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Summary

A rectangular stone walled and vaulted, slate roofed magazine, built in the early C17 with enclosing blast wall of the mid C18.

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 62522: POWDER MAGAZINE AND BLAST WALLS
• Scheduled Monument 15435: THE ROCKET HOUSE 17TH-18TH CENTURY POWDER MAGAZINE AND ADJACENT PRISON ON THE GARRISON, ST MARY'S

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SV 91 SW 254
• National Record of the Historic Environment to Historic Environment Records data transfer
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1167472
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SV91SW 254
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 7901.03
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SV91SW 31

Monument Type(s):

• POWDER MAGAZINE (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 7423.16 (b12).
The Rocket House, a rectangular stone walled and vaulted, slate roofed magazine, was built in the early C17 and built with enclosing blast wall in the mid C18. The site is sunk into the slope west of the Garrison gate (7906.05); there is a small prison at the east end (7901.04). The magazine is Listed Grade I (h1). A 1655 plan has a rectangular "powder house" at this location (b1). The 1742 map marks it as an "old powder house, very bad" (b2). On both these plans its long axis seems to be angled more WSW - ENE than that of the present Rocket House (b12). The magazine outline only - possibly with east end prison (7901.04) - is inked on a 1746 map, indicating a ruin (b3). Tovey's 1750 map does not show the side (b4). Heath's account of that year suggests that rebuilding was then in progress; referring to strengthened walls and roof, and paved way, cut through the earth and rab on the south and west, but not the external blast wall (b5). Troutbeck in 1796 notes the east side entrance, two windows on the south side and one to the south with double copper shutters, and holes all round for air; he dates the rebuilding to around 1742 (b6). The blast wall appears on Birch's 1834 map (b7) and a small square chamber outside it on the west is on the 1888 OS map (b8). The 1983 IAM describes the magazine as built soon after 1601 of coursed granite blocks, with a steep scantle slate roof having a roll-moulded stone ridge, ventilation ports, and segmental arched entry resembling that to the blast wall (h3). The 1973 survey shows the blast wall with a north east entry down steps, south side lightning conductor position, west side blocked door to external chamber with blocked north window; cobbled passage with drains within; central magazine with lightning chambers against north and south walls, east doorway, and pressure release vents (h2). In 1993 the blast wall was found to be of two neatly joined phases relating to the lower, more regular stonework (h4). The west (blocked) doorway is a later insert. This is a Grade I Listed Building (b13) and a Scheduled Monument.

"Powder Magazine and blast walls, The Garrison GV I
(Formerly Listed as: Rocket House or Magazine)
Powder magazine and blast walls. Early C17. Coursed granite blocks; steeply-pitched scantled slate roof with roll-moulded stone ridge. Rectangular plan. Segmental-arched entry to magazine and blast walls and ventilation ports to magazine. Interior: vaulted stone roof. Built soon after 1601 as part of Francis Godolphin's plans to fortify the Hugh. A rare example of this type, and an important component of the late C16/17 fort centred around Star Castle (qv). Scheduled as an Ancient Monument." [Listed Building description, Images of England website 2002.]
(b12) - Parkes, C, 1994, Pers Comm, ,

See also (14, 15, 16).

--------------------------------
Site history:
1: 1959. SAUNDERS, AD / IAM
2: 1973. JWG / DOE
3: 1983. UNKNOWN / EH
4: 1993. RATCLIFFE, J / CAU
--------------------------------

<1> UNKNOWN, 1655, A MAP OF THE HEW HILL THE CHEIFFE FFORTIFICATIONS, DD GO 575 (Unedited Source). SCO5445.

<2> UNKNOWN, 1742, A PLAN OF THE HUGH FORT ALIAS THE STAR CASTLE (Unedited Source). SCO5545.

<3> UNKNOWN, 1746, A PLAN OF THE HUGH FORT (Unedited Source). SCO5552.

<4> Tovey, A, 1750, A Plan of the Peninsula and Fortifications on St Mary's (Bibliographic reference). SCO4950.

<5> Heath, R, 1750, A Natural and Historical Account of the Islands of Scilly, 75-76 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3486.

<6> Troutbeck, J, 1796, Survey of the Ancient and Present State of the Scilly Islands, 42 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4965.

<7> Birch, JF, 1974, Plan of the Garrison on the Island of Saint Mary, Scilly (Bibliographic reference). SCO2851.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<9> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4050.

<10> Laws, P, 1980, The Buildings of Scilly, 8 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3829.

<11> Adams, F & P, 1984, Star Castle and its Garrison, 56 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2717.

<13> DOE, Listed Building Description (original DOE), 54 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5173.

<14> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 1998, The English Heritage visitors' handbook, 74 (Booklet). SCO29951.

<15> Bowden, M and Brodie, A, 2011, Defending Scilly, 18-19 (Bibliographic reference). SCO29932.

<16> Brodie, A, 2011, The Garrison, St Mary's Isles of Scilly: The Defences of the Garrison 1500-1945 - survey report, 19-20, fig. 15 (Bibliographic reference). SCO24047.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO3128 - Garrison Walls, Isles of Scilly, conservation plan
• ECO4716 - Powder House, The Garrison, St Marys: Watching Brief, 2017 (Ref: 2017R002)
• ECO3819 - Isles of Scilly Military Defences, 1540-1951 (Ref: RDRS 56-2011)
• ECO6309 - The Garrison, St. Mary's: Survey
• ECO3363 - The Garrison, St Marys: Survey, 2006-2011 (Ref: 39-2011)

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