Fortifications of Plymouth

The fortifications of Plymouth in Devon are extensive due to its natural harbour, its commanding position on the Western Approaches and its role as the United Kingdom's largest naval base.Following a French raid on Plymouth in August 1403, King Henry IV ordered the prior of Plympton and the abbot of Tavistock to further fortify the town with walls and towers.[1] Only a small section of the castle fabric survives, located in Lambhay Street, at the head of a flight of stairs leading down to the Mayflower Steps on the quayside.The besiegers were able to build a battery on the headland later called Mount Batten, effectively preventing ships from entering Sutton Pool and forcing the Plymothians to use the harbour at Millbay instead.The total length was about 2,000 yards (1,800 metres) and included four bastions and two gateways, a third gate was added at the end of the century to give access to the Torpoint Ferry.In August 1779, a fleet of French and Spanish ships anchored off Cawsand Bay but withdrew soon afterwards; regular and militia troops camped on Maker Heights for the following three summers and constructed a line of five earthen redoubts along the ridge under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Dixon.Although work on some of the forts around Plymouth started in the late 1850s, most were based on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom, which was established by Lord Palmerston in 1859 and reported in the following year.
The Royal Citadel, Plymouth , viewed from Mount Batten Tower .
A depiction of the town and fortifications of Plymouth around Sutton Pool, from a chart dated 1540. The Fisher's Nose Blockhouse is in the centre foreground and behind it can be seen the Royal Chapel of St Katherine-upon-the-Hoe , Plymouth Castle and the Barbican with a harbour chain .
The blockhouse at Mount Edgcumbe , which is believed to date from circa 1545
A map by Wenceslas Hollar showing the temporary fortifications of the Siege of Plymouth during the English Civil War .
The Royal Citadel as seen from Mount Batten
Plan of the Lines round Plymouth Dock , by Daniel Slack, 1756.
The Mount Pleasant Redoubt at Stoke, Plymouth .
The entrance to Crownhill Fort ; one of the fortifications recommended by the 1859 Royal Commission .
Fort Bovisand 's granite casemates , originally built for 9-inch Rifled Muzzle Loading guns .
Plymouth Breakwater Fort from inside the Sound
Staddon Fort is now a communications centre for the Royal Navy.
Royal Citadel, PlymouthWestern ApproachesUnited Kingdomnaval basemedievalSutton HarbourPlymouth SoundRiver PlymDevonportRiver TamarVictorian eraNorman ConquestmurageRoyal Chapel of St Katherine-upon-the-Hoeharbour chainPlymouth Castlea French raid on Plymouth in August 1403Henry IVTavistockcastletowersaldermenMayflower StepsBarbican districtRenaissancechained overblockhouseMount EdgcumbeTudor periodblockhousesPlymouth HoeCattewaterHamoazeEdgcumbe familyStonehouserestaurantMillbaySir Francis Drakeartillery batteriesDrake's IslandElizabeth IpilchardsbastionsFederigo GiambelliWenceslas HollarEnglish Civil WarParliamentRoyalistsrampartredoubtsLipsonNorth HillMount BattenBernard de Gommebastion fort29 Commando RegimentRoyal ArtilleryQueen AnnemarinaCawsand BaySeven Years' WarTorpoint FerryRedoubtStoke, PlymouthdrawbridgeAmerican War of IndependenceThirteen ColoniesKingsandCawsandCremyllmilitiaFrench Revolutionary WarsrevetmentsCrownhill Fort1859 Royal CommissionPalmerston Forts, PlymouthPalmerston Fortsarms raceFranceNapoleon IIIRoyal Commission on the Defence of the United KingdomLord Palmerstoncoastal artilleryFort Bovisandgranitecasemates9-inch Rifled Muzzle Loading gunsPicklecombe FortCawsand FortWestern Kings BatteryFort TregantleFort ScraesdonPolhawn BatteryKnowles BatteryWoodlands FortBowden FortEgg Buckland KeepForder BatteryFort AustinFort EffordLaira BatteryBrownhill BatteryStaddon FortStamford FortWatch House BatteryFrobisher BatteryHawkins BatteryTregantle Down BatteryPenlee BatteryRame Church BatteryRaleigh BatteryWhitsand Bay BatteryLord Howard's Battery