Inside the Victorian water fort which sits four miles off the south coast and could be converted into luxury apartments
Horse Sands was one of the four forts built under Prime Minister Henry John Temple's leadership in 1860, designed to defend the British coast from the French, but could now become luxury apartments or a major tourist attraction
A HISTORIC 19th century Victorian military fort is set to go under the hammer for almost £1 million.
The Horse Sands fort, which was built from concrete and granite, rises out of the ocean just four miles off the coast in the Solent.
Built in 1860 and completed in 1880 under the order of Prime Minister Henry John Temple, Third Viscount Palmerston, the fort was one of four with its fellow forts around Spitbank, St Helens and No Man's Land constructed due to fears Britain's shores needed to be protected from the French.
But the forts were nicknamed the 'Palmerston's Follies' as they were never called into action.
The Horse Sands fort, which is made up of two floors and a basement along with a circular road along the inner perimeter, is now for sale and is expected to fetch £875,000.
Despite being ruled as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, planning permission for conversion to 14 luxury apartments was secured in 2004 – a scheme which could be revived, said Suzanne Taylor the CEO of Clarenco.
Ms Taylor said: "Over the last five years we have developed castles in Scotland, a monastery in Wales and a chateau in France and focusing on them and making them operational means that we haven't had the time to devote to Horse Sands."
The fort remains largely undeveloped and still has its original features including gun carriages and armour plated walls.
The fort will go under the hammer on October 11 at London's Le Meridien Hotel.
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