Vernon Monument
To commemmorate the heritage of HMS Vernon, a new sculpture has been installed at Gunwharf Quays to honour those involved in mine design, minelaying, minesweeping, mine hunting or who served in mine countermeasures vessels.
Created by sculptor Mark Richards FRSS, the one-and-a-quarter life-size monument is made of bronze and consists of a moored mine and two divers. The divers are a tribute to those involved in naval and military diving as well as bomb and mine disposal - past, present and future. You'll find it in the canal just outside Solent Forts at Gunwharf Quays.
HMS Vernon started life in 1876 as a training establishment onboard ships afloat in Portsmouth Harbour. In 1923, it moved ashore to the site that is now Gunwharf Quays and became a centre for training and trials of many forms of undersea warfare, including mine warfare and diving until its decommission in 1986. The site was integral in D-Day preparations, with all mine divers receiving training there.
Click here to find out more about the Vernon Monument.
Find out more about Gunwharf Quays' rich naval history