Defending Plymouth Sound
The strategic importance of the Rame Peninsula was recognised long before the Victorian building programme of the 1860s and 70s. Commanding the approaches to Plymouth Sound and the Hamoaze, this headland was the natural first line of defence for the dockyard at Devonport and the three towns of Plymouth. The result is a remarkable concentration of military structures spanning four centuries.
Brian Rayden, the group's fort and battery expert, has documented the local fortifications in extraordinary detail. His research is gathered here alongside other articles, newspaper records and specialist resources.
Documents and resources
Cawsand Fort — A Short History
Tony Lewis traces the history of Cawsand Fort from its origins as a battery to its later uses.
A Military History of Maker Heights 1770–1906
Brian Rayden's comprehensive history of the Maker Heights fortifications — their construction, armament and garrison across more than a century of military use.
A Brief History of Local Batteries
Brian Rayden's updated overview of all local batteries and their history, by kind permission of the Friends of Mount Edgcumbe.
Fort Picklecombe — Then and Now
The full presentation by Brian Rayden and Dennis Scogging given to the group in March 2012 — covering the fort's construction, its guns and its conversion to residential apartments.
Fort Picklecombe — Guns and Armaments
Brian Rayden's technical supplement on the guns and armaments of Fort Picklecombe.
Cawsand Battery and Maker Heights
Historical records of Cawsand Battery and the Maker Heights defences dating from 1779.
Cawsand Fort — Armaments and a Model
The armaments of Cawsand Fort, with details of Joyce's scale model of the fortification.
Forts — Newspaper Cuttings
A collection of newspaper records relating to the local forts across the 19th and 20th centuries.
Unknown Soldier's Grave Restored at Maker Heights
In 2015 an unknown soldier's grave at Maker Camp was restored — the story of the discovery and restoration.
Plymouth Breakwater
A pictorial and short historical record of Plymouth Breakwater and its role in protecting Plymouth Sound.
For guided tours of Whitsand Bay Battery at the Holiday Park, contact the park directly. For more on Maker Heights, the Maker Conservation Trust maintains detailed records at makerheights.org.uk. The Palmerston Forts Society is also an invaluable resource.
More from this section
Further photographs, documents, galleries and links held in the group's online archive for this topic. Documents open in a new tab.