Lavernock Fort

[cunningplan]

We were meant to be going Christmas shopping in Bristol today but it was such a nice day Mrs Plan and myself decided to have a look down this fort. We are members of EH and Cadw and have been looking around castles, mansions and things like this all over the country for years, but this is the first time she has been places like this and Pencoed castle (I have to say, she did not want to come with me when I went back into Alexon House and stayed in the car)
She has the use of my old camera and is still getting used to it, I will look to see if she has any good shots after and if so will post them on here.
I did start in B & W but when I saw the graffiti changed to colour.
Well documented so wont bore you again

The only problem was she kept on popping up everywhere

Its not often your see me without my hat

 

[krela]

I really need to go here, it's the only one of the Severn Defence forts I haven't been to. It' a shame most of it was destroyed to make way for a caravan park.

 

[cunningplan]

Its easy to find, just park near the caravan park and a quick 5 min walk to the site, worth the visit (Well I thought so and will be taking the grandchildren in the summer (They have also been to loads of castles and houses))

 

[UEP-Wales]

I really need to go here, it's the only one of the Severn Defence forts I haven't been to. It' a shame most of it was destroyed to make way for a caravan park.

I thought you had been here for some reason! The last time I went, I had some very strange looks... turns out it's well known as a gay dogging site or something lol!

Nice shots mate, certainly getting around some sites!

 

[krela]

Its easy to find, just park near the caravan park and a quick 5 min walk to the site, worth the visit (Well I thought so and will be taking the grandchildren in the summer (They have also been to loads of castles and houses))

Yeah I know exactly where it is but I don't drive so it's not that easy for me to get to.

 

[godzilla73]

Great photos - I was really surprised that this is quite an extensive set of fortifications, and that I didn't know anything about it (particularly annoying when we were in this area a while back - grrrr!)
Its going on the list!
Godzy

 

[krela]

Great photos - I was really surprised that this is quite an extensive set of fortifications, and that I didn't know anything about it (particularly annoying when we were in this area a while back - grrrr!)

It was roughly the same size as brean down on the Weston super mare side of the estuary, with an added HAA site but the majority of the naval side of things disappeared under the caravan parks.

 

[leftorium]

hang on a minute is that a patch of dry earth in an HAA CP?

 

[flyboys90]

That colourful! great pics thanks for sharing.

 

[krela]

Just for the record the first few pics are of the HAA control post (with unusual dry floor), then a pic or two of an HAA gun emplacement (3.7" ack ack gun), and the last few photos are of a coastal artillery searchlight emplacement (CASL).

 

[LENNY147]

This is actually Lavernock battery, was there earlier in the yea, its a nice little site

http://www.1939-45.co.uk/lavernockbattery.html

 

[cunningplan]

Lavernock Fort[edit]


File:Lavernock Fort Searchlight post.jpg
Lavernock Fort Searchlight post on the cliff overlooking St Mary's Well Bay, with its clear view up the Bristol Channel

On the point in the late 1860s Lavernock Fort gun battery was built by the Royal Commission and completed in 1870, with three 7" muzzle loading cannons to protect the channel approaches to Cardiff and Bristol shipyards. Sometime before 1895 the gun battery was reinforced with a fourth cannon only for all four guns to be replaced eight years later by two rapid fire six inch (152 mm) former naval guns in 1903.

A two unit searchlight battery was added during the Second World War. The World War II gun emplacements formed part of the Fixed Defences, Severn Scheme and protected the Atlantic shipping convoy de-grouping zone between Cardiff, Barry and Flat Holm.[1] Today the remaining main section of the gun battery has been listed as an Ancient Monument, which includes the gun emplacements, director-rangefinder observation position, crew and officers quarters. The structure is still commemorated through Lavernock Point's main access road being named 'Fort Road'

 

[RichCooper]

Nice to see a dry one shame about the bloody graffiti though

 

[smiler]

Yeah I know exactly where it is but I don't drive so it's not that easy for me to get to.

Ditto, try marrying your daughter to a friendly Muppet with similar interests, worked for me.

Nice pics of the fort, Thanks