Why and When was Littlehampton Fort Built?
The west battery at Littlehampton was always described in official papers as “Littlehampton Fort”. The building of Littlehampton Fort commenced in February 1854 and was one of a number of small earthwork coastal defences that were built in reaction to the coming to power of Napoleon III in France and the increased invasion risk.
Was it Innovative in Design?
Littlehampton Fort is of a typology – polygonal trace with Carnot Wall – that was relatively new in the British Isles at the time of its construction but well established in other European countries. It is one of the first of this type of forts in the British Isles.
The construction of the Royal Commission land forts would certainly have drawn upon the experience gained with the pre-Palmerston forts.
Summary
Littlehampton Fort is one of a number of small coastal defence batteries that were built in the 1850s. They were built in response to a perceived invasion threat from France following the coming to power of President and then Emperor Napoleon III in France.
Most of these early batteries have since been demolished or built over. Littlehampton Fort is one of the best extant examples of these 1850s coastal defence gun batteries and is one of the earliest “polygonal” fortifications built in the British Isles that are extant.