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Calshot Castle and Calshot Spit

Calshot, New Forest

Calshot Castle with the coastguard lookout tower behindPhoto: Phil Champion, CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo: Phil Champion, CC BY-SA 2.0

A round artillery fort built by Henry VIII in 1539 to guard the sea passage to Southampton, standing at the tip of Calshot Spit with views across the Solent. Later used against smugglers and as an RAF seaplane base, it is owned by English Heritage and run by the neighbouring Calshot Activities Centre, whose shingle beaches are open to all.

Highlights

  • Climb the cylindrical keep for views of the Solent and the Isle of Wight
  • Display on Calshot in the Second World War and the Sunderland flying boat
  • Free children's activity pack with paid castle entry
  • Shingle beaches on both sides of the spit, with ships passing in the channel
  • Calshot beach lined with coloured beach huts

Good to know

  • The castle has a deep moat, so keep children close
  • There is no lifeguard and strong currents run near the shipping channel
  • The castle is not part of the English Heritage Corporate Scheme
  • Bluestar bus 8 from Southampton stops in Calshot village, about a mile from the spit

Getting there

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Calshot Castle and Calshot Spit, Calshot Spit, Calshot, Fawley, Southampton, SO45 1BRParking: Calshot Activities Centre car park with number plate recognition: free for 20 minutes, then £1.50 for an hour up to £10 for the day. Blue Badge holders get 3 hours free if they validate during reception hours. No overnight parking.

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Checked on 19 October 2026 against hants.gov.uk, hants.gov.uk, hants.gov.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check

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