Construction of Shornemead Fort commenced in 1861 and was not completed until 1870. The fort mounted eleven 11-inch RML gun in casemates behind iron shields. On the western flans of the fort were three 9-inch RML guns in open barbette emplacements.
In 1895 two 12-pdr QF guns were mounted outside the fort on the river bank.
Between 1895 and 1907 Shornemead Fort was used as a barracks for the Submarine Mining Depot which was located just to the west of the Fort.
Good drone footage of Shoremead Fort can also be seen at https://youtu.be/isM9ZqBKSQs.