Mast Pond, Portsmouth

The Mast Pond is a fascinating glimpse into 17th-century naval engineering and maritime preservation. Dug in 1665 by dockyard labourers and Dutch prisoners of war, this saltwater basin was used to soak timber鈥攅specially long masts鈥攆or ships, helping prevent splitting and rot before installation on Royal Navy vessels. Today, it remains not only a Scheduled Monument and Grade I listed structure, but also a scenic focal point amid the Historic Dockyard landscape.

Set alongside historic boathouses and bordered by water-level buildings, the Mast Pond is linked to Portsmouth Harbour via an underground tunnel beneath the road. While the original lock-gate system has been replaced with modern hydraulic gates in 2000, it continues to regulate water levels, preserving both monument and function. Its age and setting make it the oldest surviving water-based structure in the Dockyard complex.

Today, the Mast Pond serves a new purpose: it houses a flotilla of restored historic boats maintained by the Portsmouth Dockyard Historical Trust. Visitors can admire vessels such as WWI rowing launches, pinnaces, and powerboats moored here, offering a vivid, living link between the Dockyard鈥檚 working past and its cultural heritage.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Portsmouth. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Mast Pond
Sight Location: Portsmouth, England (See walking tours in Portsmouth)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Historical Dockyard Tour

Walking Tours in Portsmouth, England

Create Your Own Walk in Portsmouth

Creating your own self-guided walk in Portsmouth is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Historical Dockyard Tour

The naval theme has always been dominant for Portsmouth. Most of the city's historic events are in one way or another associated with its seaside location. Portsmouth's Historical Dockyard is the area that offers a glimpse into the city's maritime past.

The very first notable landmark here is Victory Gate, the dockyard's main entrance. Inside, visitors will find HMS... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles

Famous English Writers Walking Tour

Jane Austen was born in 1775 in Steventon, North Hampshire. In her day, Portsmouth was a rough-edged seaport filled with people she considered "underbred." Nevertheless, she often traveled to Portsmouth to visit her brothers Francis and Charles, stationed there with the Royal Navy. Austen included Royal Naval characters in her novels, Persuasion and Mansfield Park.

Charles Dickens was... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles

Portsmouth Introduction Walking Tour

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle claims a warrior named Port and his two sons killed a noble Briton in Portsmouth in 501 AD. Winston Churchill, in his "A History of the English-Speaking Peoples," wrote that Port was a pirate who founded Portsmouth in the same year.

King AEthelwulf sent a force to drive off Viking raiders in Portsmouth in the 9th century. The Danes loved Portsmouth, but they... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles

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