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Author Topic: Wren Barracks  (Read 198 times)
suzanne2812
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Wren Barracks
« on: Sunday 17 May 09 08:18 UTC (UK) »
Hi

I wonder if anyone can help? Back in the 60's my dad & his family spent Christmas in a wrens barracks to the north of Portsmouth (he said over the hill). I was wondering if anyone knew where it was?

He told me it was a tudor building & had had all its rooms ripped out to make dormitaries. His uncle & aunt were caretaking the place whilst empty over the Christmas time.

The reason I'm curious is that dad thinks it was haunted. He was a young man & he & his cousin along with some others played hide & seek (they ran out of programs to watch!) & he thought he'd found someone when a door opened by itself only to find no one there. Dad's not sensitive to these things & said that after that the tv room was most welcome!

I know it's a long shot & a bit random for a sunday morning, but the story has benn told many a time & has had me gripped since I was little.

Regards Suzanne
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Little Nell
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Re: Wren Barracks
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 17 May 09 11:50 UTC (UK) »
There are a number of forts located on the hills to the north of Portsmouth which were built in the 19th century and known as Palmerston forts.  Fort Southwick is at the highest point and was apparently used as a barracks for Wrens during the war, although I cannot confirm this anywhere.  It is described as being used by the Ordnance Survey after WWI, but no specific details about its role in WWII, although it is the only one described as having housed military personnel. 

But it isn't Tudor.  It's red brick with a castellated wall.  No idea if this might be the one.  Undecided

http://www.palmerstonforts.org.uk/index.php
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2386

Nell
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oh carolina
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Re: Wren Barracks
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 19 May 09 18:49 UTC (UK) »
the only thing that spring to mind is Wymering Manor,not over the hill but in Cosham,which is a northern part of Portsmouth. it apparently looks Tudor but was built earlier and is well known with ghost hunters and in the late 60's and 70's was used as a youth hostel

If you google Wymering Manor,you shold be able to find some info on it,

Karen
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kemp,moran,davis,ewell,harbin,morey,wallis,gray---portsmouth
eddy,hawes,beckerleg--cornwall
astle,astles--cheshire
moran,mcdonald,timmons--ireland
ewell,selwood--surrey
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