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Summary

Enclosures forming small plots or gardens outside the C18 curtain wall.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 15434: POST-MEDIEVAL BREASTWORK, CURTAIN WALL AND ASSOCIATED DEFENSIVE STRUCTURES ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE GARRISON, ST MARY'S
• Listed Building (I) 62521: OUTER WALLS AND GATEWAY

Other References/Statuses

• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 7905.10

Monument Type(s):

• GARDEN (18th Century - 1701 AD to 1800 AD)

Full description

The strip of low, eroding clifftop along the south and east coasts of the Garrison, outside the C18 curtain wall from Woolpack battery to Lower Broom battery (7906.18), was enclosed probably from the later C18 to form small plots or gardens. On their seaward side are the sites of the C17 breastwork (7904.03) with associated redans (7904.04-7904.07) and batteries (7904.13, 7904.14). Similar plots on the north coast of the Garrison may be of early C19 date (7907.01). Troutbeck notes in 1796 that "between this (Morning Point battery) and Benham battery, on the outside of the wall, are several little gardens, wherein soldiers raise vegetables for their use" (b1). An 1834 map shows the plots, some two or even three deep outside the curtain wall, extending as far west as the central redan (7906.22) between Woolpack and Morning Point (b2). On the 1888 and 1907 OS maps, some gardens - notably immediately north of Morning Point battery - appear abandoned, while others are sub-divided (b3, b4). A few further boundaries are shown in 1981 (b5). The Adams note that invalid pensioners and townspeople cultivated many plots outside the lines in the 1820s and 1830s (b6). In 1990 the site was visited and the plots found to be overgrown and their boundaries vulnerable, particularly along the south coast (h1, b7). Some had been defined by shelter hedges, which were killed in the 1986-87 frost, and blown down in the 1989-90 gales, and were being cleared. The monument was included in the Schedule on 19/3/1998.

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Site history:
1: 1990. HERRING, P AND PARKES, C/CAU
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<1> Troutbeck, J, 1796, Survey of the Ancient and Present State of the Scilly Islands, 44 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4965.

<2> Birch, JF, 1974, Plan of the Garrison on the Island of Saint Mary, Scilly (Bibliographic reference). SCO2851.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4050.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

<6> Adams, F & P, 1984, Star Castle and its Garrison, 74 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2717.

<7> RATCLIFFE, J & PARKES, C, 1990, FIELDWORK IN SCILLY, MARCH 1990, 35 (Unedited Source). SCO8945.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO3128 - Garrison Walls, Isles of Scilly, conservation plan

Related records

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