Tilting at windmills: The search for Gosport's lost castle

Built as part of Henry VIII's defence of the south coast against French invasion. Hasleworth Castle exists today as an echo of a memory, a name inherited out of context by a road and a school. An historical footnote if you will.

For the last fifty years, the official position has been that Hasleworth Castle was eradicated by later construction at Fort Blockhouse and HMS Dolphin. The only evidence for this? One man's narrow interpretation of it being 'upon the point of Hasil worth next Portesmouth [sic]' [Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, vol 20 part 1 Jan-Jul 1545].

This talk will draw on a range of primary evidence from documents and early maps, blended with art and surviving Tudor artillery 'castles' such as Hurst, Calshot and Walmer, marinated in the local landscape, and dusted with a sprinkle of practical gardening know-how to try and answer the question: is Hasleworth Castle as lost as it seems? And could the very paper which first wrote it off as lost forever have the only known image of the castle's remains accidentally included in its cover image...?

Timings

Sunday 13 September:

1430-1630

Friday 18 September:

1430-1630

Location & directions

Masonic Hall, Clarence Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1BB

Directions:

Next to the former Clarence Public House, now under redevelopment.

Contact on day:

Alex Bennett

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

Pay and display parking opposite Masonic Hall. A short walk from the main shopping area which is well served with a variety of buses.

Additional information

Please arrive 10 minutes before start time to get comfortably seated. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available

Max number of people:

40

Estimated duration:

2 hour(s)

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