Newhaven Fort

This fort was built in the1860's during a period when people feared that the French were planning an invasion. The first troops moved into the fort in 1871. About 250 men were employed in the building work with 20 horses and 3 steam engines. One of these was used in a nearby field to make 7 - 8 million bricks from the clay that was there. Another helped in the raising of shingle from the beach to the cliff top and the third was involved in making mortar and enormous amounts of concrete. The fort was designed so that the moat flooded when the tide came in.

During the 1860's several accidents were recorded and the crime rate in Newhaven went up markedly. More police had to be drafted in to deal with the increase in drunkenness and assaults. One John Williams "of very pugnacious appearance" was tried for the rape of a Mrs Bussey in 1872 but he was not convicted due to lack of evidence. Also in 1872 Martha Stevens, who was married to the fort blacksmith, committed suicide by cutting her own throat. It seems she had an alcohol problem.

Several soldiers were injured or killed in the early years of the fort - Gunner O'Brien fell from the bridge into the moat and broke his leg in February 1873, Bombadier Doveton was severely injured by an exploding gun in August 1874 and in 1877, Gunner Mills was drowned at the base of the cliff.

During World War 1 Newhaven Harbour was one of the most important supply ports for the Western Front. An army General who came to inspect the troops and arrangements found that the only flag flying was the White Ensign flag of the Royal Naval Coastguards service. The General refused to cross into the fort until a soldier had erected a new flag pole and raised a Union Jack. Then the General agreed to cross the drawbridge and enter the fort.

After WW1 the fort was virtually abandoned, but it was strengthened and re-manned in 1940 - again as a result of fears of raids from France. King George V1 came to Newhaven by train on July 1st 1940 to inspect the troops. After WWll the fort was again abandoned by the army.

By the 1970's the buildings were in a dangerous state as developers had begun demolition work but had left it incomplete. In 1979 it was scheduled as an ancient monument and a proposal was put forward to use it as a Museum and Leisure Complex with associated development. Work was carried out carefully to reconstruct the casemate fronts as authentically as possible. For instance the old glass (now all destroyed) had been rolled sheet glass with a greenish tint which modern new glass could not mimic. Eventually the restorers found 1500 sheets of old greenhouse glass which was cleaned and installed. Great care was also taken with the restoration of the cast iron - some was made locally and some by a specialist Scottish firm which worked from old wooden patterns.

Lewes District Council took over the Fort in 1981 and opened it to the public in 1982, since when work continues on the Museum exhibits and facilities. There are many reports of a ghost haunting the dark passageways of the Fort. To find out about whose ghost it might be, read the story of the East Blatchington Mutiny in the Tidemills section of stories.