One of the coolest places we visited in Portsmouth is Southsea Castle. This massive fort was built rather hastily in 1544 after Henry VIII and Emperor Charles V had agreed to invade France, and Southsea Castle was constructed as one of a series of defensive fortifications designed to protect Portsmouth from a possible French naval counter-attack.

Henry VIII was supposedly responsible for some of the original design, and the castle originally consisted of a central keep with an outer wall and a lookout tower. It is from the walls of Southsea Castle that Henry VIII watched the sinking of his flagship the Mary Rose during a battle with the French in 1545. Later improvements and amendments have been made to Southsea Castle, so a visitor with Portsmouth escorts can now tour the work of several centuries. Best of all, admission is free!