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Summary

In 1887 a Secret Consultative Committee on the Defences of Mercantile Ports recommended a submarine mining establishment for Falmouth. On 25 March 1889 the War Department took a 999 year lease on a site on Bar Road opposite Arwenack. On 12 September 1889 a minelaying steamer General Elliott, built to War
Department designs, arrived from Hull.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: none recorded

Monument Type(s):

• SUBMARINE MINE ESTABLISHMENT (19th Century to Unknown - 1889 AD)

Full description

In 1870 the Imperial Defence Committee advised that principal ports should be provided with mines to supplement the coast batteries. Ten years later another Committee recommended a submarine mining establishment for Falmouth. The decision to mine the harbourmouth was delayed pending the findings of the Morley Committee which sat in 1882. It recommended that the port be defended by submarine mines and floating defences.

In 1884 a Submarine Mining Company was formed at Falmouth from the Local Corps of Engineer Volunteers, under the guidance of a Section of the Royal Engineers, commanded by an officer of the Coast Battalion. As well as the basic stores necessary for a submarine minefield, the Militia Company were provided with a single searchlight. The establishment was initially formed at Arwenack.

In 1887 a Secret Consultative Committee on the Defences of Mercantile Ports recommended a submarine mining establishment for Falmouth. On 25 March 1889 the War Department took a 999 year lease on a site on Bar Road opposite Arwenack. On 12 September 1889 a minelaying steamer General Elliott, built to War
Department designs, arrived from Hull.

In September 1890 a 390 ft long pier was completed allowing the General Elliott to come alongside at any state of the tide and the ground for the submarine mining establishment was cleared. The new establishment occupying some 600 yards of water front was completed in March 1892. It is described by Lieutenant Colonel C J H Mead in his account of the activities of 'Cornwall's Royal Engineers:' "The submarine mining establishment comprised buildings around a square, the open end of which is the sea and the 390 ft long pier. Down one side was a carpenter's workshop, stores, a blacksmith's workshop and a tank for keeping cables immersed. On the other side of the square opposite the cable tank was a boat shed, officers' quarters, an orderly room and barrack rooms, and at the back of the square was a mine store and a loading shed."

In August 1898, the War Department took over 5 Grove Place, situated between the Submarine Mining Establishment and the Volunteer Artillery headquarters. The permanent staff of the Submarine Mining Establishment moved their divisional offices into the new accommodation.

Toward the end of 1904 a new Committee for Imperial Defence resolved to transfer the responsibility for mine defence to the Navy and in September 1905 the Armament Section of the Committee visited Falmouth to advise on the handing over of the mining stores and the changes to expect consequent on the withdrawal of the mines.

In January 1906 the gear was conveyed to Devonport by Admiralty lighter, however, this was not to be the end of the Submarine Mining Engineers. The Royal Engineers retained control of the defence electric lights because they could still be used in conjunction with the guns of the fortress artillery and in 1908 they had assumed the role of manning the complex fortress communications and machinery infrastructure
developing at Falmouth. The 18th Company of Engineers, comprising about 30 NCO's and men was reorganised to undertake these duties based at the submarine mining establishment which was re-named the Royal Engineers barracks. The layout of buildings on the site probably assumed its present appearance at about this time for the 1907 Ordnance Survey map shows the site much as it is today. Subsequent
additions of the 1930's include the green painted World War II 'dome', the office block/married quarters, the caretaker's bungalow on the south west side and the drill hall complex on the south east side of the parade ground. The curving perimeter brick wall also dates from this period. The gateway to the submarine pier has been blocked, but there are two brick gateposts either side and, to the south east, roof ghostings in
the wall with building bases alongside. These features date at least from the 1920s. In the garden by the caretaker's bungalow is an old brick lavatory block, the entrance blocked by garden waste, which post-dates the 1907 map. 1910 plans call the complex, the Electric Light Establishment. Rail tracks from the submarine pier underlying the dining room adjoining the drill hall were removed during the mid 1980s, although the exact details are unclear. The Territorial Army occupied the buildings until recently although they are now redundant as a result of the Government's 'Options for Change' property disposal programme (1).

<1> Linzey, R, 2000, Fortress Falmouth. An conservation plan for the historic defences of Falmouth Haven Vol II (2000), site T11 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1563.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO455 - Fortress Falmouth

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