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Summary

Military ditch, 1860-9. Connecting scarp and ditch between bovisand (sx45se/18) and staddon (sx45se/42) forts. Deep rock-cut ditch (am)vis=27/2/1992, 11/3/1992 (pye and woodward) scarp of the ditch on the eastern side of the watch-house battery. It is largely rock-cut as is the ditch to the south, although at this point there are the remains of a revetment wall. This is very damaged and in poor condition, and is collapsing. Within the ditch in front of it there appears to be a dump of fairly recent material, although it does not appear to have filled in the ditch to any great extent. The ditch to the south of watch-house opens out into a terrace to the east of guardhouse (sx45se/19/4). To the north of it is a terrace defined by a revetted scarp (sx48915091) on its western side. To the north of this there is another large section of ditch running east-west which is rock-cut and considerably deeper (by at least about 20-30m) further stretch of ditch to e. This is the ditch built between watch-house brake and twelve acre (later frobisher) (sx45se/44) batteries. The scarp wall is in very poor condition and consists of a free-standing masonry wall, buttressed on its northern side. The gaps between these have been filled with loose drystone masonry to form a battered scarp. The area to the north of this is at about the same level as the bottom of the ditch, therefore the ditch has been built across a small valley. The counterscarp consists of a linear earth embankment. Its northern side is not battered quite as steeply as the scarp wall opposite. Presumably formed from waste from the excavation of the ditch around the southern side of fort watch-house and from the cutting-back of the scarp.(plymouth fortress survey).

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002585: Watch House battery and ditch

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX45SE/443/4
• Old SAM County Ref: 720

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY EARTHWORKS (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV159900.

Des=plymouth fortress survey/pye, a.(1992)/copy and plan in smr.

PLYMOUTH FORTRESS SURVEY, 1992, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV27236.

Military ditch, 1860-9. Connecting scarp and ditch between bovisand (sx45se/18) and staddon (sx45se/42) forts. Deep rock-cut ditch (am)vis=27/2/1992, 11/3/1992 (pye and woodward) scarp of the ditch on the eastern side of the watch-house battery. It is largely rock-cut as is the ditch to the south, although at this point there are the remains of a revetment wall. This is very damaged and in poor condition, and is collapsing. Within the ditch in front of it there appears to be a dump of fairly recent material, although it does not appear to have filled in the ditch to any great extent. The ditch to the south of watch-house opens out into a terrace to the east of guardhouse (sx45se/19/4). To the north of it is a terrace defined by a revetted scarp (sx48915091) on its western side. To the north of this there is another large section of ditch running east-west which is rock-cut and considerably deeper (by at least about 20-30m) further stretch of ditch to e. This is the ditch built between watch-house brake and twelve acre (later frobisher) (sx45se/44) batteries. The scarp wall is in very poor condition and consists of a free-standing masonry wall, buttressed on its northern side. The gaps between these have been filled with loose drystone masonry to form a battered scarp. The area to the north of this is at about the same level as the bottom of the ditch, therefore the ditch has been built across a small valley. The counterscarp consists of a linear earth embankment. Its northern side is not battered quite as steeply as the scarp wall opposite. Presumably formed from waste from the excavation of the ditch around the southern side of fort watch-house and from the cutting-back of the scarp.(plymouth fortress survey).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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