BTPJoe
Member
Dummy Battery, originally known as Grain Battery, was built shortly before Grain Fort, completed in 1865 to support two nearby forts; Grain Fort and Grain Wing Battery. Following the usual design for batteries, it consisted of several gun emplacements with magazines below. Unlike other forts, it’s likely that this one was out of service as early as the First World War and was abandoned due to it being badly damaged caused by the earth around it being removed.
Both the dummy battery and Grain Fort were built to improve costal defences following the threat of invasion from the French. In 1905 the name of this battery was changed from Grain Battery to Dummy Battery and underwent substantial alterations at the same time. The battery was decomissioned before the First World War and its guns were removed. This was abandoned not long afterwards and the battery lie empy and unused until the 1950’s when the abandoned battery was severely damaged by demolition and excavation work. This resulted in the loss of the surface buildings and the original magazine.
More info and full set of pics here: Grain Dummy Battery - Beyond the Point
The explore:
Exploring the upper section of the site was relatively easy, although hard to get around. When I saw the entrance to the lower part of the battery, this involved wading through reeds as tall as myself! While the immediate north of the site is waterlogged, my route through the reeds from the west and south were dry. Not a great deal to see but not bad if you're passing through.
After this site, I headed for Chattenden Barracks. Writing the report now!
Both the dummy battery and Grain Fort were built to improve costal defences following the threat of invasion from the French. In 1905 the name of this battery was changed from Grain Battery to Dummy Battery and underwent substantial alterations at the same time. The battery was decomissioned before the First World War and its guns were removed. This was abandoned not long afterwards and the battery lie empy and unused until the 1950’s when the abandoned battery was severely damaged by demolition and excavation work. This resulted in the loss of the surface buildings and the original magazine.
More info and full set of pics here: Grain Dummy Battery - Beyond the Point
The explore:
Exploring the upper section of the site was relatively easy, although hard to get around. When I saw the entrance to the lower part of the battery, this involved wading through reeds as tall as myself! While the immediate north of the site is waterlogged, my route through the reeds from the west and south were dry. Not a great deal to see but not bad if you're passing through.
After this site, I headed for Chattenden Barracks. Writing the report now!
