Here is some info on some forts in plymouth
The Palmerston Forts, constructed to encircle Plymouth and to protect the Royal Dockyard against a landing by the French, were built during the 1860s and 1870s following a Royal Commission set up by the then Prime Minister Lord Palmerston (hence the name). Many of these are Scheduled Ancient Monuments, designated as such by English Heritage, and therefore recognised as nationally important and worthy of preservation.
The forts may be divided broadly into two groups classified by their defensive purposes:
The coastal defences were based on an inner and an outer line with new batteries constructed at Bovisand, Picklecombe and just behind the Breakwater on the outer line. Some of the earlier defensive structures of Plymouth and its harbour such as the Citadel were also brought into play as components of the inner line.
The land defences were constructed specifically to protect Plymouth from an enemy landing somewhere further up or down the coast and thus threatening the dockyard from the rear. The chain of forts and batteries were divided by the estuaries of the Lynher, Hamoaze and Cattewater, with three principal forts based at Staddon on the east, Crownhill in the centre and Tregantle in Cornwall on the west providing the anchor points for the 17 or so forts and batteries of the land defences.
Crownhill Fort is the best known of the landward forts due to its remarkable state of survival and its accessibility. Less well known is the fact that all of the forts and batteries of the north east defences stretching from Ernesettle in the west to Laira in the east were linked by a military road, the route of which still survives as the modern Crownhill Road and Fort Austin Avenue, whilst at Laira it has retained its original name of Military Road to this day. The forts were also linked by massive ditches and earthworks, most of which have disappeared, although some of the earthworks linking Ernesettle Battery and Agaton Fort may be seen to the west of St Budeaux Church.
The Palmerston Forts, constructed to encircle Plymouth and to protect the Royal Dockyard against a landing by the French, were built during the 1860s and 1870s following a Royal Commission set up by the then Prime Minister Lord Palmerston (hence the name). Many of these are Scheduled Ancient Monuments, designated as such by English Heritage, and therefore recognised as nationally important and worthy of preservation.
The forts may be divided broadly into two groups classified by their defensive purposes:
The coastal defences were based on an inner and an outer line with new batteries constructed at Bovisand, Picklecombe and just behind the Breakwater on the outer line. Some of the earlier defensive structures of Plymouth and its harbour such as the Citadel were also brought into play as components of the inner line.
The land defences were constructed specifically to protect Plymouth from an enemy landing somewhere further up or down the coast and thus threatening the dockyard from the rear. The chain of forts and batteries were divided by the estuaries of the Lynher, Hamoaze and Cattewater, with three principal forts based at Staddon on the east, Crownhill in the centre and Tregantle in Cornwall on the west providing the anchor points for the 17 or so forts and batteries of the land defences.
Crownhill Fort is the best known of the landward forts due to its remarkable state of survival and its accessibility. Less well known is the fact that all of the forts and batteries of the north east defences stretching from Ernesettle in the west to Laira in the east were linked by a military road, the route of which still survives as the modern Crownhill Road and Fort Austin Avenue, whilst at Laira it has retained its original name of Military Road to this day. The forts were also linked by massive ditches and earthworks, most of which have disappeared, although some of the earthworks linking Ernesettle Battery and Agaton Fort may be seen to the west of St Budeaux Church.
