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Nothe FortNothe Fort
When the Team of Haunted Apparitions drove toward the Victorian sombre walls of Nothe Fort, an atmosphere of expectation, excitement and wonderment silenced the conversation. The gravel crunched determinedly beneath the wheels as the team drove nearer; the stone walls loomed high above the car, temporarily blocking all view from the windows. Sweeping around the corner and into the fortified gates Nothe flashed the brilliance of the huge sunlit parade ground flanked by grassy verges that clung to the roves of tunnels, out buildings and a large museum. Dominant and gigantic, the garrisoned walls towered into the sky and watched silently as the team got out of the car. In the sea breeze that hit their faces and the broken sun that fought against the clouds Gill, Chris, Jayne and Dave took stock of their surroundings, awed by the vastness of the grounds they were in. This was going to be an interesting tour, they thought.
From the shadows of the museum a figure emerged in the distance and began walking toward the team. Hand outstretched the guide greeted them with a smile. `Welcome! Have you been to Nothe Fort before? ` The team shook their heads as they returned with hand shakes. `Well, ` the guide said, `You are in for an amazing experience!. Follow me!`
As the group headed toward the museum the guide proudly explained the History of Nothe Fort.
"Nothe Fort," the guide began, "Is a monument to a time when military sea defence was an important part of life not only for Weymouth and Portland, but was considered a priority for the whole country. Fearing an attack from the French, Prime Minister Palmerston endorsed an 1860 report that recommended building a series of sea defences in strategic positions around the UK coast. But by the time Nothe Fort was completed in 1872, the threat from the French had long passed and the fort's firepower had been superceded – resulting in Nothe Fort, and the other forts that had been built as part of the plans, becoming known as Palmerston's Follies – said to be the most expensive programme of fixed defence ever built in peacetime.
Nothe Fort's main objective was to help defend Portland Harbour which remained an important south coast military base – along with Portsmouth and Plymouth – so Nothe Fort, as defence for Portland, was far from redundant. During World War II, the fort had an anti-aircraft gun stationed inside it, but its main role was storing anti-aircraft ammunition for the south west. Nothe remained in service until 1956, and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council took over responsibility in 1961. "
The team entered the museum, a modern tribute built within the graceful Victorian Architecture.
" For a time the buildings fell into disrepair at the hands of trespassers and squatters, but it`s prime location and spectacular views of Weymouth seafront and Portland ensured it was never totally forgotten. There was even a plan to convert the building to a hotel in 1971 but was soon abandoned shortly after. But since the Weymouth Civic Society took over it`s restoration, the fort, since 1980, has slowly been restored to its former glory, plus this military museum. "
The Haunted Apparitions Team stood in a room full of cannons, uniforms and pictures of past and present activities of the Fort.
The guide moved toward a display showing the reconstruction of the fort. ""It shows their brilliance in construction - thousands of tonnes of rock were brought in and a lot of it was put in place by hand - it's a testament to Victorian ingenuity. Built mainly from the world famous Portland stone, the fort is arranged over three levels with 70 rooms off its basement level tunnel. In the 1980s, some were converted into a District Command Centre to be used in the event of a threat of a nuclear attack, complete with 30 bunk beds. "
Guided through the building, through endless tunnels and ante rooms the guide began to tell the team of some of the unexplained incidents that happen within Nothe.
"There have been rumors and whisperings for a long time about Nothe Fort being HAUNTED , with some very strange incidents and experiences being reported. I am open minded, but would like to get to the bottom of it all!"
Among the areas the team walked around the guide pointed out where cold spots, unexplained noises and orbs had been regularly seen and in between he told of the most frequently sensed activity.
The Whistling Gunner
Stories have existed for years which tell of a ghostly whistling gunner of Nothe Fort and there is even a passageway dedicated to him inside the complex. Many guests and visitors have unexpectedly experienced this.
The Unexplained Figure
A white figure has been reported on a number of occasions to walk the parapets of the walls when the fort is locked. When it is checked out no one can be found.
The Poltergeist
Stories have it that an active poltergeist terrorizes parts of the building...
After four hours of walking through tunnels, war rooms, battle rooms, planning rooms and more the time to leave had drawn near. Shaking hands and reluctantly getting into the car the team left for their next haunted tour in Portsmouth.
The team and mediums were so impressed with the atmosphere and the things that they picked up that it was decided that Haunted Apparitions just had to investigate this marvelous location.
Members: If you would like to attend this investigation in September....click here!
If you are a non member and would like to join this one of public H.A. birthday event please click here to express your interest and we will get back to you.
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