For important guidance on the use of this record, please click here.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

A group of four Civil War batteries, constructed by Royalists to cover Crow Sound.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SV 91 SW 67
• National Record of the Historic Environment to Historic Environment Records data transfer
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 304141
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SV91SW 67
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 7454
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SV91SW 2

Monument Type(s):

• SIEGEWORK (Civil War (1642 to 1651) - 1642 AD to 1651 AD)

Full description

A group of four Post Medieval batteries (or two batteries and two bastions) on the north east coast of St Mary's, near Innisidgen Hill.

Troutbeck (1) records two batteries on 'Inazigan Hill', one between a stone outcrop at the apex and the sea ('A'), and fomrerly another near the barrow to the north west ('B'). Troutbeck also mentions a third battery 'on the brow of the hill to the Southward' where in his day there was a dismounted four-pound gun. These two batteries are recorded on the 1908 OS map (2), described as being of earth and stone (3).

O'Neil (4) describes a group of four Civil War batteries, constructed by Royalists to cover Crow Sound (b1).

Visited in 1978 (5): 'A' at SV 92221266 is situated at the bottom and seaward side of Innisidgen Carn. The earthwork, is well preserved here being
up to 1.4m high and 3.0m wide; 'B' at SV 92191265 is now only visible as a small low bank 8.0m long, 0.5m high and 1.0m wide and although the OS 25" 1908 shows it extending from Innisidgen Carn to the chambered cairn (SV 91 SW 30), the battery has been partially destroyed since that time; and at SV 92091272 and SV 92301256 are two further earth and stone bastions which have been partially destroyed by coastal erosion, though their banks remain in part up to 0.6m high and 2.0m wide. Surveyed at 1:2500 on PFD.

The site was visited in 1988 (6). Three batteries (7454.01, 7454.03, 7454.04) were recorded; 7454.02 could not be found. They consisted of earth and stone banks, with remains of an internal ditch at 7454.04.

The site was visited in 2008-10 (7, 8). Only 'A' (7454.01/MCO30692) could be located through the high vegetation.

The earthworks are not visible in aerial photographs (9, 10). The monument was included in the Schedule on 7/10/1976.

Ordnance Survey, 1976, OS76/F164/73 (Aerial Photograph). SCO29973.

Ordnance Survey, 1976, OS76/F164/74 (Aerial Photograph). SCO29974.

<1> Troutbeck, J, 1796, Survey of the Ancient and Present State of the Scilly Islands, 99-100 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4965.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map, Cornwall LXXXVII.7 (Cartographic materials). SCO4050.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Revisions Object Name Book, 1908, 21 (Unedited Source). SCO6950.

<4> O'Neil, BH St J, 1961, Isles of Scilly MOW Guide, 31 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4042.

<5> Field Investigator's Comments, OS/Atrill, NJ 1978 (Survey). SCO29739.

<6> Field Investigator's Comments, CAU/Parkes, C 1988 (Survey). SCO29739.

<7> Field Investigator's Comments, HE/Bowden, M 2008-10 (Survey). SCO29739.

<8> Bowden, M, 2011, Isles of Scilly Military Defences, 1540-1951: Earthwork Sites and Minor Features, 30 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO25530.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO1300 - Isles of Scilly: Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment, 2003
• ECO3819 - Isles of Scilly Military Defences, 1540-1951 (Ref: RDRS 56-2011)

Related records

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.