Editing Nothe Fort (section)

===Military===
[[File:Nothe Fort entrance.jpg|thumb|240px|The fort's entrance]]
[[File:Weymouth, Nothe Fort, looking east - geograph.org.uk - 474173.jpg|thumb|240px|The fort's courtyard]]
[[File:Guns of Nothe Fort.JPG|thumb|240px|Guns on the Fort Ramparts]]
Work began on Nothe Fort in 1860 by a civil engineering contractor, with the first stage of construction involving leveling the site and building a sea wall. After the contractor suffered financial problems, the construction work was taken over by 26 Company Royal Engineers in 1862. Although the upper earthen parapet was complete by 1869,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.victorianforts.co.uk/pdf/datasheets/nothe.pdf |title=Nothe Fort |publisher=victorianforts.co.uk |access-date=15 March 2022}}</ref> the fort was fully commissioned in 1872 at a total cost of [[pound sterling|£]]117,049. It was constructed on three levels; the magazine stored the ammunition, the ground level casemates were designed to hold heavy muzzle-loaded cannons and accommodation for the soldiers manning them, and the ramparts, featuring a raised platform that could be used to fire weapons such as muskets and light muzzle-loaded cannons during attacks.<ref name="autogenerated1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nothefort.org.uk/museum-history/history-nothe-fort-1860-1872 |title=History of Nothe Fort 1860 - 1872 |publisher=Nothe Fort |access-date=6 October 2018}}</ref>

The first soldiers to be stationed at the fort were No. 2 Battery Royal Artillery (Tatton-Browns). The unit were given responsibility to install the original cannons, which were two 64 pounders, four [[RML 9 inch 12 ton gun|9-inch rifled muzzle loaders]] and six 10-inch cannons. During the 1890s, seven of the guns were replaced by [[RML 12.5 inch 38 ton gun|12.5-inch RML guns]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nothefort.org.uk/museum-history/history-nothe-fort-1873-1905 |title=History of Nothe Fort 1873 - 1905 |publisher=Nothe Fort |access-date=6 October 2018}}</ref> With the introduction of breech-loading guns in the early 20th century, the RML guns were removed and replaced by three [[BL 6 inch Mk VII naval gun|6-inch Mark VII breechloading naval guns]] on the ramparts. In order to carry the 100-pound shells from the magazines, a series of hoists were installed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nothefort.org.uk/museum-history/history-nothe-fort-1905-1938 |title=History of Nothe Fort 1905 - 1938 |publisher=Nothe Fort |access-date=6 October 2018}}</ref>

In 1938 alterations were completed to allow the fort to be used as a central anti-aircraft ammunition depot for the south west, which included installing an electrically-operated hoist and the construction of a loading platform. Nothe Fort did not see combat until [[World War II]]. In July 1940, two ships entered the area and failed to identify themselves, prompting the fort to fire its guns as a warning. The two ships immediately switched on their lights, revealing themselves to be refugees from the [[Channel Islands]]. During the war, the fort was equipped with a battery of four Vickers [[QF 3.7-inch AA gun]]s. The guns are sited on a purpose-built platform within the north-west corner of the fort, which was later replaced by a [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm gun]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nothefort.org.uk/museum-history/history-nothe-fort-1939-1956 |title=History of Nothe Fort 1939 - 1956 |publisher=Nothe Fort |access-date=6 October 2018}}</ref>

It was abandoned in 1956 as it was no longer required as a coastal defence, then used by the [[Royal Navy]] to house stores and [[degaussing]] equipment.