Portsdown Main - Hampshire

Set above the white chalk cliffs, Portsdown Main is a highly visible landmark to the north of Portsmouth. With its strong Art Deco stylings and based on a building plan created in the 1930s, Portsdown Main was actually finally built in the 1950s. It housed a variety of defence research organizations, before closing on January 1st 1997.

The view of Portsmouth from Portsdown Main is second to none!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• UE
• UrbEx
• Urban
• Exploration
• Portsdown
• Main

[thecopster100]

hey, ive always wondered when ive been past it in the car, what was this place used for?

[RAndyVee]

@thecopster100 It was part of the Defence Research organization which had various names over the years. Portsdown West and East still exist, but the Main was mothballed in the late 90s. It originally had various workshops out the back, but they were demoed 5+ years back. Sadly the main building is being demoed now, and so soon the top of the hill will be without its lovely frontage!

[md902A]

Buildings from a different British era and mindset. Cool.

[RAndyVee]

@md902A Sadly after years of being left with minimal care whilst various attempts were made to re-purpose or sell the building, demo has recently started :-(. Sadly despite its prominent position as an obvious landmark high above Pompey, the building was never listed, and by the end of the year it'll be gone forever!

[KhaoticLullaby]

Did you have to break in here?

I've seen photos of the inside, and as a photographer I'd love to use it as a location.

[: thanks if you do reply.

xo

[RAndyVee]

Nope ... I've never broken in anywhere in my life! In this instance I was there with permission.

[melissaherrity]

That brings back memories. I went inside once when I was about 13 and sat in that lecture type hall with the seats shown near the end. It was to see a play that was being put on there. Shame it's no longer there.

[RobManBoy66]

Excellent video, good music. I can see this building from my home and as I write this it is still very much there. I have always wondered what it looked like from inside.

[thecopster100]

@RAndyVee thanks for the info, i saw it the other day and theyve started taking it down. its a cool place tho

[pompeyguy26]

me and all my friends came up here loads this summer to shoot bb guns and have fun! the actual demolition started a few weeks ago thoguh :'(

[ryno118]

Good to see this building when it was still in good nick. I explored this building at the start of the year and it was completely stripped and smashed up by builders. It will be weird not seeing this on top of the hill on my way to work. Cheers.

[md902A]

@RAndyVee : Thats a shame. I know that ridge landscape fairly well having friends and family live in Portsmouth over the years. Be interesting to see next time I'm down that way. This era architecture is also still evident at the Harwell and Rutherford labs although some of those buildings are gone as well.