Maker Battery is a former 19th-century coastal artillery battery, built to strengthen the defence of the

Royal Naval Dockyard Royal Navy Dockyards (more usually termed Royal Dockyards) were state-owned harbour facilities where ships of the Royal Navy were built, based, repaired and refitted. Until the mid-19th century the Royal Dockyards were the largest industrial c ...

at Devonport. The battery was proposed in 1885 on the recommendations of the Stanhope Committee report and completed in 1887. It was built with emplacements for a single 12.5-inch Rifled Muzzle Loading (RML) gun which was mounted. It was then supplemented in 1890 when two further 12.5-inch guns were moved from nearby

Grenville Battery Grenville Battery is a former coastal artillery battery, built to defend the Royal Naval Dockyard at Devonport. The battery was originally built between 1760 and 1791 as part of the Maker Redoubt line and then named 'Maker No 4 (North Gloucester ...

.The National Archives WO196/31, Ports and harbours Western District: Revision of Coast defence armaments prior to June 1894 The gun positions were served by underground magazines. The rear of the battery is enclosed by a small ditch and drawbridge. There was no barrack accommodation at the battery, but a small cookhouse was built to cater for the men expected to man the battery. The battery was upgraded with newer armament in 1899 when the battery was re-modelled for two 6-inch breech loading (BL) guns which were installed by 1903. These remained in place until 1911 when they were dismounted. The battery was abandoned by the War Office in 1948. The battery remains complete but derelict today.

References

Bibliography

* *{{cite book, first=Freddy, last=Woodward, title=The Historic Defences of Plymouth, publisher=Cornwall County Council, year=1996, isbn=978-1898166467

External links

Victorian Forts data sheet
Forts of Plymouth, Devon Military history of Cornwall