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Summary

Site of a civil war fort.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS53SE/193
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS53SE5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FORT (XVII - 1601 AD to 1700 AD (Between))

Full description

Chanter, J. R., 1865, Sketches of Some Striking Incidents in the History of Barnstaple, Frontispiece (Monograph). SDV82404.

Plan of Barnstaple showing the location of the fort in relation to Barnstaple Castle and the barbican.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Remains of fort marked on 1880s-1890s 25 inch Ordnance Survey map. Inner and outer earthworks shown. The outer earthworks comprise an irregular heptagon with bastions. Map object based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Fort Hill Fort (Remains of)' depicted on 1880s-1890s 25 inch Ordnance Survey map, located in fields to the south of 'Bear Street' to the east of 'Barnstaple Union Workhouse'. Map object based on this source.

Cotton, R. W., 1889, Barnstaple and the Northern Ports of Devonshire during the Great Civil War 1642-46, 111-114,116,228,437,470,506,509,511,515-516 (Monograph). SDV82402.

The fort was probably planned as an earthwork, the outer line being an irregular pentagon with bastions at the angle and a dry outer ditch. There was also an internal earthwork enclosing buildings. It had 28 mounted guns. It was surrendered to the royalist commander in 1643 who partly dismantled it and filled in part of the ditch. It was later refortified and occupied by royalists who finally surrendered it to Fairfax on 21st April 1646.

Harper, J., 1895, The Barnstaple Parish Registers, 371 (Article in Serial). SDV82406.

Three houses at the fort were fitted up in 1650 for use as a pest house.

Andriette, E. A., 1971, Devon and Exeter in the Civil War, 94, map (Monograph). SDV82405.

Andriette, e. A. /devon and exeter in the civil war/(1971)94/map.

Timms, S. C., 1976, The Devon Urban Survey, 1976. First Draft, 73 (Report - Survey). SDV341346.

Residential development has destroyed the earthworks of the fort.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Unknown, SS53SE5 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV82401.

Site visit 15th October 1976. The outer boundary of the fort consists of a glacis type bank. No trace of stonework. Part allotment garden, part built over, part grass.
Site visit 1st April 1976. The remains have been overlaid and completely effaced by private dwellings, most of which were built in the late 1960s.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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