The Needles Batteries | |
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The Needles, Isle of Wight, England | |
Coordinates | 50°39′44″N 1°35′02″W / 50.66213°N 1.58399°W |
Site information | |
Owner | National Trust |
Open to the public | Yes |
Site history | |
Built | 1861–63 (old) 1895 (new) |
In use | 1863 onwards |
Materials | Brick and flint |
Battles/wars | World War I and World War II |
Events | Anti-aircraft gun trials Blue Streak tests |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | Old Needles Battery |
Designated | 28 March 1994 |
Reference no. | 1220402 |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | New Needles Battery |
Designated | 28 March 1994 |
Reference no. | 1209415 |
Official name | New Battery and High Down Test Site, The Needles |
Designated | 31 July 2015 |
Reference no. | 1422839 |
The Needles Batteries are two military batteries built above the Needles stacks to guard the West end of the Solent. The field of fire was from approximately West South West clockwise to Northeast and they were designed to defend against enemy ships.