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Historic England Research Records

Devils Point Artillery Tower

Hob Uid: 437592
Location :
City of Plymouth
Non Civil Parish
Grid Ref : SX4596053330
Summary : The remains of Devils Point Artillery Tower, a blockhouse probably built between 1537-9 as part of Henry VIII's coastal defences. It was built by the Edgcumbe family to protect their harbour and with its commanding views of the entrance to the river Tamar it became part of a series of coastal defences to defend the strategic town of Plymouth. It was used intermittently from its establishment and may have had a machine gun post positioned there in 1902 to protect the harbour boom.The single-storey octagonal tower is built of rubble with granite dressings and had a vaulted roof which was originally surrounded by a parapet. It had a number of gun-ports on the seaward sides and an entrance on the landward.
More information : (SX 45965333) Castle (NAT). (1)

Devil's Point Artillery Tower, is part of a system of coastal defence dating from the time of Henry VIII 1537-9. Not listed but recommended for scheduling. (2)

It has 3 gunports on the seawards side and 3 on the landward side. (3)

Listed Grade II. Blockhouse. Probably 1509-1539. Rubble with granite dressings. Irregular (stretched) octagonal plan with doorway to landward side and gunports to seaward side (the longer sides). Chamfered granite doorway spanned by shallow 2-centred arch; pair of square gunports with rebates for shutters. INTERIOR: not inspected. (4)

Heptagonal plan with 5 embrasures. It was probably built in the late 15th or early 16th century by the Edgcumbe family to protect their harbour. It is depicted in 1540 as a square single-storey blockhouse and was probably used intermittently for defence in later periods, and was probably used to mount a machine gun post covering the boom in 1902. (5)

Blockhouse with a single chamber with vaulted roof. It is octagonal in shape and one storey high. The roof was originally surrounded by a parapet. The original doorway has survived and there are rectangular openings on the seaward side. There are grooves for shutters on the gun openings. (6)

Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 25" 1895
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Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : DOE (HHR) Plymouth Devon 1975
Page(s) : 173
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Source Number : 3
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Source details :
Page(s) : 84
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Vol(s) : 4, 1977
Source Number : 4
Source :
Source details : City of Plymouth, 09-Nov-1998
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Source Number : 5
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Source details :
Page(s) : 113-4
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Source Number : 6
Source :
Source details : 09-Nov-98
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Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Tudor
Display Date : Built 1537-9
Monument End Date : 1539
Monument Start Date : 1537
Monument Type : Blockhouse, Artillery Tower
Evidence : Extant Building
Monument Period Name : Early 20th Century
Display Date : Established 1902
Monument End Date : 1902
Monument Start Date : 1902
Monument Type : Machine Gun Post
Evidence : Conjectural Evidence

Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Devonshire)
External Cross Reference Number : 48
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : DV 217
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Listed Building List Entry Legacy Uid
External Cross Reference Number : 473162
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SX 45 SE 77
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :
Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1959-01-01
End Date : 1959-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : MANAGEMENT SURVEY
Start Date : 1991-01-01
End Date : 1995-12-31