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Summary

Renney battery was a strong fort built to operate in conjunction with Penlee Point battery in 1905-6. It was maintained until its armament was removed in 1956. The early twentieth century battery is clearly visible surrounded by structures and earthwork ditched and banked defences of Second World War date on aerial photographs of 1945.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1270701: BATTERY

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX44NE/3
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BATTERY (Constructed, XIX to World War II - 1894 AD (Between) to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

War Office, 1940s, WO 192/293, 177235, 177236 (Record Office Collection). SDV365223.

Renney Fort Record Book and 1940s cable plan.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/871, RAF/106G/UK/871 6117-6118 30-SEP-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351258.

The early twentieth century battery is visible surrounded by structures and earthworks relating the Second World War enhancement of Renney Battery.

Hogg, I. V., 1974, Coastal Defences of England and Wales 1856-1956, 193 (Monograph). SDV342676.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1974, SX44NE2 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV163259.

Renney Battery was a strong fort built to operate in conjunction with the Penlee Point Battery in 1894-5 and was maintained until its armament was removed in 1956. It is still the property of the Ministry of Defence.

Guy, J., 1990, List of Coastal Batteries (Un-published). SDV15882.

Remains of the coastal battery at Renney. Formerly armed with 2 x 9 2" guns.

Pye, A., 1992, Plymouth Fortress Survey (Report - non-specific). SDV167755.

Powerful coastal battery designed to keep largest battleships out of range of the dockyard. It covered the eastern approaches to Plymouth sound, the western approaches being covered by a companion battery at Penlee point. It shared accommodation and stores with Lentney battery. Built 1905-6. Original armament, 3 x 9.2" guns, which were progressively modernised until their removal in 1957. It was also armed with two 60-pounder guns, one mobile 6-pounder, two Bofors AA guns and two Spigot mortars during the Second World War.
All three 9.2" emplacements survive complete, together with three underground magazines, store-rooms and shelters located between or behind the emplacements. One emplacement shows modifications for a 1947 hydraulic mounting and all three have blast-protection walls, built in 1941, with rifle slits to their rear. There are the foundations of a small Second World War building to the rear of one emplacement. All are very well preserved, including the largely complete ammunition hoists within the magazines.
Used as a training establishment between 1956 and 1991, it is now (March 1992) in the process of being sold by the Ministery of Defence.

Dobinson, C. S., 1996, Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. 1.4. Anti-aircraft artillery, 1914-46 (Monograph). SDV323690.

Heavy AA battery at Rennie. Site armed with a single 3 inch gun and manned by 56 Regt. Other details: AAI.

Dobinson, C. S., 1996, Twentieth Century Fortifications in England: Anti-aircraft Artillery, 1914-1946, 435 (Report - non-specific). SDV356328.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2007, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX4949 22-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349355.

The structures of the early twentieth century battery and subtle earthwork evidence of the Second World War use of the battery and surrounding are are visible.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

The emplacements of the early twentieth century battery are depicted.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

Renney Battery is visible on aerial photographs of 1945 onwards as military structures and earthworks dating to the first half of the twentieth century, at Renney Point. The early twentieth century battery is clearly visible, the core of which appears to be enclosed within a narrow fence to the south and a possible earthwork bank and barbed wire obstruction to the north. The core of the historic battery is depicted on the current Ordnance Survey base map and has therefore not been transcribed. A number of more ephemeral structures and earthwork ditched and banked features have been transcribed. These include barbed wire obstructions, surrounding a coastal searchlight battery to the south-west of the battery, slit trenches on the cliff edge and possible light anti-aircraft artillery emplacements overlooking the coast. Several small earthwork pits and structures of unknown function have also been recorded around the perimeter of the battery. Most of the structures dating to the Second World War use of the battery have been removed but a number of earthwork features remain visible as subtle banks or ditches; most have been recorded individually.

Historic England, 2022, National Heritage List for England, 1270701 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364675.

Magazine and battery for 9.2 inch guns. 1905. Concrete. 3 emplacements, each with rails to gun mountings and steps to sunk magazine entrances. Iron doors and fittings. Noted as having complete interior with some original machinery including ammunition hoists. A well preserved example of a 9.2 inch battery. Together with the Lentney Battery it exemplifies recent advances made in form and design and housed the two principal heavy guns designed to counter the battleships and armoured cruisers of the pre-Dreadnought era.
Date first listed: 14th September 1992

War Office, Unknown, War Office and predecessors: 78. Maps and plans. Great Britain. Devon, WO 78/5066/map(1901-39) (Record Office Collection). SDV317542.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV15882	Un-published: Guy, J.. 1990. List of Coastal Batteries. Typescript.
SDV163259	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1974. SX44NE2. OSAD Card. Card Index + Digital.
SDV167755	Report - non-specific: Pye, A.. 1992. Plymouth Fortress Survey. A4 Unbound.
SDV317542	Record Office Collection: War Office. Unknown. War Office and predecessors: 78. Maps and plans. Great Britain. Devon. Public Record Office Collection. Unknown. WO 78/5066/map(1901-39).
SDV323690	Monograph: Dobinson, C. S.. 1996. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. 1.4. Anti-aircraft artillery, 1914-46. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. 1.4. Anti-aircraft artillery, 1914-46. I.4. A4 Bound.
SDV342676	Monograph: Hogg, I. V.. 1974. Coastal Defences of England and Wales 1856-1956. Coastal Defences of England and Wales 1856-1956. Unknown. 193.
SDV349355	Aerial Photograph: Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC. 2007. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX4949 22-MAY-2007.
SDV350786	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2013. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351258	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/871. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/871 6117-6118 30-SEP-1945. [Mapped feature: #81015 ]
SDV356328	Report - non-specific: Dobinson, C. S.. 1996. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England: Anti-aircraft Artillery, 1914-1946. Council for British Archaeology Report. 1.3. A4 Comb Bound + Digital. 435.
SDV364675	National Heritage List for England: Historic England. 2022. National Heritage List for England. Digital. 1270701.
SDV365223	Record Office Collection: War Office. 1940s. WO 192/293. Public Record Office Collection. Unknown. 177235, 177236.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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