300:, to chair a committee on the "Fortifications and Armaments of Military and Mercantile Ports". One of the results of the committee's report was the ordering of a new artillery battery at Beacon Hill in September 1888; work had been completed by May 1892. The battery was built to an innovative design; an artificial mound in the centre of the promontory served to conceal the underground magazines, shelters and ancillary buildings, while creating a natural-looking profile against which, the lighter weapons at the foot of the mound would be difficult to see. The rear of the work was protected by a defensive perimeter built to a new design called the
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to protect the crews from air attack. In April 1941, a hexagonal tower was built 100 yards north of Beacon Hill. This housed a Type 287 Radio
Direction Finding (RDF) array, used to monitor the observation mine field installed across the harbour entrance. It remained in use until December 1943. The
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The
Harwich Guide, Containing an Account of the Ancient and Present State of the Borough: Likewise a Description of Dover-Court, Mistley Manningtree, Wickes, Etc., to which are Added Biographical and Historical Notices of Extra-ordinary
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National
Archives WO 30/67 and 100—Defences of Eastern District, maps of proposed Martello Tower sites in MMH1 series; sketches of Harwich by Captain Durant at Hampshire Cultural Trust Peter Kent's "Fortifications of East
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National
Archive files WO 166/1718---515 Coast Defence War Diary; WO 166 series Eastern Command, 11 Corps, 15 Division, Essex Division, 45 Division, 223 Brigade, War Diaries; ADM 199/823—Minelaying/Minefields).
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398:, trenches and searchlight emplacements. Overlooking the breakwater, a concrete blockhouse housed an Extended Defence Officer (EXDO) post, from where naval officers could electrically detonate
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and telephone system were installed. In 1901, a further BL 6-inch gun was added to the north of the battery. In 1903, the original guns were replaced with three of the latest
256:, built at Tower House, Middle House and the House-upon-the-Hill. They were abandoned within ten years, only to be briefly revived in 1588, owing to the threat posed by the
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389:, which also included a new magazine, shelters and a prominent three-storey battery observation post (BOP). The 6-inch guns were partially enclosed by concrete
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By the turn of the 20th century, concern had shifted from France to
Germany, and the battery's armament was the subject of several upgrades. In 1898, a
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tower still retains its original array with replacement 'pig trough' reflectors. Ground defences were improved by the addition of
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In early 2018, part of Beacon Hill
Battery was bought by Paul Valentine and Barry Sharp as part of a restoration project.
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The fort was finally decommissioned in 1956 on the dissolution of coast artillery in the United
Kingdom.
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A nearby site was chosen for
Harwich Barracks. These were built in 1803. The original occupants were the
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on the
Harwich peninsula, about one kilometre south of the town. It overlooks the estuaries of the
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rivers on the approach to the harbour, which has been an important civil and naval port since the
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448:"Beacon Hill Fort: a late 19th and 20th century coastal artillery fortification (1018958)"
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Beacon Hill
Battery, showing the 1941 director tower for twin 6-pounder guns.
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Britain's Island Fortresses: Defence of the Empire 1756–1956
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The Extended Defence Officer (EXDO) post, with modern mural.
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was constructed in 1812, intended to supplement the larger
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The first fortification built on the site was one of three
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In 1887, renewed fear of a French invasion prompted the
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sloping down to a shallow ditch that concealed a steel
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Artillery battery fortifications in the United Kingdom
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Map of Beacon Hill Fort, Harwich, OpenStreetMap 2019
558:"Victorian Forts - Harwich 3 - Beacon Hill Battery"
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385:on a twin-barrelled mounting, intended to counter
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16:Late-19th and 20th century coastal fortification
476:"Fortified Places > Fortresses > Harwich"
335:on traversing carriages for close defence. Two
315:The battery was powerfully armed with a single
381:Battery" was constructed for two rapid-firing
248:, constructed at Harwich during the reign of
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609:Beacon Hill Fort, Harwich Society Web Site
406:Decommissioning and subsequent restoration
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377:. In 1940, a new emplacement, known as "
599:Victorian Forts and Artillery datasheet
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369:The fort remained operational in the
240:Tudor blockhouse: House-upon-the-Hill
192:that was built to defend the port of
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604:Subterranea Britannica description
453:National Heritage List for England
188:) is a late-19th and 20th century
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614:Beacon Hill Battery Photos 2006
567:. Victorian Forts and Artillery
482:. Dominic Goode. Archived from
665:1534 establishments in England
208:Prior military use of the site
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650:Napoleonic beacons in England
274:Royal Buckinghamshire Militia
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294:Secretary of State for War
339:guns were added in 1898.
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565:www.victorianforts.co.uk
511:. Ipswich: J. Raw. 1808.
480:www.fortified-places.com
383:QF 6-pounder 10 cwt guns
522:Clements, Bill (2019).
344:depression range finder
474:Goode, Dominic Goode.
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337:QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss
325:disappearing mountings
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348:BL 6-inch Mk VII guns
323:on a hydro-pneumatic
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190:coastal fortification
130:Coastal fortification
358:anti-aircraft guns.
356:QF 1-pounder pom-pom
327:, together with two
200:. It is a scheduled
333:RML 64-pounder guns
288:Beacon Hill Battery
270:West Essex Regiment
182:Beacon Hill Battery
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77:Beacon Hill Battery
24:Beacon Hill Battery
486:on 26 October 2019
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110:51.9381°N 1.2892°E
446:(14 March 2000).
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488:. Retrieved
484:the original
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457:. Retrieved
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157:Site history
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246:blockhouses
234:Middle Ages
113: /
89:Coordinates
629:Categories
508:Characters
490:26 October
417:References
379:Cornwallis
250:Henry VIII
222:promontory
98:51°56′17″N
400:sea mines
396:pillboxes
391:casemates
170:Materials
149:Condition
101:1°17′21″E
588:Anglia".
571:25 April
459:25 April
310:palisade
272:and the
175:Concrete
655:Harwich
312:fence.
194:Harwich
165:1889-92
152:At risk
144:private
39:England
31:Harwich
621:photos
619:Photos
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306:glacis
230:Orwell
561:(PDF)
226:Stour
198:Essex
173:Earth
162:Built
141:Owner
35:Essex
573:2021
532:ISBN
492:2019
461:2021
228:and
126:Type
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
