Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Bayards Cove Castle
Hob Uid: 446016
Location : Devon South Hams Dartmouth
Grid Ref : SX8785805096
Summary : Bayards Cove Castle is a small artillery blockhouse built to protect the town quay. Possibly built 1509-10 based on documentary evidence, it was certainly in existence by 1537. An irregular shaped platform cut into the cliff face is enclosed by a 1.5 metre thick and 4.9 metre high local limestone rubble mortared wall. The original access to the blockhouse was through an entrance situated in the northern wall and this survives as a distorted arched passageway. The interior measures 16 metres east-west by 15.5 metres north-south and is defined on the western side by a 6 metre high cliff. At ground level the wall is pierced by 11 gunports. Access to a wall walk was gained by a stone stairway built against the inner face of the northern wall. The wall walk itself is protected by a projecting parapet providing shelter for musketeers. During the English Civil War, the blockhouse was held by both sides and it was also pressed into active service for a short time during World War II, when it was used as a machine gun post. The site is in the care of English Heritage.
More information : (SX 87855098) Bayard's Cove Castle (NR) (remains of) (NAT) (1) Bayard's Cove or Bearscore Castle possibly dates to 1509/10 when a tower was ordered to be built and furnished with artillery to protect the harbour mouth. The form of the structure agrees with this dating. It was certainly in existence by 1537 when it is mentioned as "New Castle" in a Corporation lease, and Leland in 1539 described it as "as fair bulwark, built of late." It is irregular in plan and consists of thick walls pierced by a single line of eleven gunports, with a wall-walk and parapet above. The parapet, which is now mostly missing, projected outwards on corbel-table. Traces of lean-to structures survive in the rock face against which the fort was built. The fort was adapted as a machine-gun post in the Second World War, and was put under guardianship in 1954. (For general description of Dartmouth defences, see SX 85 SE 51) (2-3) SX 87865096. Bayard's Cove castle consists of an irregular rectangle. The W and N sides cut out of the bedrock are roughly straight, the E side is gently curving, whilst the SE corner is in the form of an arc. The S side has the appearance of two conjoined angle towers. The walls are of rough coursing and are 1.6 to 2.0m thick. There are eleven arched entrances at ground level with rectangular external parts. The surviving entrance is on the N side. A parapet walk survives at the top of the surviving fabric (c.40m high). It is reached by two staircases. In external elevation the fort has a projecting parapet with corbels. (4). Additional references. (5-9) Source includes a brief accessible account of the history of Bayard's Cove Fort. (10)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1963
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Source Number : 2
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Page(s) : 142
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Vol(s) : 85 (1935)

Source Number : 3
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Source details : Saunders AD. 1965. Guide to Dartmouth Castle
Page(s) : 14-15
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : WR Wilson-North 25/10/1991
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : 20/05/1996
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : South Hams 23/02/1994
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Vol(s) : 673-1

Source Number : 7
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Source details : Freeman R. 1990. Dartmouth and its Neighbours
Page(s) : 54
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Source Number : 8
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Source Number : 9
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Page(s) : 76
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Vol(s) : 4, AUTUMN 1977

Source Number : 10
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Page(s) : 06-Sep
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Built 1509-10
Monument End Date : 1510
Monument Start Date : 1509
Monument Type : Artillery Castle, Blockhouse
Evidence : Documentary Evidence, Structure

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Civil War use
Monument End Date : 1649
Monument Start Date : 1642
Monument Type : Artillery Fort
Evidence : Structure

Monument Period Name : Second World War
Display Date : WWII use
Monument End Date : 1945
Monument Start Date : 1939
Monument Type : Gun Emplacement
Evidence : Structure

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 22213
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : DV 130
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Listed Building List Entry Legacy Uid
External Cross Reference Number : 387168
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : EH Property Number
External Cross Reference Number : 238
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SX 85 SE 12
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1983-01-01
End Date : 1994-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Bayards Cove Castle