Brownhill Battery is sandwiched between Fort Bovisand & Fort Staddon, part of the surrounding defences of Plymouth built in the 1860's on recommendation from the Royal Commission to protect Staddon heights from an enemy attack. A huge ditch ran from Fort Bovisand to Fort Staddon offering protection from the South & East. In 1875, it had an armament of eight 64 pounder RML's on carriages stored at Fort Staddon & in 1893 these were replaced with six 8 inch RML howitzers, combined with two 40 pounder RML's a few years later in 1903.
Much of the site is heavily overgrown & we couldn't access the two observation posts or the gun positions due to this, we did try! A World War 2 radar installation lies immediately north of here & it's thought that the grounds of the battery was used as accomodation with hut bases still visible. In recent years this has been used for stables & cattle, & outside the loopholed wall lies Staddon golf course. Visited this a few times with theterrorwheel, Laurabops & Dave.
Exterior view of the loopholed wall
View through a loophole
On top of the loopholed wall
Inside the battery, showing the loopholed wall & guard house
Guard house
The tin roof building is of later construction, but looks like there could have been a Nissen type hut here. One of the three expense magazines is visible to the top left.
Reservoir inside the battery
The expense magazines. Inspiration for accomodation of Teletubbies & Hobbits methinks.
Steps lead down to the cartridge & shell store
Davit above the shell/cartridge magazine
Inside the magazine, there is 2 rooms
Of all the battery's i've visited i've never seen a hole like this. I wonder what it's purpose was.
Finally, a view from one of the magazines showing the interior of the loopholed wall & the massive rifle range wall that sits atop Staddon Heights. Many people think the wall was built as a windshield for the golf course lol.
Much of the site is heavily overgrown & we couldn't access the two observation posts or the gun positions due to this, we did try! A World War 2 radar installation lies immediately north of here & it's thought that the grounds of the battery was used as accomodation with hut bases still visible. In recent years this has been used for stables & cattle, & outside the loopholed wall lies Staddon golf course. Visited this a few times with theterrorwheel, Laurabops & Dave.
Exterior view of the loopholed wall
![DSC00368.jpg DSC00368.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50876-DSC00368.jpg)
View through a loophole
![BrownhillBattery19-1.jpg BrownhillBattery19-1.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50877-BrownhillBattery19-1.jpg)
On top of the loopholed wall
![BrownhillBattery27-1.jpg BrownhillBattery27-1.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50878-BrownhillBattery27-1.jpg)
Inside the battery, showing the loopholed wall & guard house
![DSC00406.jpg DSC00406.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50879-DSC00406.jpg)
Guard house
![DSC00383.jpg DSC00383.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50880-DSC00383.jpg)
![DSC00384.jpg DSC00384.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50881-DSC00384.jpg)
![DSC00385.jpg DSC00385.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50882-DSC00385.jpg)
The tin roof building is of later construction, but looks like there could have been a Nissen type hut here. One of the three expense magazines is visible to the top left.
![DSC00372.jpg DSC00372.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50883-DSC00372.jpg)
![DSC00405.jpg DSC00405.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50884-DSC00405.jpg)
![DSC00391.jpg DSC00391.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50885-DSC00391.jpg)
![DSC00392.jpg DSC00392.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50886-DSC00392.jpg)
Reservoir inside the battery
![DSC00401.jpg DSC00401.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50887-DSC00401.jpg)
The expense magazines. Inspiration for accomodation of Teletubbies & Hobbits methinks.
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann016.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann016.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50888-LairaEmForderBrowningCann016.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann039.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann039.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50889-LairaEmForderBrowningCann039.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann014.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann014.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50890-LairaEmForderBrowningCann014.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann034.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann034.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50891-LairaEmForderBrowningCann034.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann009.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann009.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50892-LairaEmForderBrowningCann009.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann025.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann025.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50893-LairaEmForderBrowningCann025.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann004.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann004.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50894-LairaEmForderBrowningCann004.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann023.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann023.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50895-LairaEmForderBrowningCann023.jpg)
Steps lead down to the cartridge & shell store
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann079.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann079.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50896-LairaEmForderBrowningCann079.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann073.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann073.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50897-LairaEmForderBrowningCann073.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann074.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann074.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50898-LairaEmForderBrowningCann074.jpg)
Davit above the shell/cartridge magazine
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann054.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann054.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50899-LairaEmForderBrowningCann054.jpg)
Inside the magazine, there is 2 rooms
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann057.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann057.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50900-LairaEmForderBrowningCann057.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann050.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann050.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50901-LairaEmForderBrowningCann050.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann049.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann049.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50902-LairaEmForderBrowningCann049.jpg)
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann051.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann051.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50903-LairaEmForderBrowningCann051.jpg)
Of all the battery's i've visited i've never seen a hole like this. I wonder what it's purpose was.
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann062.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann062.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50904-LairaEmForderBrowningCann062.jpg)
Finally, a view from one of the magazines showing the interior of the loopholed wall & the massive rifle range wall that sits atop Staddon Heights. Many people think the wall was built as a windshield for the golf course lol.
![LairaEmForderBrowningCann038.jpg LairaEmForderBrowningCann038.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/50/50905-LairaEmForderBrowningCann038.jpg)