rolt968 Posted 17 July , 2019 Share Posted 17 July , 2019 I will be visiting Portsmouth (possibly also Southampton) with friends towards the end of the month. Can people please suggest suitable things to see/visit? I suspect that we will be there for about a day and a half (staying overnight) - probably at least afternoon, evening and the following morning. What we see is not entirely in my hands. (Also since I have not seen them before we will probably visit HMS Victory and the Mary Rose.) Since time is limited, it would be particularly useful if you could suggest how long a particular visit would take. RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 17 July , 2019 Share Posted 17 July , 2019 (edited) D-Day Story Museum was good. (just down from the Naval Memorial) Edited 17 July , 2019 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 17 July , 2019 Share Posted 17 July , 2019 Also in the Historic Dockyard are HMS Warrior, and from the GW Steam Pinnace 199 (just posted a pic in the Ships thread) and HMS M33. On a good day a Harbour Tour may please. In the city you can also find the Charles Dickens birthplace museum. For the shoppers (also full of restaurants) Gunwharf Quays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandy hall Posted 17 July , 2019 Share Posted 17 July , 2019 (edited) Victory and The Mary Rose, could quite easily take all day to look round. If HMS Queen Elizabeth is still in port, take a harbour tour, can be purchased as part of a dockyard ticket. Royal Armouries museum on the top of Portsdown Hill above Portsmouth, free to visit and housed in one of Palmerston’s Forts, you also get a view across Portsmouth and The Isle of Wight. You could also easily spend all day here as well. https://royalarmouries.org/venue/fort-nelson/ Mandy Edited 17 July , 2019 by mandy hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadier Posted 17 July , 2019 Share Posted 17 July , 2019 If you are visiting the dockyard, it is best to use the park and ride, £4 gives unlimited travel for driver and all passengers for the day. The same question was asked last year, I think. Hopefully a forum search will bring it up. Lots of good info there. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 18 July , 2019 Share Posted 18 July , 2019 The dockyard is not cheap, but there are discounted tickets to be had if you search around. There's lots to do there, and don't miss M33, the monitor built in a few weeks that went out to Gallipoli, and then Russia during the Great War. If your timing fits, you can also have a tour of Portsmouth Harbour with your ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alantwo Posted 18 July , 2019 Share Posted 18 July , 2019 As Keith has indicated the dockyard ticket is not particularly cheap without a discount voucher, but it does include numerous things to do, including M33, HMS Victory (it is being renovated at the moment, no masts) and HMS Warrior. You can have a free entry pass to walk around the dockyard without entry to the exhibits, but you will still need to go through security. I would certainly go in the antique shop in the dockyard, it doesn't cost anything but it is rammed full of artefact, books, model boats, medals, cap badges, paintings, all naval related. As an aside when I was there earlier in the year M33 was starting to look it's age, it's a difficult job keeping the rust at bay. An alternative to the Park and Ride would be to park in Gunwharf Quays which is a short walk from the dockyard. It has a large underground car park above which are shops, bars, restaurants and the Spinnaker Tower which you can go for about £10.00; from the top there are views over Portsmouth and Gosport. If you fancy a walk the seafront and Southsea Castle are not that far away to the south. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandy hall Posted 18 July , 2019 Share Posted 18 July , 2019 The Mary Rose is no longer included in a dockyard ticket and must be purchased separately. Both Dockyard tickets and The Mary Rose tickets are cheaper booked online. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetM Posted 18 July , 2019 Share Posted 18 July , 2019 I was at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard yesterday, having been there a few times in the last couple of years. Note that the tickets give admission for a year, not just once. You can get tickets for 1/2/3 attractions, but if you buy online, the Full Navy ticket is less than for 3 attractions. The Water Bus to get to the Submarine Museum and Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower and the Harbour Tour are included in the 'Full Navy' tickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 18 July , 2019 Share Posted 18 July , 2019 I have used a Groupon deal for my nephew, his wife and their 7 year old who are visiting next week. I paid £51 for that family ticket, which covered two adults and up to three children, although being lazy they have produced only the one. That was quite a saving. One other comment, food in the dockyard is not exactly cheap, so the more careful visitors might want to take sandwiches and some soft drinks with them to save a small fortune. The restaurant in Boathouse 4 which is pricey but seems to have a good reputation, but the main self service place is nothing special and not at all cheap for their offerings. My comparison is the food at the Tank Museum, which I think much better value, and indeed quality too. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 19 July , 2019 Share Posted 19 July , 2019 I also liked the Garrison Church Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 19 July , 2019 Share Posted 19 July , 2019 1 hour ago, charlie962 said: I also liked the Garrison Church Agreed! The sally-port area at the south end of the High Street is all good for walking round. On the High Street is also the Cathedral, which houses the Portsmouth copy of the Royal Navy Baltic memorial and WL Wyllie's memorials to two of his sons who were killed, one at Messines 1914 and one on the Somme 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIFFO Posted 19 July , 2019 Share Posted 19 July , 2019 (edited) We have been many times,personally I think its a rip off to charge an arm and a leg,the dockyard is brilliant victory, warrior,M33,monitor all the museums,harbour tour and gosport(not to be missed)then some wag works out they will get more money by charging you to go and see the rose,we have been going from the start this is one of our favorite places in uk,ok people say your ticket lasts a year,not much use if you live 150 miles away.your best bet by far,not to go in school holidays,then for at least 2 days as so much to see,even if its very expensive as to FOOD only one place to eat drive into old Portsmouth,if your lucky you may even get some where to park,the spice island is good BUT the best place is the still and west,to sit upstairs in their restaurant eating fish and chips out of the paper and a naval ship comes by excellent.I wish I were there when the queen Elizabeth comes by must be truly magical Edited 19 July , 2019 by BIFFO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIFFO Posted 19 July , 2019 Share Posted 19 July , 2019 if you have a car and the time fort nelson artillery museum well worth a look see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 19 July , 2019 Share Posted 19 July , 2019 If you have time, and do go to Fort Nelson by car, you could also pay a visit to Southwick. The manor house had its D-Day invasion map restored/revealed from 1994 onwards. When the RMP relocated there from Rousillon Barracks, the RMP museum also ended up at the Southwick location, but I have never paid it a visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandy hall Posted 20 July , 2019 Share Posted 20 July , 2019 6 hours ago, Keith_history_buff said: If you have time, and do go to Fort Nelson by car, you could also pay a visit to Southwick. The manor house had its D-Day invasion map restored/revealed from 1994 onwards. When the RMP relocated there from Rousillon Barracks, the RMP museum also ended up at the Southwick location, but I have never paid it a visit. I believe visits to both of the above are by appointment only, as they are both located on a working military base. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 20 July , 2019 Share Posted 20 July , 2019 (edited) I don’t think that anyone has yet mentioned the Portsmouth Naval Memorial along the Clarence Esplanade. It has the names of nearly 25000 navy personnel lost or buried at sea in both World Wars, access available and free all the time. https://www.cwgc.org/find/find-cemeteries-and-memorials/144703/portsmouth-naval-memorial Edited 20 July , 2019 by Knotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIFFO Posted 20 July , 2019 Share Posted 20 July , 2019 Matron,dont think fort nelson is a working military base,we just turned up paid our money and had a good day,we heard over the intercom they were about to fire an 18pdr from Napoleonic era, my god what a noise,poor old napoleon if he stood to near his"daughters"no wonder he had the farmers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 20 July , 2019 Share Posted 20 July , 2019 Southwick is in the valley, to the north of Portsdown Hill. in prior years, the establishment was known as HMS Dryad. Fort Nelson is located atop Portsdown Hill, quite close to Fareham. There are several miles distance between the two locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandy hall Posted 20 July , 2019 Share Posted 20 July , 2019 1 hour ago, BIFFO said: Matron,dont think fort nelson is a working military base,we just turned up paid our money and had a good day,we heard over the intercom they were about to fire an 18pdr from Napoleonic era, my god what a noise,poor old napoleon if he stood to near his"daughters"no wonder he had the farmers Should have made myself clearer, just talking about RMP museum and D Day map both at Southwick and can be visited by appointment only due to being on a military base. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 20 July , 2019 Share Posted 20 July , 2019 Most of the time the Museum at Fort Nelson is free, and the cafe is also reasonable. During school holiday weekends they often have events which then make entry chargeable. Check their website for info. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertBr Posted 20 July , 2019 Share Posted 20 July , 2019 Portchester Castle near Fareham has along history dated back to the original Roman Fort, Norman Castle Napoleonic Prison etc. Its a English Heritage site. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 21 July , 2019 Share Posted 21 July , 2019 Agreed, lovely set of Saxon Shore fort walls they have there. In the summertime teas are sold in the Norman/medieval church. There are also four GW CWGC graves in the churchyard, and the aforesaid W.L. Wyllie is buried there with his wife and two of his daughters. Over in a corner is the relocated grave slab of James Lind (1716-1794), father of naval medicine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yperman Posted 21 July , 2019 Share Posted 21 July , 2019 I suggest you visit the Submarine Museum at Gosport.(It is I think included in the Historic dockyard ticket with a free ferry across the harbour). There is a Great War E class conning tower, a 2nd World War submarine you can enter, a midget "X craft" submarine and a lot more. Please don't go to the Mary Rose - they think it appropriate to put the skeletons of her RN ratings on display as a tourist attraction which I think is wrong. (Cf The Coldstream Guards who when one of their dead from Marlborough's battles of 300 years ago is accidentally dug up re-bury them in situ with full military honours and with their uniforms unlooted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 21 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 21 July , 2019 Thank you to everyone for their advice so far. RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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