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HER Number:MDV20083
Name:Berry Head Fort No. 1 or Old Redoubt, Berry Head, Brixham

Summary

The southern of two forts built on Berry Head in 1795-1807. Three were originally planned but only two were built, the other being No. 3. The No. 1 fort, also known as the Old Redoubt, was protected by cliffs on south and east, had a wall and moat on north and a rampart similar to that of the No 3 fort on west. There were two batteries on the seaward side and the locations of a number of military buildings within the fort are known. Substantial structural and earthwork remains survive and are visible on aerial photographs from the 1940s to 2012.

Location

Grid Reference:SX 941 561
Map Sheet:SX95NW
Admin AreaTorbay
Civil ParishBrixham
DistrictTorbay
Ecclesiastical ParishBRIXHAM

Protected Status

Other References/Statuses

  • National Monuments Record: 447532
  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SX95NW/16
  • Old Listed Building Ref (II)
  • Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX95NW36
  • Tide Project: 28/10/2020
  • Torbay HER: MTO20083

Monument Type(s) and Dates

  • ARTILLERY FORT (Built, XVIII to XIX - 1795 AD (Between) to 1802 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Office and War Office, 1801-1811, Ordnance Office and War Office: Miscellaneous entry books and papers. Engineer papers. Plymouth district, WO 55 797 (Record Office Collection). SDV317543.

Ordnance Office and War Office, 1830-1848, Ordnance Office and War Office: Correspondence. Berry Head, WO 44/12 (Record Office Collection). SDV317541.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Fort depicted with surviving internal buildings. Marked as 'Old Redoubt'.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 3209-3210 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

The ramparts, moat and many of the internal features are clearly visible as structures and earthworks. Map object partly based on this source.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 349-50 (Monograph). SDV17562.

County Borough of Torbay, 1967, Berry Head (Monograph). SDV362520.

One of two forts built on Berry Head in 1803-1805. Three were originally planned but only two were built. They were dismantled in the 1920s. Fort No. 1 was protected by cliffs on the south and east, had a wall and moat on the north and a rampart similar to the No. 3 fort on the west. There were two batteries on the seaward side and the locations of a number of military buildings within the fort are known. Following the dismantling of the fort in the 1820s, the interior was levelled to form a parade ground for volunteers. The positions of the buildings were established by excavations by Brixham Museum in 1959-60.

Hawkins, M.R., 1973, Berry Head Management Plan, Zone F (Report - Interim). SDV362518.

A parade ground levelled much of the interior of the fort for use in the 1860s by the Devon Artillery Volunteers.

Cambridge University, 1973, K17-AD (Aerial Photograph). SDV354635.

Department of Environment, 1975, Borough of Torbay, 3 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV362418.

The south-east redoubt is three-sided with a stone revetment and roll moulded string below the embrasures. It was established during the Napoleonic Wars and now largely overgrown.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX95NW36 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV317570.

The souh-east redoubt is three-sided with a stone revetment. It was established with Berry Head Fort during the Napoleonic Wars. Now largely overgrown.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/HQ, 7-13 (Aerial Photograph). SDV337326.

Evans, D, 1986, The Berry Head Forts (Un-published). SDV362284.

One of only two forts built, of the four envisaged, to protect the artillery batteries from a possible French coup de main. The fort encloses an area on the cliff edge about 100 metres west to east and 125 metres north to south.

Evans, D., 1986, The History of the Berry Head Fortifications (Un-published). SDV362495.

One of only two forts built, of the four envisaged, to protect the artillery batteries from a possible French coup de main. The fort encloses an area on the cliff edge about 100 metres west to east and 125 metres north to south.

Horsley, J., 1988, A Short History of Brixham, 22 (Monograph). SDV362554.

The interior was levelled for use by the Devon Artillery Volunteers in the 1860s.

Evans, D., 1988, The fortification of Berry Head, 13-17 (Article in Serial). SDV317540.

Pye, A.R., 1989, Berry Head Fort, Brixham. An Archaeological Assessment, 6-13, 16, 33, 34-35 (Report - Assessment). SDV362497.

Fort 1 is situated on a small headland to the south of the main promontory. Its prime purpose was to protect the access to Fort 3 by providing flaking fire.
Construction of the ramparts began prior to 1798 and were complete by 1804. The internal buildings are thought to have been completed by 1802. The guardhouse and magazine are marked on a plan of 1811. Other buildings are shown but not named.
The landward facing walls survive, fronted by a dry moat. Parts of the musketry walls on the seaward sides also survive. The fort was entered through the north side across a drawbridge. The settings for this are still visible. In the interior are the remains of a powder magazine, guard and storehouse, kitchen and a small building abutting. To the north of the kitchen are the partially visible remains of the foundations of the barrack block. A large level area was interpreted by Horsley as a late 19th century parade ground but no supporting evidence has been found for this.

Breihan, J. R., 1990, Army barracks in Devon during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, 133-158 (Article in Serial). SDV336175.

Breihan discusses the general organisation of Napoleonic barracks.

Pye, A.R. & Slater, W.D., 1990, Berry Head Fort, Brixham, An Archaeological Survey, 9-14, Fig. 12 (Report - Survey). SDV362493.

The fort was built in 1795-1804 as a flanking defence for the approach to Fort No. 1 and is located on a small promontory to the south-west. Its defences and internal features mostly survive intact. The defences comprise a stone revetted rampart with a moat with a stone counterscarp revetment on the three landward sides. The entrance is in the north-west side and both this and the south-west section have gun embrasures. Sections of musketry wall survive along the southern perimeter.
Inside, an enclosed area of 4 acres, were a number of buildings of which a guard and storehouse, a magazine, a kitchen, an oven house and a barrack block have been identified. Both barracks and batteries were dismantled in 1817.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/QH, 5-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV339225.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/SS, 10 (Aerial Photograph). SDV177423.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/TW, 6-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV342910.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX9456_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

The structural and earthwork remains are clearly visible. Map object partly based on this source.

Armitage, P. L., 2004, Five small-scale archaeological watching briefs at the Berry Head Forts, Brixham (Report - Watching Brief). SDV365920.

A series of archaeological watching briefs was carried out at the Berry Head forts by members of Brixham Heritage Museum’s Field Research Team in March and April 2004 in order to monitor any artefacts uncovered during works by the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust. The works at Fort No. 1 (southern form) comprised the construction of steps. The only find recovered was a lead rifle bullet, c.1865-1906, which probably came from the nearby rifle range.

Passmore, A. J., 2010, Archaeological Recording at Berry Head, Brixham, Devon, May to October 2009 (Report - Assessment). SDV364281.

Archaeological recording was undertaken by Exeter Archaeology in 2009 within the two Napoleonic forts during construction and conservation works as part of the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust’s ‘On The Edge’ project. It followed on from an assessment and survey carried out in 1989 and 1990.
Replacement of the entrance bridge to Fort 1 enabled the structural remains of the original drawbridge to be further recorded while within the fort building recording and excavation was undertaken on the guardhouse, magazine and kitchen revealing further details of these buildings.
Finds from both forts include early 19th century pottery, clay tobacco pipes and glass.

Exeter Archaeology, 2010, Berry Head Hotel Brixham Part 1: Archaeological Assessment, 3-4, 6 (Report - Assessment). SDV362409.

One of two garrisoned redoubts built on Berry Head between 1795 and 1807.
Most of the Ordnance land was let for pasture from 1823 and in 1886 was sold to A. A. M. Hogg. The common and the forts were bought by Torbay Council in 1969.

Gaimster, M., 2011, Post-Medieval Fieldwork in Britain and Northern Ireland in 2010: Devon (Article in Serial). SDV361542.

Brixham, Berry Head Fort 1 (SX 9433 5649) and Fort 3 (SX 94165 56122).
A.J. Passmore and M. Leverett (Exeter Archaeology) recorded structures within two Napoleonic-era forts. In Fort 1 were remains of the original drawbridge, building recording and excavation were also undertaken on and within the guardhouse, magazine and kitchen, revealing further details of their original layout, and their construction and development (citing Exeter Archaeology Report 10.73).

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

The late eighteenth to early twentieth century fort number 1 at Berry Head is clearly visible on aerial photographs from 1946 to 2012. Although much of the fort is depicted on the base mapping, other parts are visible in greater detail on the aerial photographs and some additional features are visible. Some features depicted on the basemap have therefore been transcribed, mainly from the 2012 aerial photographs.
In addition to the stone revetted rampart with gun embrasures, many of the internal features previously surveyed by Pye & Slater (1990) are visible as ruinous structures and low earthworks. A small pale flat structure was visible at circa SS9417756076 to the east of the barrack block and may be the well or cistern capping recorded in the Torbay HER (MTO44729). The remains of the barracks themselves were indistinctly visible as low earthworks and possibly parchmarks, circa 30 by 7 metres in plan, on several runs of aerial photographs. A linear earthwork just to the north seems to mark the break of the slope down from the ramparts and has a probable return at its north-east point, forming what appears to be an L-shaped embanked feature in two parts.
No definite evidence was seen of the Second World War gun platforms recorded in the Torbay HER (MTO44730), although a 2 by 3 metre rectangular flat structure at circa SS9414456136 to the north-west of the suggested location was visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946. This may have had a military function as a stable base for machinery or a structure.

Riley, H., 2023, Berry Head Fort, Hardy’s Head Battery & The Old Redoubt, Torbay, Devon. PAI Implementation Plan for Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship Scheme (Report - Survey). SDV365956.

A desk based assessment, LiDAR analysis and field assessment were undertaken of the Napoleonic defences and other archaeological features on Berry Head in order to specify recommendations for archaeological work, interpretative material and management works to be carried out under Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship. Berry Head is currently owned and managed by the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust and is part of an SSSI. The site also includes two scheduled monuments and eight listed buildings.
The archaeological remains at Berry Head include well-preserved Napoleonic forts and gun batteries, a 19th century rifle range, early 20th century coastguard lookout and lighthouse, a ROC post and underground Cold War facility.
Documentary and cartographic evidence indicates that Berry Head was a promontory fort during the Iron Age with a rampart across the neck of Berry Head on the line of the rampart of Berry Head Fort [Fort No. 3]. Prehistoric material, a Bronze Age axe and Roman coins have been recorded in the vicinity. The Tithe Map and the first and second edition Ordnance Survey maps show medieval strip fields extending to the edge of Berry Head Common. Berry Head is formed of limestone which was quarried from the mid 18th century until 1969, during which time much of the northern side of the fort was destroyed.
Declarations of war by France in 1778 and Spain in 1779 led to the construction of Half Moon Battery and Hardy’s Head Battery. The batteries were recommissioned in 1794 and Berry Head Fort and the Old Redoubt [Fort No. 1] were built to protect them from landward attack. The batteries and forts were decommissioned in 1817. Much of the land was let to pasture and was sold in 1886.
A rifle range was built to the north of the Old Redoubt in the late 19th century and a coastguard lookout and a lighthouse were built within the Berry Head Fort in 1906. A ROC post was established here in the 1940s which became a Cold War monitoring post. The forts and common were bought by Torbay Borough Council in 1969.
The defences of both forts and the features within them show clearly on LiDAR visualisations, particularly the barrack blocks, south musketry wall and walled garden and the Half Moon Battery within Berry Head Fort, and the causeway, defences and building foundations within the Old Redoubt.
The report notes that Berry Head is a popular tourist location and is also well-suited for educational use. The Napoleonic forts and associated features are generally considered to be in good condition. The main threat to the archaeological features is scrub encroachment and ivy growth on stone walls, and a management plan for vegetation removal is detailed. It is also suggested that Level 3 archaeological survey be carried out of Berry head Fort, the Old Redoubt and Hardy’s Head Battery into order to aid management of the sites and to provide a contextual assessment of the remains. Other recommendations include the erection of an interpretation panel near the carpark and an online educational resource.

Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, c2000, Berry Head National Nature Reserve (Pamphlet). SDV365783.

A guide to the wildlife and history of Berry Head with a plan showing the key areas and facilities. Berry Head was declared a National Nature Reserve in 2000. The fortifications, which were built between 1795 and 1806, are some of the best preserved Napoleonic fortifications in the country. The North Fort and Hardy's Head Battery were built to command the Torbay anchorage while the Old Redoubt to the south protected these batteries from landward attack.

War Office, Unknown, War Office and predecessors: 78. Maps and plans. Great Britain. Devon, WO 78 MPH 381 5/6/7/8/9/10/11 (Record Office Collection). SDV317542.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV17562Monograph: Hoskins, W. G.. 1954. A New Survey of England: Devon. A New Survey of England: Devon. A5 Hardback. 349-50.
SDV177423Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1990. DAP/SS. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper) + Digital (Scan). 10.
SDV317540Article in Serial: Evans, D.. 1988. The fortification of Berry Head. Devon Buildings Group Newsletter. 5. Unknown. 13-17.
SDV317541Record Office Collection: Ordnance Office and War Office. 1830-1848. Ordnance Office and War Office: Correspondence. Berry Head. Public Record Office Collection. Unknown. WO 44/12.
SDV317542Record Office Collection: War Office. Unknown. War Office and predecessors: 78. Maps and plans. Great Britain. Devon. Public Record Office Collection. Unknown. WO 78 MPH 381 5/6/7/8/9/10/11.
SDV317543Record Office Collection: Ordnance Office and War Office. 1801-1811. Ordnance Office and War Office: Miscellaneous entry books and papers. Engineer papers. Plymouth district. Public Record Office Collection. Unknown. WO 55 797.
SDV317570Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1980. SX95NW36. OSAD Card. Card Index + Digital.
SDV325644Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336175Article in Serial: Breihan, J. R.. 1990. Army barracks in Devon during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 122. A5 Paperback. 133-158.
SDV337326Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1986. DAP/HQ. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 7-13.
SDV339225Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1990. DAP/QH. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 5-12.
SDV342910Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1990. DAP/TW. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper) + Digital (Scan). 6-7.
SDV351061Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 3209-3210 10-DEC-1946. [Mapped feature: #127246 ]
SDV351146Interpretation: 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
SDV351226Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory SX9456_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012.
SDV354635Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University. 1973. K17-AD. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Photograph (Paper).
SDV361542Article in Serial: Gaimster, M.. 2011. Post-Medieval Fieldwork in Britain and Northern Ireland in 2010: Devon. Post-Medieval Archaeology. 45. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV362284Un-published: Evans, D. 1986. The Berry Head Forts. . Manuscript + Digital.
SDV362409Report - Assessment: Exeter Archaeology. 2010. Berry Head Hotel Brixham Part 1: Archaeological Assessment. Exeter Archaeology. 10.05. Digital. 3-4, 6.
SDV362418List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Department of Environment. 1975. Borough of Torbay. Historic Houses Register. 3.
SDV362493Report - Survey: Pye, A.R. & Slater, W.D.. 1990. Berry Head Fort, Brixham, An Archaeological Survey. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Report. EMAFU 90.10. Hardcopy + Digital. 9-14, Fig. 12.
Linked documents:1
SDV362495Un-published: Evans, D.. 1986. The History of the Berry Head Fortifications. . Manuscript.
SDV362497Report - Assessment: Pye, A.R.. 1989. Berry Head Fort, Brixham. An Archaeological Assessment. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit. EMAFU 89.04. Hardcopy + Digital. 6-13, 16, 33, 34-35.
Linked documents:1
SDV362518Report - Interim: Hawkins, M.R.. 1973. Berry Head Management Plan. Parks Committee of the County Borough of Torbay. Hard copy + digital. Zone F.
SDV362520Monograph: County Borough of Torbay. 1967. Berry Head. Berry Head. Paperback.
SDV362554Monograph: Horsley, J.. 1988. A Short History of Brixham. A Short History of Brixham. 22.
SDV364281Report - Assessment: Passmore, A. J.. 2010. Archaeological Recording at Berry Head, Brixham, Devon, May to October 2009. Exeter Archaeology. 10.73. Digital.
Linked documents:1
SDV365783Pamphlet: Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust. c2000. Berry Head National Nature Reserve. Pamphlet + Digital.
SDV365920Report - Watching Brief: Armitage, P. L.. 2004. Five small-scale archaeological watching briefs at the Berry Head Forts, Brixham. Brixham Heritage Museum. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV365956Report - Survey: Riley, H.. 2023. Berry Head Fort, Hardy’s Head Battery & The Old Redoubt, Torbay, Devon. PAI Implementation Plan for Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Hazel Riley. Digital.

Associated Monuments

MDV44729Parent of: Barrack block in Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV44731Parent of: Entrance to Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV44732Parent of: Guardhouse at Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV44730Parent of: Gun emplacement at Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV44734Parent of: Kitchen at Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV130740Parent of: Kitchen midden at Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV44733Parent of: Magazine at Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV44735Parent of: Oven house in Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV44728Parent of: Parade ground at Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV20084Parent of: Redoubt at Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV123811Parent of: Southern musketry wall at Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV132149Parent of: Well in Berry Head Fort No. 1, Brixham (Monument)
MDV123991Part of: Berry Head Fortifications, Brixham (Monument)
MDV20080Related to: Berry Head Fort No. 3, Brixham (Monument)
MDV123588Related to: Berry Head Hotel, Brixham (Building)
MDV20088Related to: Hardy's Head Battery, Berry Head, Brixham (Monument)
MDV105448Related to: Rifle Range on Berry Head Common, Brixham (Monument)

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)
  • EDV7840 - Survey of Fort No. 1
  • EDV7834 - Archaeological Assessment of the Berry Head Forts
  • EDV8911 - Archaeological recording at Berry Head, Brixham
  • EDV7835 - Archaeological Survey of the Berry Head Forts
  • EDV9017 - Watching briefs at the Berry Head Forts, Brixham
  • EDV9033 - Assessment of Berry Head Fort, Hardy’s Head Battery and The Old Redoubt, Torbay, Devon
  • EDV7839 - Excavations within the kitchen, oven house and south musketry wall at Berry Head Fort No. 1

Date Last Edited:Jul 25 2024 11:35AM