After military use ended in 1956 and the fort passed to local council ownership, Nothe Fort slipped into dereliction. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, groups of young people regularly broke in, forming a loose community bonded by curiosity and daring as they explored the abandoned magazines and casemates. Their shared stories – from posting a Labrador through a window to roaming the dark tunnels with ghost tales – have become an unexpected part of the fort’s modern folklore.
When Weymouth Civic Society stepped in during the 1970s and 80s, volunteers transformed the neglected structure, undertaking the long, complex work of stabilising, restoring, and reopening the fort. Their efforts ultimately rescued the site from ruin and made it the thriving museum and heritage attraction it is today.
