There’s a good reason that Fort View House on Southsea Seafront has its fantastic outlook onto The Solent.

 

When built in 1866 as part of the Royal Marine Barracks it was intended as the home for the second in command of the Marines, at that time a colonel. His rank would have entitled him to something grand and, at the top of the sea-born troops’ command structure, he would have wanted an unobstructed view of the marine environment. Whatever shipping of substance was manoeuvring into Portsmouth Harbour and The Solent would have passed his windows!

 

Of course, the outlook is hardly different now from what it was then. The only change is that you don’t have to be a senior office in the services to enjoy living there since the Barracks were converted into an extensive private housing complex.

 

The first and second floors at Fort View House are given over to living space where even Nelson would have seen ships had he been alive when it was built to accommodate an officer’s family and staff. It’s easy to imagine a critical eye being cast over the massed troops on the parade ground outside the window, now no longer ringing to the sound of many hundreds of marching feet.

 

This spectacular home boasts six bedrooms - Victorian it may have been, but now its facilities are very 21st Century with many of those bedrooms enjoying en-suite facilities. There are bedrooms on every level apart from the ground floor, which is dominated by the dining room at the front and the kitchen behind, separated by the entrance hall.

 

The ground floor, with its own exterior entrances in addition to stairs from the main house, has a kitchen / living area at the front and a bedroom with shower room behind, giving the potential for a separate annexe although you may want to keep the adjoining wine cellar firmly under lock and key!

 

Dominating the second floor is the drawing room at the front offering the most spectacular views for the living accommodation. This level is shared by the fourth bedroom. Moving up to the third floor, the master bedroom enjoys prime position at the front – the second bedroom is behind. On the top floor are the last two bedrooms, sharing a bathroom opening from the central landing.

 

“It’s a fantastic house, perfect for those who demand a sea view,” says Colin Shairp, of Fine and Country Southern Hampshire. “Its situation is perfect for professional people engaged in the city’s commerce although with easy commuting by road or rail it’s also a great retreat from London life.”

 

The guide price is available on application. For more information, contact Fine and Country Southern Hampshire on 023 93 277 277 or email drayton@fineandcountry.com