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Summary

The north western and only survivor of late C16/early C17 windmills on the Hugh.

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 62523: SIGNAL GUN TOWER

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SV 81 SE 41
• National Record of the Historic Environment to Historic Environment Records data transfer
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 303614
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SV81SE 41
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 7901.05
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SV81SE 31

Monument Type(s):

• WINDMILL (16th Century to 17th Century - 1550 AD to 1700 AD)

Full description

The north western and only survivor of late C16/early C17 windmills on the Hugh. Re-used in the mid-C19 as a signal station and re-used again as a signal station in WW1. One windmill was purchased in 1593/94 (b16) and both were noted by the 1652 Duchy survey which stated that they were employed by the Garrison and used by all the islanders with "soake, toll, suite and custome thereunto belonging" (b1). Labelled 'windmills' on the 1655 map (b2) and shown with sails on 1693 chart (b4); the depiction of sails on the former was perhaps a convention (b21). Heath confirms that by 1750 they were ruinous: "two circular walls of windmills formerly in use" (b8). Troutbeck in 1796 states that they were replaced by the Penninis windmill after a dispute concerning islanders wanting access at hours the commanding officer deemed unreasonable (b9). Plans to re-use towers as blockhouses during the Napoleonic War in 1803 or 1804 were not pursued (b10, b20) and in 1822 they were daymarks for shipping (b11). This particular windmill was allegedly converted into a gun tower (b15, b19), although there appears to be no evidence for this (b20) beyond possible 'crenellations' at the top of the older walling (h1). Used in the mid-C19 by the coastguard service and then, in 1869, was acquired by the Shipping Gazette before being taken over in 1871 by Lloyds, who bought it in 1882. Any of these three organisations could have converted it into the signal station with a small rectangular annex attached to its east on the 1888 1:2500 OS map (b13) and only access to relevant deeds would allow details to be resolved (b20). Shown as "Lloyds signal station" on the 1907 OS 1:2500 with small rectangular annexes to the north and east and a detached rectangular building 5.0m to the east with a fence; a larger fence created a small enclosure to the north (b14). The tower was used as a naval signal station in World War 1 and fitted with a flagstaff (b18). It is a Grade II Listed Building with a circular plan of approx 4.0m diameter with three storeys of roughly coursed granite rubble to approx 12m high. The older part is visible to approx 9.0m high with granite lintels, platform and parapet bands (h1, h2, b16).

The site was visited in 2008-10: "This was never a gun tower, but a windmill later converted to a signal tower; it is now holiday accommodation." (23).

"Signal Gun Tower, The Garrison Grade II
Windmill. C17, converted into gun tower in 1803 to the designs of Major Daniel Lyman. Roughly coursed granite rubble. Circular plan. 3 storeys. Granite lintels over doorway and window openings; plat and parapet bands; crenellated parapet. One of 3 gun towers built on St. Mary's by Lyman. It was designed to house 8-10 men and was intended to mount a 32-pounder carronade at the top. Shown as a windmill on plan of Hugh Fort by Colonel Christian Lilley, dated 1713. (Saunders A: Fortress Britain: Liphook: 1989-: 152)." (EH Listed Building description, 2002)
(b21) - Parkes, C, 1994, Pers Comm, ,

--------------------------------
Site history:
1: 1978. NJA / OS
2: 1984. UNKNOWN / EH
3: 1988. WATERS, A / CAU
--------------------------------

<1> Pounds, NJG, 1984, The Parliamentary Survey of the Duchy of Cornwall, PT 2, 37 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4153.

<2> UNKNOWN, 1655, A MAP OF THE HEW HILL THE CHEIFFE FFORTIFICATIONS, DD GO 575 (Unedited Source). SCO5445.

<3> ROBYN, I, 1683, SCILLY ISLES OF TESORLINGES (Unedited Source). SCO5464.

<4> COLLINS, G, 1693, THE ISLANDS OF SCILLY, GREAT BRITAIN'S COASTLINE PILOT (Unedited Source). SCO5472.

<5> UNKNOWN, 1741, A PLAN OF HUGH GARRISON IN ST MARY'S ISLAND AT SCILLY (Unedited Source). SCO5540.

<6> UNKNOWN, 1742, A PLAN OF HUGH FORT ALIAS THE STAR CASTLE (Unedited Source). SCO5544.

<7> Tovey, A, 1750, A Plan of the Peninsula and Fortifications on St Mary's (Bibliographic reference). SCO4950.

<8> Heath, R, 1750, A Natural and Historical Account of the Islands of Scilly, 72 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3486.

<9> Troutbeck, J, 1796, Survey of the Ancient and Present State of the Scilly Islands, 52 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4965.

<10> LYMAN, D, 1803, OBSERVATIONS (Unedited Source). SCO5738.

<11> Woodley, G, 1822, A View of the Present State of the Scilly Islands, 225 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5069.

<12> Birch, JF, 1974, Plan of the Garrison on the Island of Saint Mary, Scilly (Bibliographic reference). SCO2851.

<13> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<14> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4050.

<15> O'Neil, BH St J, 1961, Isles of Scilly MOW Guide, 36 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4042.

<16> DOE, Listed Building Description (original DOE) (Bibliographic reference). SCO5173.

<17> Adams, F & P, 1984, Star Castle and its Garrison, 7 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2717.

<18> OSBORNE, JP, 1990, SCILLONIAN WAR DIARY, 1914-18, VOL 2 (Unedited Source). SCO8938.

<19> STEVENSON, IV, 1989, SOME WEST COUNTRY DEFENCES, VOL 17, 11-26 (Unedited Source). SCO8918.

<20> Goodwin, J, 1993, Granite Towers on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly (Article in Journal). SCO3368.

<22> KENNEY, AH, 1902, STEVAL AND WOOLPACK BATTERIES RECORD PLANS (Unedited Source). SCO6901.

<23> Bowden, M and Brodie, A, 2011, Defending Scilly, 53-4 (Bibliographic reference). SCO29932.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO3128 - Garrison Walls, Isles of Scilly, conservation plan
• ECO3819 - Isles of Scilly Military Defences, 1540-1951 (Ref: RDRS 56-2011)

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