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Summary

One of two tunnel systems dated to the Napoleonic era and which probably functioned as drains/sewers.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017322: Berry Head Fort and Battery

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX95NW/4/15
• Tide Project: 21/08/2020
• Torbay HER: MTO42882

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DRAIN (Constructed, XVIII - 1795 AD (Between) to 1798 AD (Between))

Full description

Pye, A.R., 1989, Berry Head Fort, Brixham. An Archaeological Assessment, 1, 7, 34 (Report - Assessment). SDV362497.

The partial excavation of an extensive tunnel system running into the fort from the south and under the guardhouse (café) was carried out in the mid 1970s.
The overall plan of this system and that of tunnel 2 suggest a relation with the fort structures, as drains/sewers of Napoleonic date. They may indeed be the 'guttering' (surface drains) mentioned by Colonel Bastard, the comanding officer of the garrison (1st Devonshire Militia), in 1798 as unhealthy and offensive.

Pye, A.R. & Slater, W.D., 1990, Berry Head Fort, Brixham, An Archaeological Survey, 2, 24-25, Fig 12 (Report - Survey). SDV362493.

One of two separate tunnel systems dated 1795-98. In good condition. The tunnel runs due south, sloping downwards, from the area of the guardhouse to emerge on the outside of the southern garde foux. It was discovered during excavations by Horsley in the mid 1970s. At the northern end it has three branches, none of which have been fully emptied of rubble. One appears to go under the guardhouse and another towards the building to the south-west. The source of the other is unclear. For most of its length the tunnel consists of roughly dressed rubble limestone walls, which lean inwards towards the limestone slab roof. To the south it slopes steeply and appears to use a pre-existing cave. At the junction of these sections is a portion of mortared wall. The system probably represents drains/sewers of Napoleonic date.

Turner, D., 1997, Unknown (Correspondence). SDV318591.

Following discovery in museum records of a report of a suspected Roman room in the vicinity of the guardhouse, an excavation was carried out in mid 1970's. This revealed a system of tunnels, with drystone walls, roofed with capstones, radiating off a circular shaft. The lowest point reached in the shaft was about 30 feet, which was the level of the tunnel under investigation. At this level it was obvious that there were further tunnels at even greater depths.
At the same time, the bottom of a swimmingpool at a holiday camp in St Marys collapsed into what was described as a 'tunnel with stone walls and roof'. This could not be confirmed as the pool bottom was quickly filled with concrete.
If these tunnels are connected, the system is potentially very complex. The investigated tunnel varied in height from over 6 feet to a tight crawl. There were no finds apart from some Napoleonic debris where the fort constructors had broken through the capstones, and a couple of sherds of very early pot. At one point, where the tunnel was very tight, was what appeared to be a doorway cut out of solid (?) granite (?), surmounted by an arch of Roman (?) bricks.

Farnell, A. J., 2009, Archaeological excavation at the Guardhouse, Fort No. 3, Berry Head, Brixham, Devon (Report - Excavation). SDV365436.

A low tunnel was exposed during excavations to the rear of the guardhouse in 2009, but was not excavated.

Passmore, A. J., 2010, Archaeological Recording at Berry Head, Brixham, Devon, May to October 2009, 1, 6, Fig. 9 (Report - Assessment). SDV364281.

Archaeological recording was carried out by Exeter Archaeology in 2009 within Fort No. 3, during construction and conservation works undertaken as part of the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust’s ‘On The Edge’ project.
Excavtions to the rear of the guardhouse revealed a 2m length of tunnel, part of the fort’s sewage/drainage system. The tunnel, of which some of the capstones had been removed or dislodged during earlier works, was aligned north-east to south-west which ran under the south wall of the guardhouse.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV318591	Correspondence: Turner, D.. 1997. Unknown. Email. Email.
SDV362493	Report - Survey: Pye, A.R. & Slater, W.D.. 1990. Berry Head Fort, Brixham, An Archaeological Survey. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Report. EMAFU 90.10. Hardcopy + Digital. 2, 24-25, Fig 12. [Mapped feature: #126811 Imported from Torbay HER, ]
	Linked documents:1
SDV362497	Report - Assessment: Pye, A.R.. 1989. Berry Head Fort, Brixham. An Archaeological Assessment. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit. EMAFU 89.04. Hardcopy + Digital. 1, 7, 34.
	Linked documents:1
SDV364281	Report - Assessment: Passmore, A. J.. 2010. Archaeological Recording at Berry Head, Brixham, Devon, May to October 2009. Exeter Archaeology. 10.73. Digital. 1, 6, Fig. 9.
	Linked documents:1
SDV365436	Report - Excavation: Farnell, A. J.. 2009. Archaeological excavation at the Guardhouse, Fort No. 3, Berry Head, Brixham, Devon. Exeter Archaeology. 09.88. A4 Stapled + Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7836 - Excavations of the walled garden and tunnel systems at Berry Head Fort No. 3
• EDV8910 - Excavations at the Guardhouse, Fort No. 3, Berry Head, Brixham
• EDV8911 - Archaeological recording at Berry Head, Brixham
• EDV7834 - Archaeological Assessment of the Berry Head Forts
• EDV7835 - Archaeological Survey of the Berry Head Forts

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