Old Needles Battery, Totland, Isle of Wight
This coastal defence was built between 1861-63. This was as a result of the Royal Commission Review into the state of Britain's defences after France's 1st ironclad warship "La Colowe" was built. The old Needles Battery was one of a series of land forts, batteries and sea forts designed to protect Portsmouth and Southampton. The gun emplacements were enlarged to take larger guns in 1869-75. However, by the 1890s a new battery was built because it was feared that the more powerful modern guns might bring down the cliff. The Old Needles Battery became a practice area instead. In 1899 a searchlight emplacement was added. In 1913 Britain's 1st anti-aircraft gun was tested here.
