Portsdown Main, Portsmouth
Portsdown Main is an enormous art deco
styled building on the north Portsmouth skyline and is known locally as
Portsdown Main or ASWE. The site was designed in the 1930sbut was not built
until the 1950’s because of WW2. It has been known as)
Admiralty Signals Establishment (ASE)
Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment
(ASWE)
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
(DERA)
Defence Research Agency (DRA))
Portsdown Main finally closed on 1
January 1997 and although there have been a number of Government departments
interested in the site none have any plans to move there. Not much is known
about the work that went on at Portsdown Main due to the secret nature of it
over the years; so available history of the site is few and far between. This
site was visited with the kind permission of the demolition contractors. They
know who they are so big thanks