Browndown Military Ranges

1860

The Browndown military ranges, located on the coast between Lee-on-the-Solent and Stokes Bay, have been a feature of the landscape near Hill Head since the mid-nineteenth century. The ranges were established for gunnery practice and later used for a variety of military training purposes, including weapons testing and beach assault exercises. Browndown's proximity to Hill Head meant that local residents were familiar with the sound of gunfire and the restrictions that came with living near an active military site. The ranges occupy a stretch of shingle beach and heathland that, because of its military use, was never developed for housing. This has had the unintended consequence of preserving a rare coastal habitat, and Browndown is now recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its vegetated shingle, one of the rarest habitats in Europe. The military use of Browndown has declined over the decades, though the site remains under Ministry of Defence ownership. Public access is restricted when firing is taking place, but at other times the shingle beach and heathland can be explored. For Hill Head residents, Browndown forms part of the wider coastal landscape, accessible via the Solent Way path heading east towards Gosport.