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CROSBY POINT BATTERY

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The site of Crosby Point coastal battery, built as part of the fixed defences along the Mersey. The battery was constructed between 1905-1914. It was armed with three 6-inch breech-loading Mk. VII guns to protect Liverpool Bay from enemy cruisers. In the Second World War the battery performed an examination role. By 1941 4.7-inch naval guns were emplaced at the battery, but these were removed before the end of the war. The battery was reduced to care and maintenance in 1944. Wartime air photographs show the coastal battery with associated observation post, coast artillery searchlight, military buildings and barbed wire obstructions visible as structures. The site appears to be part of a much larger coastal defence system (UID 1476752), including an anti-aircraft battery (UID 1476726), a searchlight battery (UID 1476739) and tank traps (UID 1476748). No surface features are visible on the latest 1993 Ordnance Survey vertical photography.

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World War II coastal battery. Constructed in the period 1940 to 1941 and was seen during a field visit in 2000 and was noted to be in a poor condition. Part of the North West coast defences - coastal crust and hinterland defences of the north west from the northern border of Flintshire to the southern border of Cumbria and including all the coastal defences in Cheshire, Wirral, Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, Lancashire and Blackpool. Located Between the Coastguard Station and Hightown, north of Crosby. (1)

A Second World War coastal battery with associated observation post, coast artillery searchlight, military buildings and barbed wire obstructions are visible as structures on air photographs, centred at SD 2968 0232. The coastal battery, consisting of three gun emplacements, is the central feature with a coastal artillery searchlight (SD 2959 0240) and observation post (SD 2962 0246) to the north. This site appears to be part of a much larger coastal defence system (UID 1476752), inlcuding an anti aircraft battery (UID 1476726), a searchlight battery (UID 1476739) and tank traps (UID 1476748). No surface features are visible on the latest 1993 Ordnance Survey vertical photography. (2-3)

Crosby Point Battery located at SD 297 024. The battery was constructed between 1905-1914. It was armed with three 6-inch breech-loading Mk. VII guns to protect Liverpool Bay from enemy cruisers. During the Second World War the battery performed an examination role. By 1941 some 4.7-inch naval guns were emplaced at the battery, but these were removed by the end of the war. The battery was reduced to care and maintenance in 1944. In the Second World War the battery was manned by batteries of 524 Coast Regiment. (4-5)

Aerial photography from 1983 shows that the battery has been removed and the site is dunes and an estuary. (6)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) Migrated Defence of Britain Project database record originally compiled from various sources

The two databases developed by the Project can be searched on-line through the Archaeology Data Service at http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/specColl/dob/index.cfm

(2) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

RAF 58/C/4 5051 15-APR-1949

(3) Oblique aerial photograph reference number

NMR SD 2902/3 (31246/PO-40) 17-AUG-1941

(4) C.S. Dobinson 2000 Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume 6.1. Coast Artillery, 1900-1956

6.1 Page(s)200-203

(5) C.S. Dobinson 2000 Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume 6.2. Coast Artillery, 1900-1956

6.2 Page(s)289-290

(6) Michael J. Anderton 2000 Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two Coastal Batteries

Page(s)58

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