Portsmouth

Portsmouth grew beside a sheltered harbour on England's south coast, with access to the Channel and the shores of continental Europe. Its harbour became increasingly important to royal fleets. A wooden Round Tower guarding the entrance was completed in 1426, and Henry VII later rebuilt the defences in stone and developed a royal dockyard. The first warship recorded as built in the town, the Sweepstake, was launched in 1497. Henry VIII enlarged the dockyard and built Southsea Castle in anticipation of French attack. In later centuries the harbour supported British fleets operating far beyond the Channel. Shipbuilding and repair depended on skilled workers, materials and supplies, making the dockyard central to the life of the surrounding town.