| Summary : Beacon Hill Battery was one of six coastal batteries built by the Home Force's Eastern Command to defend the port of Harwich. Construction on the battery began in 1889 and was completed in 1892, with the battery containing one 10-inch and two 4.7-inch quick-firing guns. An 8-inch gun on a hydro-pneumatic mounting was added in 1893 and a further 6-inch breech loading gun was in position by December 1901, by which time the 8-inch gun had been removed. The battery was in use throughout the First World War. In May 1940 a new battery was built at Beacon Hill with one twin 6-pounder gun called Cornwallis Battery. Beacon Hill Battery was modified and rebuilt between 1940 and 1941, acquiring a new engine room, Radio Direction Finder tower, concrete gun house for 6-inch weapons, dining hall, cookhouse and Battery Observation Post. During the Second World War the battery was manned by 176 Battery of the Suffolk Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery (Territorial Army) and later 283 Battery of the 515 Coast Regiment. The site was reduced to care and maintenance in 1944 and decommissioned in 1956. Beacon Hill Battery survives in complete condition. Aerial photography from 1998 shows the two 6-inch gun emplacements and the 6-pounder emplacement in good condition, as well as the battery observation post, position finder and coastal artillery searchlights. Two pillboxes, over 10 ancillary buildings including the magazines remain. A rare example of a hexagonal Radio Direction Finder tower remains in exceptionally well preserved form. |
More information : TM 262319. Beacon Hill Fort - scheduled. (1)
TM 262319. Additional area scheduled comprising a massive bank, pill-boxes and a hexagonal tower. The fort was built of brick and concrete in World Wars I and II and is now derelict. (2)
TM 262 317. Beacon Hill was initially the site of the barracks which housed the Harwich garrison in the early C19. These barracks are thought to have been of timber construction. The site was fortified during the First World War and later adapted and rebuilt in the Second World War. The site consists of six main gun emplacements, battery observation post, two pill-boxes, shelters, accommodation for officers, guard hut, store, workshops, fire engine shed, magazines, electricians store and shop, engine room and electric light platforms. A continuation of the works consists of a massive bank into which are built pill-boxes and a two story hexagonal tower. It is a striking example of 20th century coastal defence. (3)
Scheduled listing. (4)
Beacon Hill Fort was surveyed and recorded in detail by the RCHME Archaeology team in Cambridge, between February and September of 1997. The site as a whole was surveyed to Level 3 at 1:500 scale while many of the gun emplacements and ancillary buildings were recorded in plan at 1:100 scale. A photographic record was made on site and documentary research was undertaken at the PRO in Kew. A full report with outline history, descriptions of the surviving structures, plans and photographs is contained in the NMRC archive (5).
The historical summaries given by sources (2) and (3) above are erroneous, especially the dates of construction: the following is a more accurate summary of the known history: the first known military structure on Beacon Hill was a Henrician blockhouse and there was a coastal artillery battery built here in 1812: the sites of both of these structures are now lost to coastal erosion and quarrying. In 1839 a new battery and barracks were planned, but there is no evidence to show that the plans were ever realised. The present Beacon Hill Fort was begun on the promontory in 1890 as part of the defences against a seaborne threat to the important port installations of Harwich and Feixstowe. It was fully armed by 1892, complete with magazines and position finders.
The fort was built to a new design whose underlying concept was invisibility: this required the construction of earth banks on the seaward side to hide the gun emplacements, as well as a large central mound behind them to give a natural backdrop and cover for the magazines, ancillary buildings and access roads. The fort was enclosed by an unclimbable fence and, to landward, an innovatory earthwork defence cutting off the promontory, called a Twydall Profile, which was designed to help infantry repel attack from the land.
Refinements were made in the later part of the 19th and early part of the 20th century, including an extension northward to accomodate an additional 6-inch gun in 1901. The fort remained in use throughput the First and Second World Wars and in the latter there were major additions, including the twin 6-pounder Cornwallis Battery, a battery observation post (BOP), a new engine room, pillboxes and spigot mortar emplacements. The fort was decommissioned in 1956. (5)
Scheduled, RSM Number 29446. (6)
A blockhouse had been built on Bacon Hill in Henry's reign, but had a limited life. Refortified during the Armada invasion scare, ad was joined to the town walls by an entrenchment. No further defence works were undertaken until 1812, a battery bearing 5 12-pounder guns being cbuilt. However, it was destroyed by the sea in 1822. This was replaced by a fortification of unknown type, shown on a plan of 1866, and in 1871 a practice battery facing south across Mill Bay was built. In 1894 this was replaced by a further practice battery mounting 3 64-pounder rifled muzzle loaders.
Between 1889-90 an entirely new battery was built mounting a 10" breech loader and a 6" breech loader on HP carriages. Two 4.7" guns were added in 1890. In 1900-1 a new emplacement for a quick-firing 6" was built outside the main entrance and the defences were extended to cover the rear. Further modifications and rationalization was undertaken following the Owen Report (1908-10), the main armament being replaced by 6" Mk 7s. Searchlight towers were also added north and south of the main battery.
The main armament was replaced by twin 6 pounders in 1940, this battery becoming known as Cornwallis' Battery. A radar tower was constructed in 1941. Decommissioned in 1956. (7)
DEFENCE OF BRITAIN:
A self-contained battery of twin 6pdr gun emplacements, constructed in 1941. Mainly of reinforced concrete construction, it comprises a casemated gun emplacement, a BOP tower over, a sunken war shelter for the garrison, and a subterranean magazine. The guns, which had a range of 7 miles, and which once sunk a torpedo boat during target practice, were never fired in anger. [see Report for further details].
Exceptionally well-preserved coastal battery system. The gun emplacements for the 2 x 6in guns and the 1 x 6pdr gun are clearly visible. The BOP, PF ('predictor finder'), and CASL positions are in good condition. Two pillboxes and ten ancillary buildings, including the magazines, remain. An extremely rare example of an hexagonal RDF tower remains in exceptionally well-preserved form. [information from 1998 aerial photographs].
LOCATION: Beacon Hill Fort, Harwich (6-7)
Beacon Hill Battery located at TM 262 317. Construction began in 1889 and was completed in 1892. The battery was armed with one 10-inch and two 4.7-inch quick-firing guns. An 8-inch gun on a hydropneumatic mounting was added in 1893 and a further 6-inch breech loading gun was in position by December 1901, by which time the 8-inch gun seems to have gone. The battery was in use throughout the First World War. In May 1940 a new battery was built- Cornwallis Battery- armed with one twin 6-pounder weapon. Throughout 1940 Beacon Hill was fitted with a new engine room, concrete gun house for 6-inch weapons, dining hall, cookhouse and Battery Observation Post. The battery was manned by 176 Battery of the Suffolk Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery (Territorial Army) and later 283 Battery of the 515 Coast Regiment. In 1944 the site was reduced to care and maintenance. (11-12)
Beacon Hill Battery survives in complete condition. Aerial photography from 1998 shows the two 6-inch gun emplacements and the 6-pounder emplacement in good condition, as well as the battery observation post, position finder and coastal artillery searchlights. Two pillboxes, over 10 ancillary buildings including the magazines remain. A rare example of a hexagonal Radio Direction Finder tower remains in exceptionally well preserved form. (13) |