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Summary

Tregantle Down Battery was proposed in 1885 and constructed in 1892, and was designed, with Rame Church and Hawkins Batteries, as a coastal battery to cover Whitesand Bay and its approaches with high angle fire

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Defence of Britain Project (1995-2003): AH266
• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 2057.6.1
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SX35SE 2.2
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 6355
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SX35SE 29

Monument Type(s):

• BATTERY (19th Century to Early 20th Century - 1892 AD to 1922 AD)

Full description

Tregantle Down Battery was proposed in 1885 and constructed in 1892, and was designed, with Rame Church (6009) and Hawkins Batteries (6125), as a coastal battery to cover Whitesand Bay and its approaches with high angle fire (b8). Sunk behind a rise to the north of the military road connecting Tregantle Fort (6354) and Polhawn Battery (6006), it consisted of four pits with a central magazine built into the earth mound. Barrack accommodation was provided at Tregantle Fort (b6). Originally intended for six 10-inch breech-loading howitzers, four 9-inch rifled muzzle-loading high angle guns were mounted in 1893. From 1893 to 1895 the battery was the terminus of the Wacker to Tregantle military railway (6360). Six 9-inch RML howitzers were proposed in 1895 but not implemented. It was abandoned by the MOD in 1905 and the guns were removed in 1922 (b8). When visited by Hogg in 1970 it was overgrown but in good condition, but in the mid-1970's the battery was demolished (b7). It is listed by Sheppard in 1974 (b5) and is now in use as a car park (b8). It is also listed as AH266 in the Defence of Britain project. The battery is visible on 1946 RAF aerial photographs (p1) and has been plotted as part of the NMP.

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Site history:
1: 1998. A HARVEY
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Pye, A & Woodward, F, 1996, The Historic Defences of Plymouth, 89-90 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4201.

<1> UNKNOWN, 1896, MAPS, WO 78/2314 (Unedited Source). SCO6579.

RAF, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK1890/4148-51 (Photographic Record). SCO12320.

<2> UNKNOWN, 1905, UNTITLED DOCUMENT, WO 78/4093 (Unedited Source). SCO6930.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 6 Inch Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4051.

<4> UNKNOWN, 1967, UNKNOWN TITLE, 4/4/1967 (Unedited Source). SCO7972.

<5> Sheppard, PA, 1974, Parochial Check-List of Antiquities: Hundred of East 5: Parish of Antony in the east, VOL 13, 63 (Article in Journal). SCO4399.

<6> SAUNDERS, A, 19--, PLYMOUTH DEFENCES (MS), NO 64 (Unedited Source). SCO6757.

<7> HOGG, I, 19--, PLYMOUTH DEFENCES (MS) (Unedited Source). SCO6696.

<8> FSG (SWR), 1992, Plymouth Defences Assessment (Bibliographic reference). SCO3343.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records: none recorded

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