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Summary

A battery housing two 12-pounder guns, in place by 1905; probably dismantled by 1907.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 15434: POST-MEDIEVAL BREASTWORK, CURTAIN WALL AND ASSOCIATED DEFENSIVE STRUCTURES ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE GARRISON, ST MARY'S

Other References/Statuses

• Heritage at Risk (National)
• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 60.2.7-8
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 7908.01

Monument Type(s):

• BATTERY (19th Century - 1801 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

Prior to the 1994 revision of the Garrison defences SMR, this site was recorded under PRN 7423.26 (b4).
The 1907 OS 1:2500 map records this battery, labelled Steval Point battery (dismantled), on the slope between Steval Point and the larger Steval battery (7908.04) on the summit plateau of the Hugh (b1). The battery had two 12-pounder guns, approved but not mounted by 1902, but definitely in place by 1905 (b3). A party from 105 Company REA at Falmouth probably used these guns for armament training in the summer of 1906 (b3). As noted above, the battery was probably dismantled by 1907 (b1), although there are contradictory accounts that dismounting did not take place until 1910 (b3). The site was visited by Ratcliffe of CAU in 1993. The battery comprises an earth bank around two concrete gun platforms with subterranean rooms leading off from a sunken light well. There is also a brick above-ground building (shown on the 1907 map) with an original concrete ramp to it; the building slightly sunken as it was cut into the hill-slope. The well has a single flight of steps and, unlike larger Steval and Woolpack batteries (7908.04 and 7908.06), retains its railings. The underground rooms, leading off to east, north and south of the well have modern doors and windows; they were presumably shell and cartridge stores and officers' and gunners' shelters. The gun platforms have modern wooden seats / benches around their iron mounts. All the modern features, which include shrubs and decorative rockery constructions, relate to the current use of the brick above-ground building as a holiday home (h1, p1). The 1907 OS map records an irregular six-sided fence enclosing the battery with access to the rear, east, side of the track approaching from the north east near Star Castle. The monument is included in the Schedule.
(b3) - Guy, JA, 1993, Pers Comm, ,
(b4) - Parkes, C, 1994, Pers Comm, ,

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Site history:
1: 1993. RATCLIFFE, J/CAU
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<1> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4050.

CAU, 199, GBP 424, 27A - 34 A (Photographic Record). SCO18035.

CAU, 1987, CAU/F14/106,149 (Photographic Record). SCO17007.

<2> STEVENSON, IV, 1989, SOME WEST COUNTRY DEFENCES, VOL 17, 11-28 (Unedited Source). SCO8918.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO3107 - Steval Battery, The Garrison: Watching Brief, 2010 (Ref: 2010046)
• ECO3128 - Garrison Walls, Isles of Scilly, conservation plan

Related records

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