King James' Gate stood in Broad Street and was the entrance to the town. The gate sat within a huge stone arch and was manned by soldiers to keep the sailors apart from the 'respectable' townspeople!
Originally there was a small moat with a drawbridge - the soldiers used to close the gates and raise the drawbridge closing off the part of the town known as Spice Island in the evenings.
Spice Island is where Portsmouth's shipping history began - with its perfect natural harbour, it quickly became a flourishing port and was soon full of all the sailors' favourite facilities - liquor houses, taverns, pawnbrokers and brothels!
It was open 24 hours a day and was a favourite haunt of pickpockets and press gangs - you could go out in the evening and be apprehended by one and find yourself in the Royal Navy for the next five or six years!
The gate was demolished in 1870, and is now the entrance to Portsmouth's United Services Recreation Ground.
Looking through the arches in the wall you can see the sea, where you're standing is a dividing line between land and water, you're only 50cm above sea level here!
Follow the road long to the square tower and then turn left up the High Street towards the Cathedral... |
Introduction