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HER Number:18709.75
Name:LITTLE DENNIS - C16 battery

Summary - not yet available

Grid Reference:SW 8268 3155
Parish:Falmouth, Carrick, Cornwall
Map:Show location on Streetmap

Protected Status

  • Conservation Area: FALMOUTH
  • Scheduled Monument 10552: PENDENNIS PENINSULA FORTIFICATIONS

Other References/Statuses

  • OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW83SW 4
  • Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 18709.75
  • SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW83SW 9

Monument Type(s):

  • BATTERY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

The defences of the Point appear to have been strengthened in the 1540s by the addition of batteries flanking the Blockhouse. These appear on Burleigh's plan and Norden's plan of 1600 in which their character is distinct from the Elizabethan work. The Cornwall Archaeological Unit have also identified a rock-cut sentry path below the north-south platform, a feature which is probably Henrician in origin.

Ivy appears to have created a defensible fort by erecting a simple curtain with central bastionette
to the rear of the Henrician curtain enclosing the whole of the Point. Norden depicts it with one gun on the bastionette facing Pendennis. In 1715 Lilly shows a guardhouse, gate and drawbridge on the bastion which he calls 'Blockhouse Guard Platform'. He recorded that it was armed with two 6-pdrs and a 12-pdr. Once again the differences between Lilly's record and Norden's plan of 1600 suggest that the latter may have been an 'artist's impression' preceding works - perhaps based on Paul Ivy's designs.

Two watch towers, (sometimes called echaugettes or guerites) on the east and west extremities of the Henrician curtain wall housed the sentries who would alert the gunners of approaching enemy vessels.

The Lower Fort fell from favour during the second half of the 18th century although the blockhouse and parts of the parapet wall of the platform survive today. The gorge ditch was subsequently backfilled during the construction of Point Battery in 1849 (21).

--------------------------------
Site history:
1: 1927. DRAKE,S/IAM
3: 1987. WESTON,SM/IAM
4: 1988. HARTGROVES,S/CAU
5: 1988. HARTGROVES,S/CAU
--------------------------------


<1> Hals, W, 1740, The Compleat History of Cornwall, 129 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3429.

<2> Lilly, C, 1715, An Exact Plan of Pendennis Fort (Bibliographic reference). SCO3870.

<3> Norden, J, 1728, Speculi Britanniae Pars (Bibliographic reference). SCO4001.

<4> Polwhele, R, 1803, History of Cornwall (Bibliographic reference). SCO4140.

<5> Lysons, D & S, 1814, Magna Britannia, VOL III, CORNWALL, 98, 99, 104 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3885.

<6> Hitchins, F & Drew, S (Eds), 1824, The History of Cornwall (Bibliographic reference). SCO3595.

<7> TREGONNING HOOPER, 1827, UNKNOWN TITLE, VOL 1, NO 6, 7-9 (Unedited Source). SCO5851.

<8> Thomas, R, 1827, History and Description of the Town and Harbour of Falmouth, 110-113 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4698.

<9> Thomas, R, 1851, Letters to the West Briton (Article in newspaper). SCO4699.

<10> Brine, F, 1855, Shilling Trip to Falmouth (Bibliographic reference). SCO2906.

<11> Pasfield Oliver, S, 1875, Pendennis and St Mawes (Bibliographic reference). SCO4086.

<12> Beckett, R, 1961, Tercenteniary of Falmouth (Bibliographic reference). SCO2815.

<13> UNKNOWN, 1963, MOW GUIDE (Unedited Source). SCO7885.

<14> Carew, R, 1969, The Survey of Cornwall 1602 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3044.

<15> Institute Of Cornish Studies, 1987, Place-Names Index (Bibliographic reference). SCO3621.

<16> Padel, OJ, 1985, Cornish Place-Name Elements, 85, 177-180 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4064.

<17> Hartgroves, S & Sharpe, A & Roberts, C, 1985, Pendennis Castle and the Headland, Falmouth (Cornwall Event Report). SCO3459.

<18> Morley, B, 1988, The Castles of Pendennis and St Mawes (Bibliographic reference). SCO3957.

<19> Sharpe, A, 1989, Pendinas Castle (Cornwall Event Report). SCO4367.

<20> Walker, R, 1989, Pendennis Castle Resistivity Survey 1989 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5007.

<21> Linzey, R, 2000, Fortress Falmouth. An conservation plan for the historic defences of Falmouth Haven Vol II (2000), Site V2.1 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1563.

Sources / Further Reading

[1]SCO3429 - Bibliographic reference: Hals, W. 1740. The Compleat History of Cornwall. 129.
[2]SCO3870 - Bibliographic reference: Lilly, C. 1715. An Exact Plan of Pendennis Fort.
[3]SCO4001 - Bibliographic reference: Norden, J. 1728. Speculi Britanniae Pars.
[4]SCO4140 - Bibliographic reference: Polwhele, R. 1803. History of Cornwall.
[5]SCO3885 - Bibliographic reference: Lysons, D & S. 1814. Magna Britannia. VOL III, CORNWALL, 98, 99, 104.
[6]SCO3595 - Bibliographic reference: Hitchins, F & Drew, S (Eds). 1824. The History of Cornwall.
[7]SCO5851 - Unedited Source: TREGONNING HOOPER. 1827. UNKNOWN TITLE. J OLD CORNWALL SOC. VOL 1, NO 6, 7-9.
[8]SCO4698 - Bibliographic reference: Thomas, R. 1827. History and Description of the Town and Harbour of Falmouth. 110-113.
[9]SCO4699 - Article in newspaper: Thomas, R. 1851. Letters to the West Briton. At CSL, Redruth.
[10]SCO2906 - Bibliographic reference: Brine, F. 1855. Shilling Trip to Falmouth.
[11]SCO4086 - Bibliographic reference: Pasfield Oliver, S. 1875. Pendennis and St Mawes.
[12]SCO2815 - Bibliographic reference: Beckett, R. 1961. Tercenteniary of Falmouth.
[13]SCO7885 - Unedited Source: UNKNOWN. 1963. MOW GUIDE.
[14]SCO3044 - Bibliographic reference: Carew, R. 1969. The Survey of Cornwall 1602.
[15]SCO3621 - Bibliographic reference: Institute Of Cornish Studies. 1987. Place-Names Index.
[16]SCO4064 - Bibliographic reference: Padel, OJ. 1985. Cornish Place-Name Elements. 85, 177-180.
[17]SCO3459 - Cornwall Event Report: Hartgroves, S & Sharpe, A & Roberts, C. 1985. Pendennis Castle and the Headland, Falmouth.
[18]SCO3957 - Bibliographic reference: Morley, B. 1988. The Castles of Pendennis and St Mawes.
[19]SCO4367 - Cornwall Event Report: Sharpe, A. 1989. Pendinas Castle.
[20]SCO5007 - Bibliographic reference: Walker, R. 1989. Pendennis Castle Resistivity Survey 1989.
[21]SCO1563 - Cornwall Event Report: Linzey, R. 2000. Fortress Falmouth. An conservation plan for the historic defences of Falmouth Haven Vol II (2000). Site V2.1.

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records

18709Part of: PENDENNIS - Post Medieval fort (Monument)

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