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Summary

An angled battery consisting of a platform behind stone walls associated with the Elizabethan curtain wall across the Garrison neck.

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 62521: OUTER WALLS AND GATEWAY
• Scheduled Monument 15434: POST-MEDIEVAL BREASTWORK, CURTAIN WALL AND ASSOCIATED DEFENSIVE STRUCTURES ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE GARRISON, ST MARY'S

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SV 91 SW 317
• National Monuments Record: SV 91 SW 318
• National Record of the Historic Environment to Historic Environment Records data transfer
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1445566
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1445580
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SV91SW 30.8
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 7906.11
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SV91SW 31

Monument Type(s):

• COASTAL BATTERY (17th Century - 1601 AD to 1700 AD)

Full description

Prior to the 1994 revision of the Garrison defences SMR, this site was recorded under PRN 7423.15 (b16).
An angled battery consisting of a platform behind stone walls associated with the Elizabethan curtain wall across the Garrison neck (7906.04) and rebuilt in the C18 with three small structures added, is situated south of the gateway (7906.05) above Hugh Town and St Mary's Pool, it is a Listed Building, Grade I and is Scheduled (h1). A battery with NW and SW faces and short north and south sides is shown on the 1655 map and named as Stilley p(latform) (b1). The 'survey of the contents of His Majesties Castles and Garrisons' dated 11 October 1661 (17) makes reference to Stillhouse Battery - which may be another name for this Stiller Platform. It gives details of an estimate to slate a new timber roof for the Guardhouse. It is named Higher Bastion in 1715 and 1742 (b3, b4) and King George's battery on the 1750 map (b5). Heath in 1750 noted the Garrison warning used only to alert islanders to an enemy's approach mounted here (b6); it was moved to Store House battery (7096.03) by 1796 (b7). The 1796 survey records seven 4-pdrs here (b7). An 1834 map marks the battery 'occupied by the coastguard' (b8); it depicts structures at the inside corners of the Duke of Leeds battery to the south (7906.12) but not at this site (b16). A roughly centred flagstaff and the structure outside the SE face are shown on the 1888 OS (b10). A photo of c1900 shows a mid-C19 barometer on the latter (b13). Thomas notes that the first recorded name is of unknown origin, while 'Higher Bastion' probably refers to the siting above Mount Hollis (79020.04) and the change to 'King George's' to Tovey's rebuilding temp George II (b14). Carpenter gives details of two early 1800s guns displayed here (b15), mistakenly attributed to Upper Benham (b16). The 1978 OS fieldworker found the walls 5.2m high outside and 0.7m high inside (h2). The site was visited in 1988 (h3) and surveyed 1991 (h4). In 1990 details were recorded of the later rear wall and central entrance with fittings; paved gun platforms with drainage hole to external spout each side - with two early C19 guns now mounted; north corner sentry box with musket loops and ball finial; south corner chamber post - dating the rear wall, with entrance from allee couverte and fittings; and structure outside SE face, perhaps originally a sentry box, with granite slab screen (h5). The monument is included in the Schedule.

Described in 1995 (16): The battery's outer walls are entirely of coursed ashlar masonry, deploying relatively small blocks and contrasting with the irregular fabric of the adjoining c.1601 curtain wall. This indicates that the battery walls were probably rebuilt almost certainly from Tovey's refurbishment. The outer walls rise 4 -5m from modern roads, yards and gardens to a parapet generally 1.9m wide and 0.8m high on its inner face. The parapet is pierced by drainage slots with projecting gutters. In the interior there is a neatly paved hardstanding for the guns, an area of rough paving and a central lawn. The battery's rear wall is up to 1.3m high and 0.7m wide, a later addition linking the curtain wall at each side of the battery. A sentry box built into the northern end of the rear wall is 2.7m long, 2.1m wide rising to 2.2m high with a slate roof topped by a lead-sheathed pinnacle and ball finial. The battery is recorded as `occupied by the coastguard'. The MPPA wonders if their presence may account for the observation platform and covered platform which have been added to the battery's forward angle and SW corner respectively. The preceding 'Stiller Platform' battery is depicted on the 1655 map as one of the bastions on the c.1601 curtain wall with the same pentagonal shape. No rear wall is shown and a ditch extends along the outer edge of the walls, between the battery and Mount Hollis. In 1715 it is similarly shown though the ditch has been curtailed to the battery's flanks and the name changed to `the Higher Bastion'. A view of the Garrison accompanying Lilly's plan shows the bastion pierced by embrasures.

--------------------------------
Site history:
1: 1958. UNKNOWN/IAM
2: 1978. NJA/OS
3: 1988. WATERS, A/CAU
4: 1990. JOHNSON, N/CAU
5: 1991. UNKNOWN/EH
6: 1993. RATCLIFFE, J/CAU
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1661, Survey of the contents of His Majesties Castles and Garrisons (Unedited Source). SCO30377.

<1> UNKNOWN, 1665, A MAP OF THE HEW HILL THE CHEIFFE FFORTIFICATIONS, DD GO 575 (Unedited Source). SCO5453.

<2> Bowley, RL (Ed), 1980, The Fortunate Islands, 53 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5086.

<3> Lilly, C, 1715, A Plan of the Hugh (Unpublished document). SCO3869.

<4> UNKNOWN, 1742, A PLAN OF HUGH FORT ALIAS THE STAR CASTLE (Unedited Source). SCO5544.

<5> Tovey, A, 1750, A Plan of the Peninsula and Fortifications on St Mary's (Bibliographic reference). SCO4950.

<6> Heath, R, 1750, A Natural and Historical Account of the Islands of Scilly (Bibliographic reference). SCO3486.

<7> Troutbeck, J, 1796, Survey of the Ancient and Present State of the Scilly Islands (Bibliographic reference). SCO4965.

<8> Birch, JF, 1974, Plan of the Garrison on the Island of Saint Mary, Scilly (Bibliographic reference). SCO2851.

<9> North, IW, 1850, A Week in the Isles of Scilly (Bibliographic reference). SCO4004.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<11> Owen, JJ, 1897, Faire Lyonesse - a Guide to the Isles of Scilly (Bibliographic reference). SCO4061.

<12> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4050.

<13> Adams, F & P, 1984, Star Castle and its Garrison, 79 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2717.

<14> THOMAS, AC, 1989, THE NAMES OF THE BATTERIES ON THE GARRISON, ST MARY'S, ISLES IF SCILLY (Unedited Source). SCO8924.

<15> Carpenter, AC, 1984, The Cannon of Pendennis and St. Mawes Castles, Cornwall, 7, 63 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5087.

<16> Field Investigator's Comments, MPPA/Hooley, D. 1995. (Survey). SCO29739.

<17> National Monument Record, The Garrison Survey, St. Mary's, Isle of Scilly (Survey). SCO29940.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO3128 - Garrison Walls, Isles of Scilly, conservation plan
• ECO6309 - The Garrison, St. Mary's: Survey
• ECO6554 - Higher Battery Sentry Turret (Ref: 2023/7)

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