The village is constructed on the site of an ancient fort built to thwart attacks by the French as early as 1545. It would most likely have been a low earthworks fort to prevent beach landing by the French. Due to fears of another French invasion during the Napoleonic wars, the fort was rebuilt to include a moat, drawbridge and embrasures for 3 32 pounder guns. In the 1830s, it gained recognition as a semaphore station providing a part of the incredible link between forts mouth and London.

 

Lumps Fort was constructed between 1859 and 1869 for the defence of Portsmouth. By 1902 it was armed as a coastal battery with two 6-inch breech-loading (BL) Mk. IV guns. The guns were removed in 1906. The fort was rearmed in 1914 as a beach defence battery and mounted a 6-pounder Hotchkiss heavy anti-aircraft gun. It was demolished at the end of the First World War, although the outline survives.

Finally in 1956 the site was transformed into Southsea Model village you see today.