Pewit Island (Portsmouth Harbour)

Pewit Island is a small island located in the north western section of Portsmouth Harbour.[1] Historically it appears to have been connected to the mainland via a manmade shingle causeway, parts of which still exist.[1] The island has been colonised by oak and blackthorn scrub and is home to species including sea lavender and golden samphire plants.[2] The island is currently a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust nature reserve.[3]

Pewit Island with the tide in

In 1857 plans drawn up to improve the defences of Portsmouth included building a fortification on the island.[4] The plans were later modified in the face of improved artillery technology and the fortification was never built.[4]

References
  1. Department of Geography at the University of Portsmouth & The Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology. "Pewit Island". The Portsmouth Harbour Project. University of Portsmouth, Department of Geography. Archived from the original on 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
  2. "Portsmouth Harbour SSSI" (PDF). Natural England. 29 October 1992. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
  3. "Pewit Island". Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  4. Mitchell, Garry (1988). Hilsea Lines and Portsbridge. pp. 2–4. ISBN 0-947605-06-1.


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