Priddy’s Hard Ordnance Depot in Gosport lies opposite the Royal Naval Dockyard. Built as a fort in the 18th Century it became one of the principal Ordnance Depots for the Royal Navy. The Ordnance Depot was built from 1774 onwards and included a camber basin. The site was initially used to store ammunition removed from warships coming into the harbour for maintained and repair. The Ordnance Depot remained in service until 1988.
The land was acquired in the 1750s by the Board of Ordnance. The site was surrounded by earthen rampart, completed by 1757, which extended the Gosport Lines. The lines mounted fourteen 18-pdr guns. A Grand Magazine was built between 1771 and 1777. Thereafter the site was steadily expanded and by 1846 the Armaments Depot included:
- A and B Powder Magazines
- Camber Basin for movement of gunpowder
- Administration and Accommodation Buildings
- Store Rooms
With the introduction of iron armour, Rifled Muzzle Loading Guns and then Breech Loading Guns new ammunition was required. This included:
- C Magazine built in 1861
- E Magazine built between 1879 and 1882
- Improvements to land defences including RML guns in the two demi-bastions, brick caponiers and firing positions
Thereafter new shell filling rooms were built and stores for nitro-glycerine, gun cotton (wet and dry). cordite and lyddite were added. A narrow gauge railway line connected the whole complex for the transport of ammunition and explosives.