Stokes Bay

Stokes Bay lies on the Solent coast in Hampshire, just south of Gosport between Portsmouth and Lee-on-the-Solent. A shingle beach looks out over the Isle of Wight to the south and Fawley to the south-west. Close by is the settlement of Alverstoke. To the east stands Fort Gilkicker, built in 1871 to guard Portsmouth Harbour’s western approaches. The bay once hosted experiments with submarine mines from 1879 to 1912. A narrow-gauge railway ran from the beach to Fort Blockhouse, alongside a pier used for these trials. The fort later served in both world wars before falling into disrepair. The bay’s history includes a short-lived railway branch to a pier that opened in 1863. This line carried passengers to the Isle of Wight until 1915, when services ended. The Admiralty took over the pier in 1922, using it for munitions and torpedo work before demolition in the late 1970s. During the Second World War, DD Valentine tanks were tested here and landing craft left for Normandy in June 1944. Large warships still anchor in the Solent opposite the bay, unable to berth at Portsmouth Harbour. Fleet reviews have been held here, including one marking the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar in 2005. Beyond its military past, the area offers the 9-hole Gosport and Stokes Bay Golf Club to the east. Fresh and salt-water lagoons provide habitats for rare plants such as Kermes Oak. The shingle beach remains a quiet spot with views across the water. Remains of the old pier and railway can still be traced along the shore. Fort Gilkicker, though on the Buildings at Risk Register, adds a striking landmark. The bay’s mix of history and open space makes it a place to walk, look and remember.