HMS Nelson (shore establishment)

Tag: Removed redirect

{{short description|Naval barrabks for the Royal Navy}}

#REDIRECT [[HMNB Portsmouth]]

{{Other ships|HMS Nelson}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}

{{Coord|50|47|58|N|1|05|47|W|display=title|region:GB-HAM_scale:50000}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name=HMS ''Nelson''

|image=HMS Nelson - The Wardroom (geograph 6749234).jpg

|image_size=

|caption=The wardroom

|dates=1847 – present

|country={{flag|United Kingdom}}

|branch={{navy|United Kingdom}}

|type=[[Barracks]]

|role=Naval residential

|size=

|command_structure=[[HMNB Portsmouth]]

|garrison=

|garrison_label=

|nickname=

|motto=

|colors_label=

|march=

|battles=

|anniversaries=

|notable_commanders=

|current_commander=

|colonel_of_the_regiment=

|colonel_of_the_regiment_label=

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}}

'''HMS ''Nelson''''' is a [[stone frigate]] (shore establishment) of the [[Royal Navy]], in [[Portsmouth]], England. It provides the naval barracks to support [[HMNB Portsmouth]].

==History==

[[File:Rodney, Former Barracks 2 - 52913752701.jpg|thumb|left|'Rodney': a partially-surviving block from the army barracks of 1847. (The southern half of the building was destroyed in the Second World War).]]

In 1847 a barracks was built within the Duke of York [[bastion]] of the 18th-century Portsea fortifications, east of the dockyard, to house troops manning the town's defences. It was named Anglesey (or Anglesea) Barracks. The bastion was demolished between 1870 and 1876.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://navaldockyards.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/part3-twentieth-century-naval-dockyards-devonport-portsmouth-characterisation.pdf|title= Twentieth century naval dockyards Devonport Portsmouth Characterisation Report|page=188|publisher=Naval Dockyards Society|date= 11 December 2015|access-date=31 August 2024}}</ref>

In 1899 the Admiralty purchased these barracks from the War Office and constructed a Naval Barracks on the site, designed by Colonel Sir Henry Pilkington RE.<ref name="20c dockyards">{{cite web|title=20th-century Naval Dockyards characterisation report|url=https://content.historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/twentieth-century-naval-dockyards-devonport-portsmouth-characterisation-report/part3-twentieth-century-naval-dockyards-devonport-portsmouth-characterisation.pdf/|website=Historic England|access-date=5 February 2017}}</ref> (Prior to this, Royal Navy personnel in Portsmouth had been accommodated either on commissioned vessels or in [[Hulk (ship type)|hulks]]). Opened in 1903, the barracks were commissioned as HMS ''Victory'' (but renamed HMS ''Nelson'' in 1974 to avoid confusion with the flagship). A [[Wardroom]] (with accommodation for officers) was built across the street on the site of the old garrison hospital. In 1906 the nearby Holy Trinity Parish Church was purchased and brought inside the perimeter wall;<ref name="20c dockyards" /> for a time it functioned as the RN Barracks chapel, but it was destroyed by bombs in the Second World War. Just to the north-west, Anchor Gate House was built in 1898 to house the Commodore of the Barracks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://navaldockyards.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/part3-twentieth-century-naval-dockyards-devonport-portsmouth-characterisation.pdf|title= Twentieth century naval dockyards Devonport Portsmouth Characterisation Report|page=155|publisher=Naval Dockyards Society|date= 11 December 2015|access-date=31 August 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Gymnasium, HMS Nelson.jpg|thumb|left|HMS ''Nelson'': the former drill hall (now gymnasium) built {{circa|1890}}.]]

Several barrack blocks were demolished and rebuilt in the latter half of the 20th century, but a number of original buildings remain including the canteen (Eastney block),<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Listing text|num=1387140|access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref> the drill hall and gymnasium,<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Listing text|num=1387143|access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref> Jervis block (formerly Seamen's Quarters), Barham block (formerly Depot Offices)<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Listing text|num=1387139|access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref> and the Wardroom.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Listing text|num=1387145|access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref> In addition, one barrack block remains, along with its adjacent canteen building, from the earlier Army barracks (Anglesey Barracks) which formerly stood on the site.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Listing text|num=1387148|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE|desc=Listing text|num=1387144|access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref> Nearby, the associated garrison prison (which later served as the Naval Detention Centre) is now home to the [[Royal Marines Band Service#Royal Marines School of Music|Royal Marines School of Music]].<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Listing text|num=1272261|access-date=25 July 2023}}</ref>

In November 2016 the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] published ''A Better Defence Estate'', which indicated that the HMS Nelson Wardroom would be disposed of by 2021;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/576401/Better_Defence_Estate_Dec16_Amends_Web.pdf|title=A Better Defence Estate|date=7 November 2016|website=GOV.UK|publisher=Ministry of Defence|page=15}}</ref> three years later, however, the disposal date was deferred.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Josh |title=HMS Nelson wardroom figureheads in Portsmouth will be taken down and restored |url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/politics/hms-nelson-wardroom-figureheads-in-portsmouth-will-be-taken-down-and-restored-3904367 |access-date=22 July 2023 |work=The News |publisher=National World Publishing Ltd |date=23 November 2022}}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{Royal Navy shore establishments|state=collapsed}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:HMS ''Nelson'' (shore establishment)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson}}

[[Category:Royal Navy bases in Hampshire]]

[[Category:Royal Navy shore establishments]]

[[Category:Portsmouth]]

[[Category:Military installations established in 1847]]