Fort Albert was one of the Royal Commission forts built in the 19th century as part of Lord Palmerston's defences against the possibility of a French attack from Napoleon III.

Designed to defend the Needles Passage, it was completed in 1856, after 4 years of construction, but like the American Third System forts it resembles in miniature, it would have suffered badly from rifled gunfire, so the Royal Commission enhanced it with batteries on the cliffs above.

In 1886 it was selected as one of the UK locations for the Brennan torpedo.

It is most easily viewed from the sea, or from Hurst Castle.

The battery above is part of a chalet estate at Brambles Chine.