Welcome to the Friends of Stokes Bay
Stokes Bay, often referred to as ‘The Jewel in Gosport’s Crown’, has a rich heritage both natural and man-made.
It is unusual in that it has remained as an open area available to local people and visitors for a wide variety of recreational purposes including sailing, windsurfing, kite flying, football, tennis, miniature golf, pétanque and a toddlers' paddling pool.
The shingle shore is noted for its remarkable flora and many varieties of birds. The lagoons east of Gilkicker, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the unspoilt natural area to the east, are a delight for walkers.
The Bay owes its unspoilt character to its past as an area of military defence. In the 19th century a line of defensive forts, batteries and a moat were constructed. Two of the batteries remain today and recently No. 2 Battery was opened as a Diving Museum.
During World War II the Bay was an important location with much of it being concreted over in preparation for the D-Day landings and the building of parts of the Mulberry Harbour Caissons. It was from here that large numbers of troops including the Canadians embarked for the landings.
About the Society
The Friends of Stokes Bay is a society founded in 1975 to safeguard the environment of Stokes Bay for present and future generations. Stokes Bay derives its name from the nearby village of Alverstoke Alverstoke. Stoce, Allwardstok. 10th century. Old English stoc – a farm or place. legend has it that Stoke was given to [...]
Contact Us
To contact our Committee you can email Hazel Casey at secretary@friendsofstokesbay.co.uk or you can call us on 023 9252 0426 Alternatively you can fill in the form:
Become a member
To become a member you can download a form to print and fill in: Membership Application Please Note: By signing this application you are agreeing for FOSB to hold your name, address, and/or email address on our database. These details are purely for the purpose of distributing the FOSB Newsletter and will not be used [...]
