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Historic England Research Records

Verne Quarry High Angle Battery

Hob Uid: 1387753
Location :
Dorset
Portland
Grid Ref : SY6940073240
Summary : Verne Quarry High Angle Battery, disused battery approximately 150 metres south-south-east (south-east-south in listing) of south entrance to Verne Citadel. The high angle battery was built in 1892 as part of the coastal defences at Portland, it was built partly in an old quarry and was armed with four guns capable of firing in any direction. The battery included two magazines and would have been surrounded by an unclimbable fence. Four new gun pits and a war shelter, for protecting the troups, were added when the battery was remodelled in 1898. The battery was disarmed in 1906 and from 1918 was used for storing field guns from France. During the Second World War it became an ack-ack battery and was used to store ammunition in preparation for the D-Day landings. In the 1960s one of the emplacements was used for testing the capsules in which nuclear material was transported. The battery was restored by a Manpower Services Commission team in 1984-5. The battery is built of Portland stone, concrete and brick, the tunnels are roofed with earth and grass.
More information : Verne Quarry High Angle Battery, disused battery approximately 150 metres south-south-east (south-east-south in listing) of south entrance to Verne Citadel. The high angle battery was built in 1892 as part of the coastal defences at Portland, it was built partly in an old quarry and was armed with four guns capable of firing in any direction. The battery included two magazines and would have been surrounded by an unclimbable fence. Four new gun pits and a war shelter, for protecting the troups, were added when the battery was remodelled in 1898. The battery was disarmed in 1906 and from 1918 was used for storing field guns from France. During the Second World War it became an ack-ack battery and was used to store ammunition in preparation for the D-Day landings. In the 1960s one of the emplacements was used for testing the capsules in which nuclear material was transported. The battery was restored by a Manpower Services Commission team in 1984-5. The battery is built of Portland stone, concrete and brick, the tunnels are roofed with earth and grass. (1)

Verne Quarry Battery located at SY 695 733. The battery was completed in 1888 for six 9-inch rifle muzzle-loading guns on high-angle mountings. The battery was disarmed in 1907. (2-3)

Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : District of Weymouth and Portland, 22-DEC-1997
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :
Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 176-181
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 6.1
Source Number : 3
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 272
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 6.2

Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Built 1892
Monument End Date : 1892
Monument Start Date : 1892
Monument Type : Coastal Battery, Magazine
Evidence : Extant Building
Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Remodelled 1898
Monument End Date : 1898
Monument Start Date : 1898
Monument Type : Coastal Battery, War Shelter
Evidence : Extant Building
Monument Period Name : 20th Century
Display Date : Disarmed 1908
Monument End Date : 1908
Monument Start Date : 1908
Monument Type : Coastal Battery
Evidence : Extant Building
Monument Period Name : 20th Century
Display Date : 1960s use
Monument End Date : 1969
Monument Start Date : 1960
Monument Type : Nuclear Test Site
Evidence : Extant Building
Monument Period Name : Early 20th Century
Display Date : Post-1918 use
Monument End Date :
Monument Start Date : 1918
Monument Type : Armament Depot
Evidence : Extant Building
Monument Period Name : Late 20th Century
Display Date : Restored 1984-5
Monument End Date : 1985
Monument Start Date : 1984
Monument Type : Coastal Battery
Evidence : Extant Building

Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : DoB Non Anti Invasion Database UID
External Cross Reference Number : 2554
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : NBR Index Number
External Cross Reference Number : 108189
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Listed Building List Entry Legacy Uid
External Cross Reference Number : 381952
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SY 67 SE 122
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :
Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY
Start Date :
End Date :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : MEASURED SURVEY
Start Date : 2008-01-01
End Date : 2009-12-31