In 1858, after a lengthy and heated debate, work began on the Palmerston fortifications, a project that turned Portsmouth into one of the most strongly defended places in the world. Fort Brockhurst is one of two of the great bulwarks then built which are open to the public, offering the atmosphere of a medieval fortress with its drawbridge over a water-filled moat surrounding the castle. The keep is a circular building and beyond is a large parade ground surrounded by ramparts, where cannons were placed to command the local approaches to Portsmouth Harbour in the event of invasion. Building took place during several years of panic after the Crimean War when the French fleet modernised more quickly than our own. Such forts could give protection with limited manpower, for at this time the bulk of Britain's army was overseas, spread throughout the Empire. Over the years their facilities and accommodation were put to a variety of uses including the reception of soldiers returning from World War I. Suggested paranormal residents during the Fort's 150 year history have included a whistling Sergeant-Major, while the old Sergeant's mess is described as an intimidating area where visitors are reluctant to walk alone. Reports of ghostly footsteps and strange banging sounds have come from the Keep, while there is also said to be the spirit of a former prisoner, or possibly a prison guard. An area which was bombed during WWII, which is still rubble today, is also said to house a couple of spirits.

For the 1st vigil of the night I took my team to the Officer's Quarters located in the central section of the Fort. Beginning in a large room at the outer edge we conducted a group séance around a table where one of the team members linked in with a 32 year old male named Martin. She felt he had blonde hair and described a picture in her mind of a Viking period and was shown images of a burning village. As she described the sensation of this presence moving away, two team members suggested they had briefly seen a dark shadow behind her. Unfortunately no physical or audible activity took place to enable verification that a spirit was indeed present with us. Following this I undertook a solo vigil in this area attempting to make further contact with this supposed spirit however nothing was captured. After the vigil the team gathered in the courtyard outside while I closed down the location, at which point I heard the motion detector alarm I had set-up in the adjoining section within Cell 3, a location with previous reported activity. My team informed me that prior to the alarm sounding they heard a sound like a door banging, yet the team investigating this area had already left. Investigating Cell 3 I found the door closed with the latch pulled across and no person present in that part of the building. My 2nd vigil took a team to the abandoned tunnels at the outer edge of the Fort. Here we experienced a number of cold breezes which are explained by the exposed nature of the tunnels, however some team members genuinely felt a presence, describing icy cold sensations and breathing against their faces. The 3rd vigil took us to the Aviation Room where we conducted an automatic writing experiment using a Planchette. Information appeared to come through of a man named David, born in 1739 who died at the age of 20. Such an individual would have pre-dated the Fort, however we do not know if there was a settlement prior to this. Our night concluded with visits to the Cells and the Stables where unfortunately no further activity was recorded.