| Summary : Woolpack Battery was built between 1715-46 to replace the Royalist coastal battery at Woolpack Point. The new battery is defined by a steeply battered ashlar wall 2.3-2.6 metres wide at the top. The battery is pentagonal, 30 metres long, North-North-East to South-South-West, by up to 39 metres wide internally; this battery has a substantial rear wall, to 1.75 metres high, with a formal entrance arch at its centre. A plastered recess in the battery's east corner derives from an ancillary building, its lean-to end incorporated into the battery's rear wall. A Second World War pillbox was built into the forward point of the 18th century battery. Scheduled. Surveyed in 2005. |
More information : A 5-sided battery with south west salient angle, consisting of a platform behind stone walling associated with the mid-18th century walls around the southern half of the Garrison is situated, just inland of the earlier Woolpack Platform. In its south western corner is a Second World War pillbox. The battery at Woolpack Point indicated on a 1741 map is the early platform. A 1742 proposal shows an angular battery of a different plan on the site. The plan adopted is shown on a 1746 map; it may not have been completed at this time, the source referring to the walls as ' The line proposed..' It appears on Tovey's 1750 plan. Heath's 1750 account refers to 'A most powerful battery near the woolpack rock.' On his map he names it `Cumberland battery' which may indicate his desire to dedicate a battery, like his book, to William Duke of Cumberland rather than popular usage. Troutbeck's 1796 survey records 11 x 9 pounders here, and a magazine on the east side. No internal structures are shown in 1834. The battery is named as dismantled on the 1888 OS and not named on the 1907 OS. Thomas suggests that the name of the battery, point and off-shore rock derives from a resemblance or association of the rocks to a wool bale. Carpenter notes that 2 x 32-pounder guns from a 1798 wreck have been here since the mid 19th century; 2 x 9-pdnrs being added in 1992. The 1978 OS fieldworker describes the walls as 2m thick by 2.7m high externally and 1.8m high internally. The site was visited in 1984 when remains of a small building in the north east corner were found and in 1988. In 1990 the quality of stonework was noted and features recorded. The central rear entrance resembles an archway at the rocket house. The 13 embrasures have paved gun platforms except for that reused for the pill box; the 8 drains have no external spouts. The north east corner building, formerly plastered and slate roofed, may have been completed after the batteries rear wall. A 1991 survey records the gun platforms in plan. (Sources 1&2)
Scheduled monument. (Source 3)
A pentagonal battery enclosing an area c 38m by 32m with walling 2.7m thick and a parapet internally 1.8m high and externally 3.3m high. The walls are faced by very neatly dressed large ashlar slabs in courses c. 0.3m to 0.4m high. The northern sector of the ESE flanking wall incorporates the small-slab ashlar walls of a former rectangular building measuring 4.2m by 2m internally. The central formal arch in the rear battery wall resembles that in the Rocket House refurbished by Tovey. This rear wall in 0.9m thick and rises to 1.9 m high. (Source 4)
The battery has a high internal wall faced with coursed and squared precisely cut blocks. The north walls of the battery appear to butt the rear wall. This high narrow wall is of semi-coursed ashlar and rubble, the impressive central arched entrance is constructed of large blocks and looks inserted The top few courses are of similar blocks are certainly added. Externally the wall facing is of precisely cut squared blocks with no surviving pointing and no stone spouts. The outline of a small rectangular building is visible in the NE corner of the battery and the line of its slate sloping roof is preserved in the north wall. There are thirteen embrasures (including one adapted for the pillbox which is built into the apex of the battery) and twelve either complete or part complete paved gun platforms. Two 32 pounder `sea service' guns of late 18th century date stand guard. The granite blocks at the apex are larger and of a different shape to their immediate neighbours indicating that it was associated with a separate constructional period. Whether this is linked to the insertion of the Second World War pillbox within the apex is not clear. (Source 5)
Further references. (6 and 7)
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