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- Jan 6, 2013
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1. The History
Constructed between March 1890 and August 1894, this coastal defence barbette battery cost £4,963 to construct back in the day (about £600,000 in today's money). Originally intended to be a single 17-inch B.L. gun this counter bombardment battery was constructed between Hawkins battery and due-east of Maker Farm, on sloping land facing the sea, consisting of two 10-inch B.L. guns, one on an Elswick Ordnance Company Barbette mounting, the other on a Royal Carriage Department barbette mounting. They were located here to prevent ships lying at anchor off Cawsand Bay and to support Picklecombe Fort guarding approaches to Plymouth Sound.
The guns were side-by-side, separated by an underground magazines stores and linked by a tunnel that slopes down underneath a central earth traverse. There was one magazine to the north of the tunnel and two carriage stores (each with its own serving hatch) to the south. Each gun emplacement had an R.A. store, cartridge recess, a shell recess and a shelter for the gun crew, all built into the concrete gun apron. To the right of the right-hand gun emplacement was a water catchment area and tank. The caretaker’s office was on the opposite side which consisted of two bedrooms, a living room and a scullery. In between both of these were two Depression Range Finders (DRFs). Behind the left-hand battery was an oil store. There were no barracks and the battery was manned only at times of need.
Plan of Raleigh Battery:
Screenshot_20180724-222436_Drive by HughieDW, on Flickr
The guns remained in-situ until 1908 after which they were placed in reserve. They were dismantled two years later in 1910. The MOD finally abandoned the site completely in 1946.
2. The Explore
Revisit almost a year to the day I last came here. Was nearby having been to Cremyll plus I wasn't 100% happy with my previous pictures so popping by was a no-brainer. There's a number of batteries around the Plym coastline but this one is one of my faves due to its secluded rural location and the fact it's not been trashed by the idiots. There appears to have been a bit of work been done on clearing the vegetation back a little but the battery still hasn't lost its abandoned charm. It's still used by the farmer as the right-hand battery with the Royal Carriage Department barbette mounting has a number of beehives in it.
3. The Pictures
Let's start at the eastern end of the battery.
The right-hand battery with the Royal Carriage Department barbette mounting:
img1917 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1927 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1919 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1920 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1922 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1926 by HughieDW, on Flickr
I think this is something to do with the catchment and tank system:
img1925 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This is the tunnel that has links the two gun emplacements and has the underground magazines off:
img1928 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Raleigh 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1932 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1937 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Off the tunnel to the south is Filled Shell Store No.1:
img1944 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This is then subdivided into two magazines off a short corridor:
img1939 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Magazine No.1:
img1941 by HughieDW, on Flickr]
img1942 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Magazine No.2:
img1940 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1943 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Back on the main tunnel to the north is the single room of Filled Share Store No.2:
Raleigh 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Onto the western end of the battery:
Raleigh 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This small building is the oil store:
Raleigh 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1950 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1957 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Raleigh 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Raleigh 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One of the two Depression Range Finders:
img1965 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Finally, onto the caretaker's quarters:
Raleigh 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Raleigh 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Manufacturer's stamp on the bricks (G.Jennings, Poole, Dorset)
https://poolemuseumsociety.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/george-jennings-and-the-growth-of-parkstone/
Raleigh 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1968 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1974 by HughieDW, on Flickr
There's a lead water tank round the back still:
img1973 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Constructed between March 1890 and August 1894, this coastal defence barbette battery cost £4,963 to construct back in the day (about £600,000 in today's money). Originally intended to be a single 17-inch B.L. gun this counter bombardment battery was constructed between Hawkins battery and due-east of Maker Farm, on sloping land facing the sea, consisting of two 10-inch B.L. guns, one on an Elswick Ordnance Company Barbette mounting, the other on a Royal Carriage Department barbette mounting. They were located here to prevent ships lying at anchor off Cawsand Bay and to support Picklecombe Fort guarding approaches to Plymouth Sound.
The guns were side-by-side, separated by an underground magazines stores and linked by a tunnel that slopes down underneath a central earth traverse. There was one magazine to the north of the tunnel and two carriage stores (each with its own serving hatch) to the south. Each gun emplacement had an R.A. store, cartridge recess, a shell recess and a shelter for the gun crew, all built into the concrete gun apron. To the right of the right-hand gun emplacement was a water catchment area and tank. The caretaker’s office was on the opposite side which consisted of two bedrooms, a living room and a scullery. In between both of these were two Depression Range Finders (DRFs). Behind the left-hand battery was an oil store. There were no barracks and the battery was manned only at times of need.
Plan of Raleigh Battery:
Screenshot_20180724-222436_Drive by HughieDW, on FlickrThe guns remained in-situ until 1908 after which they were placed in reserve. They were dismantled two years later in 1910. The MOD finally abandoned the site completely in 1946.
2. The Explore
Revisit almost a year to the day I last came here. Was nearby having been to Cremyll plus I wasn't 100% happy with my previous pictures so popping by was a no-brainer. There's a number of batteries around the Plym coastline but this one is one of my faves due to its secluded rural location and the fact it's not been trashed by the idiots. There appears to have been a bit of work been done on clearing the vegetation back a little but the battery still hasn't lost its abandoned charm. It's still used by the farmer as the right-hand battery with the Royal Carriage Department barbette mounting has a number of beehives in it.
3. The Pictures
Let's start at the eastern end of the battery.
The right-hand battery with the Royal Carriage Department barbette mounting:
img1917 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1927 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1919 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1920 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1922 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1926 by HughieDW, on FlickrI think this is something to do with the catchment and tank system:
img1925 by HughieDW, on FlickrThis is the tunnel that has links the two gun emplacements and has the underground magazines off:
img1928 by HughieDW, on FlickrRaleigh 01 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1932 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1937 by HughieDW, on FlickrOff the tunnel to the south is Filled Shell Store No.1:
img1944 by HughieDW, on FlickrThis is then subdivided into two magazines off a short corridor:
img1939 by HughieDW, on FlickrMagazine No.1:
img1941 by HughieDW, on Flickr]img1942 by HughieDW, on FlickrMagazine No.2:
img1940 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1943 by HughieDW, on FlickrBack on the main tunnel to the north is the single room of Filled Share Store No.2:
Raleigh 02 by HughieDW, on FlickrOnto the western end of the battery:
Raleigh 04 by HughieDW, on FlickrThis small building is the oil store:
Raleigh 03 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1950 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1957 by HughieDW, on FlickrRaleigh 05 by HughieDW, on FlickrRaleigh 06 by HughieDW, on FlickrOne of the two Depression Range Finders:
img1965 by HughieDW, on FlickrFinally, onto the caretaker's quarters:
Raleigh 07 by HughieDW, on FlickrRaleigh 08 by HughieDW, on FlickrManufacturer's stamp on the bricks (G.Jennings, Poole, Dorset)
https://poolemuseumsociety.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/george-jennings-and-the-growth-of-parkstone/
Raleigh 09 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1968 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg1974 by HughieDW, on FlickrThere's a lead water tank round the back still:
img1973 by HughieDW, on Flickr
