English castle could be cut off from mainland UK in new £16million beach protection plans

A 483-YEAR-OLD castle that's survived countless wars could soon beryllium chopped disconnected from the UK.

Located successful Hampshire, Hurst Castle was built by Henry VIII successful the 1540s, becoming 1 of the astir precocious artillery fortresses successful England.

Managed by English Heritage, the Tudor castle remains fashionable with visitors who tin adjacent spot the Isle of Wight connected a wide day.

Despite its popularity with holidaymakers, Hurst Castle could soon beryllium chopped disconnected from the mainland nether caller beach extortion plans.

The rewilding plans person been drawn up by the Environment Agency, aiming to support a mile-long agelong of the shingle coast against the impacts of clime change.

Expected to outgo up to £16million, the caller plans impact creating embankments that volition let the onshore to flood.

The onshore volition past modulation into a brackish marsh implicit time, with different areas being near to instrumentality connected a "more earthy form".

However, critics person spoken retired against the plans, which they judge could spot the 16th-century castle chopped disconnected from the mainland.

One campaigner, Dominic May, who is portion of a radical called Save Lymington and Keyhaven (Slak), said: "Keyhaven stream volition beryllium changed beyond each recognition, Hurst Castle volition beryllium chopped disconnected permanently from the shore.

"There volition not beryllium immoderate spot to structure nether Hurst arsenic the swell and waves volition walk implicit Hurst shingle bank, and Lymington Harbour arsenic a full volition beryllium astatine risk.

"All of the features successful that country volition beryllium fixed up to let the tidal waters to migrate inland and make caller intertidal situation for the birds."

The plans are inactive nether consultation, with thing confirmed.

Closed for the winter, Hurst Castle is acceptable to reopen for its summer play connected April 1.

Built by Henry VIII, the castle commanded the constrictive entranceway to the Solent - a large shipping lane for passenger, freight and subject vessels.

The castle was utilized arsenic a situation successful the 17th century, with King Charles I holed up wrong its walls.

Hurst Castle underwent important modifications during the 19th and 20th centuries to accommodate to evolving subject technology, with armoured wings added to accommodate dense artillery.

It besides played an important relation during the Second World War, serving arsenic portion of the country’s coastal defence network.

Nowadays, Hurst Castle is managed by English Heritage with visitors capable to larn much astir its relation successful defending England's confederate coast.

The castle has been praised by visitors, with a 4/5 prima standing from implicit 1,400 reviews.

One idiosyncratic wrote: "I person been to this castle galore times and bask some the shingle locomotion and the ferry ride over. It's precise absorbing and the views are great."

Another idiosyncratic added: "It's rather an awesome structure, absorbing to spot the archetypal foundations from hundreds of years ago."

Hurst Castle is simply a 70-minute thrust from Portsmouth, and it's a 50-minute thrust from Southampton.

The castle is slated to unfastened connected April 1, with introduction tickets for adults starting from £8.50 and children's tickets from £5.50.

Last summer, question newsman Hope Brotherton visited the UK’s ‘best’ castle with unrecorded jousting tournaments, a Zog playground and a medieval-themed hotel.

Meanwhile, these are immoderate of the most popular castle stays that tin beryllium booked successful the UK.