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The city of Portsmouth lies to the east on Portsea Island , and Gosport to the west on the mainland. At its north end is Portchester Castle , of Roman origin and the first fortress built to protect the harbour. The mouth of the harbour provides access to the Solent . It is best known as the home of the Royal Navy , HMNB Portsmouth . Because of its strategic location on the south coast of England , protected by the natural defence of the Isle Of Wight , it has since the middle ages been the home to England's (and later Great Britain's) navy. The narrow entrance, and the forts surrounding it gave it a considerable advantage of being virtually impregnable to attack from the sea - however, by use of subterfuge, the French sacked Portsmouth in the 14th century decimating its population. In modern times, the harbour has become a major commercial Ferry port, with regular services to Le Havre, France ; Cherbourg, France ; St Malo, France ; The Channel Islands and the Isle Of Wight . There is a passenger ferry to Gosport . It is also a major area for leisure sailing. Recently, a large area of the former naval dockyard has been redeveloped into the Gunwharf Quays development, including the Spinnaker Tower , and has added further dimension to the harbour. SEE ALSO |
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