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Summary

The steam engine room was replaced in 1901 by a new building with Hornsby-Ackroyd internal combustion oil-driven engines. These required less space and staff than the steam engine.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: none recorded

Monument Type(s):

• ENGINE HOUSE (Early 20th Century to Unknown - 1901 AD)

Full description

The steam engine room was replaced in 1901 by a new building with Hornsby-Ackroyd internal combustion oil-driven engines. These required less space and staff than the steam engine. Oil was stored in steel cylinders outside the engine room in the castle ditch. Internally the main space was sub-divided the larger part housing engines and the smaller dynamos. The new engine room also housed the test room for the minefield installation.

It was closed up in 1906 following the decommissioning and transfer of stores to the Navy. In 1920 the engine rooms came into the guardianship of His Majesty's Office of Works who diligently surveyed them in June of that year. No engines or dynamos were present at this time. This remarkable snapshot allows us to quantify the alterations which were made to the building when, once again it was taken over by the
Royal Engineers in 1941 to house four 22 kw Lister diesel engines supplying power to four new electric light emplacements below the Grand Sea Battery. The work was completed in November 1941 and as an off-shoot provided power for incandescent lighting in the castle and a new battery of 6-pdr twin quick-fire guns close to the site of the old searchlights overlooking the minefield. The conversion of the engine room involved the erection of louvred vents above each engine and the installation of fuel tanks on the walls.

On 23 December 1953 the generators were completely overhauled by No 29 Command Workshops Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The engines, dynamos and searchlights were disposed of to Ministry of Works contractors in 1957 following the abolition of the Coast Artillery branch of the War Department. During the 1950s the Ministry of Works removed all surface traces of the 6-pdr twin emplacement and reversed some of the alterations to the engine room. The 6-pdr twin searchlight emplacements were reduced to their floor level. Mercifully the engine room was left largely intact to serve as a store and workshop for the directly employed works staff, with the test room in the relatively benign role of bothy.

With the 'privatisation' of its directly employed labour force in 1994, English Heritage emptied the building and began to think about interpreting its former military use to visitors to the monument (1).

<1> Linzey, R, 2000, Fortress Falmouth. An conservation plan for the historic defences of Falmouth Haven Vol II (2000), site W16.2, 16.3 and 16.4 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1563.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO455 - Fortress Falmouth

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