It was commissioned in 1869 and was home to a gunnery school for more than a century. The base was decommissioned in 1985 when the school was opened and the site became part of HMS Nelson.
These days HMS Excellent is part of the Maritime Warfare School, with a headquarters at HMS Collingwood, though there are a number of lodger units on the Royal Navy base.
The photos in this gallery tell the story of the base, including the training that was carried out and the parades that took place there.
HMS Excellent is based on Whale Island in Portsmouth, so you are sure to spot it if you are driving in or out of the city on the motorway.
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MORE RETRO PHOTOS: Pounds’ scrapyard | Amazing Royal Navy photos from the past | Old Portsmouth
5. HMS Excellent on Whale Island
Navy Days - Angela Cooper from HMS Dolphin and Evelyn Hazarding from HMS Excellent. Photo: The News archive
6. HMS Excellent on Whale Island
Lord Mountbatten's coffin borne on the field gun carriage kept at HMS Excellent on Whale Island, Portsmouth Photo: The News archive
7. HMS Excellent on Whale Island
Young officers at HMS Excellent, Whale Island the Navy's gunnery school. They are being shown the finer points of a breech and breech block of a 15 inch gun. Young junior seaman Thake was hauled into the breech to de-copper it. Photo: The News archive
8. HMS Excellent on Whale Island
The Ladysmith Gun at HMS Excellent Photo: The News archive