreary suburbs and endless urban motorways. But then you come to a leafy Georgian village, and through the trees the gatehouse of an impressive castle. The site is ancient: built by the Romans in the 3rd century AD, it is the best preserved of the 'Saxon Shore' forts, and the highest and most complete Roman fortification north of the Alps. The Saxons adapted it to enclose a small town, but it was restored to its use as a castle when Henry I built an impressive Keep and inner-bailey inside. Further modifications were made by Richard I in 1396 to make it more luxurious, and it was the embarkation point for Henry V's iconic expedition to Agincourt in 1415. Thereafter, it was used mostly as a prison: an excellent exhibition recalls the appalling conditions in which French Napoleonic prisoners were kept. The grounds also enclose an impressive Norman romanesque church, built in the 1120's and given by Henry I to Augustinian Canons for use as a priory in 1133. After a generation they moved on, leaving the parish an outsized church. This remains largely 12th century romanesque, with early gothic and late perpendicular additions (and a fine Norman font). It still functions as the parish church to-day. And last, but not least, don't forget to wander through the gates down to the shoreline: the views of Portsmouth Harbour, from three sides, are spectacular. read more

Portchester Castle is a waterfront castle dating back to Norman times. The outer wall, forming a large square, was built on the ruins of an old Roman fort, and inside the wall, there's a large green space, with the castle in one corner and St. Mary's Church and yard in the opposite corner. The overall grounds (and the green inside the outer wall) appear to be open to the public for free by English Heritage, with the castle as a fee attraction. You enter and pay through the gift shop, and I would strongly recommend the audio guide. This was one of the best audio guides I've encountered for a historical landmark. Instead of just a dry narrator, the audio guide is a dialogue between two historical inhabitants of the castle: an English soldier and a French prisoner, and they provide a great history of the castle and surrounding area in a way that is both informative and entertaining. The audio tour will lead you first to the outer buildings of the castle, whose roofs have long since crumbled away. Finally you will enter the keep, and go up several floors in it, learning about various roles the castle has played in history - from Roman fort to Norman stronghold to military staging point in the Hundred Years' War to prison. The ground floor of the keep has some exhibits on some of the artifacts found on the grounds, and the role of archaeology, and some models of what the castle looked like at different times. If the day is not windy or wet, you can also go up on the roof of the keep and get a great view of Portsmouth across the way, using the spiral staircase in one corner of the keep. You can walk around the outer wall, along the tidelands of the bay. The castle seems to be popular with school groups and artists seeking ruins for landscapes. There's restrooms next to the parking lot, and the gift shop has some treats and ice cream. St. Mary's Church is an active church, on the site of an Augstinian Priory from the 1100s, but you can check out the main chapel and the cemetery around it. They also have a tearoom if you are looking for a spot for sitting and tea. Anyone going to the Portsmouth area - I'd recommend this castle! read more

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Portchester Castle is a well-preserved example of a mainly Roman fortification, which lies on the northern shore of Portsmouth Harbour, approximately 6 miles north west of Portsmouth city itself on the southern English coast. Though in modern times this is a relatively urban area, the fortification is the oldest building in the region, and formed the traditional hub around which the village of Portchester and surrounding area were built. The castle in its most recent form consists of an outer bailey with gates and bastions, and an inner bailey with a moat and gatehouse, palace, tower and keep. The site was originally a simple Roman fortification, though the castle was added to in phases during the Saxon and Medieval periods, and also in the seventeenth century. The original buildings have been extended many times to provide the castle that we see today. The castle was initially constructed for defence purposes, however it has been used for many different purposes in its 1700-year history. It has been suggested that the castle was never entirely abandoned after the collapse of the Roman Empire (Goodall, 2006, p.29), though this suggests that there was a significant decline in the use of the castle as a fortification during this time. The castle was used again as a fortification by the Normans, and in later periods as a royal residence, and a prison after 1665. The Thistlethwaite family, who still own part of the nearby Southwick estate, privately owned the castle from the mid 1600's until 1984 (during which time it was seized and used as a prison by the army), however today the castle is run by English Heritage and is open as a tourist attraction and a common ground for local residents. This is a must visit for all the family 5*+. read more

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Very old castle near Portsmouth. It's no Windsor Castle, but it has a long history and great views of the Solent. The village nearby is very pleasant and the pub there looks very welcoming. read more

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Portchester is quite frankly stunning, no matter which way you look at it. It can be seen from Port Solent, which when the weather is right gives the most beautiful sunsets (perfect for photographers). Plenty for adults and children. Lots of open space for kids to run around and old ruins for them to climb over and towers to walk up. It can be eerie in places but that adds to the admosphere. To get to it you travel along the most gorgeous old street which in summer the houses are quite quaint decked in the most gorgeous colours for beautiful climbing flowers. Worth keeping a look out for whats on as they often have open air concerts which we have thoroughly enjoyed and sometimes they have medieval fighting shows which the kids just love. Well worth a visit, and if you go on a Sunday they old church situated in the grounds is really something quite special. read more

Portchester Castle is a lovely day out. I think it is one of those places that you become blind to if you are local, but it is well worth actually going in and walking round, especially if you drive past every day to get to work. The surrounding are is breathtaking, with the sea on one side and lush greenery on the other. The castle itself is mostly ruined, but there is still a lot of history in those walls. Admission to most of the castle is free, but it's only a couple of quid for a guided tour. Wait for some sunshine and take a picnic. read more

simple well worth a vist!!! amazing views!