Gosport

Town and naval base opposite Portsmouth, Hampshire, southern England; borough population (2001) 69,400. Industries include mechanical, electrical, and instrument engineering focused on defence research for the maritime industries; and the provision of high-tech services.

As the Ministry of Defence cut back its operations in the late 1990s some associated industries have closed, but high-tech computing companies have taken over in significance, and the waterfront areas are being redeveloped.

A ferry service connects Gosport with Portsmouth, 400 m/1,300 ft across the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour. The construction of a light rapid-transport system link to Fareham and Portsmouth is being funded by a successful bid to the Millennium Commission.

Features The town centre is surrounded by fortifications developed in the 19th century, and its historic buildings incude the 19th-century sea-defences of Fort Brockhurst. The Royal Navy's Submarine World Museum reflects Gosport's historic association with naval operations.

Naval base Gosport was an important naval supply base, with ships' anchors, cables, powder magazines, chains, and sails, as well as food supplies, being produced in the town. Priddy's Hard, established in 1770 as a powder magazine, became the Royal Navy's principal armaments depot; it continued to supply the navy until the 1990s, but is now scheduled to become a museum and leisure centre. Gosport naval base was one of the main D-Day embarkation points for troops in 1944. Several active operation centres are located in the town.