Laira Battery

Laira Battery is a former 19th-century Fort, built as a result of the Royal Commission on National Defence of 1859. It was built to defend the landward approaches to the North East of Plymouth. This was part of an overall scheme for the defence of the Royal Naval Dockyard at Devonport. They were known as Palmerston Forts after the Prime Minister who championed the scheme.

Laira Battery
Plymouth
Devon
England
Laira Battery
Coordinates50.38°N 4.10°W / 50.38; -4.10
Site information
Open to
the public
No
ConditionMostly intact, some parts demolished
Site history
Built1863-1871
In useNow plant hire depot
MaterialsEarth
Masonry

It was designed to be armed with 13 guns and overlooked the River Laira. To house part of the Forts' Garrison a barrack block to house two officers and 30 men was built within the rear section of the Fort. Some of the gun positions were in protected Haxo casemates and a vaulted magazine stored the ammunition for the guns.[1]

By the early 1900s the Fort had become obsolete as a defensive position and was disarmed. It was sold by the War Office in 1961. It was Grade II listed in 2003.[2] It is now used as a plant hire yard.

References

Bibliography

  • Hogg, Ian V (1974). Coast Defences of England and Wales 1856-1956. David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153 6353-0.
  • Woodward, Freddy (1996). The Historic Defences of Plymouth. Cornwall County Council. ISBN 978-1898166467.

External sources

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