Details
SX 45 SE MAKER-WITH-RAME
7/73 Picklecombe Fort
II
Fort, now in multiple residential occupation. There was a battery on the site in
circa 1800, rebuilt 1860 and remodelled in 1864; intermediate stage, dated VR 1848
over west entrance. Altered late C20. Snecked limestone rubble, partly rendered,
with limestone dressings.
Barrack block to north with curtain wall to east and west with gateways; southern
crescent shaped battery facing out to sea. Tudor Gothic style rear barracks.
Rear barracks/keep has north facade with cental gatehouse, with 4-centred arched
doorway, partly blocked, with C20 door inserted. Surround of 2 wide 4-centred arched
chamfered orders with hood mould, 2 lancets above with hood moulds and 2 gun
casements with splayed reveals. Embattled parapet with taller octagonal turret to
each side, battered at ground floor with band courses and embattled parapets on
moulded corbels. Bays to right of 2 storeys, with 2-light and 5-light window at
ground floor with pointed arched lights, flat head and hood mould, blocked lights
with loops inserted; band course above with gun casement and loop to left, row of
loops with hood moulds to right, embattled parapet. Bays to left rendered, with 5
similar lancets at upper level and plain parapet. Block stepped forward to left,
with 2 loops at ground and first floor to inner side, to front has three 3-light
casements at first floor and 2 at ground floor, blocked door with hood mould and
embattled parapet with bartizan at corner. Right end has 3-storey circular tower,
battered at ground floor with bull nose moulding, 2-light casements with hood mould
continuous bull nose moulding, loops at each level for stair, 2-light casements and
plain parapet. Stair tower attached to end right with loops at each level. Left end
has 3-storey octagonal tower, battered at ground floor with bull nose moulding
carried as hood mould over 2-light casements, loops and 2-light casements at upper
storeys; heavy embattled parapet carried on triple-moulded corbels.
Right side has 2-light casements at each storey of tower. Block to right at upper
ground floor level has 3 loops band course, 3-light casement and 2 loops at first
floor and embattled parapet. Curtain wall at lower level to right has 4-centred
arched gateway, chamfered with hood mould, VR 1848 with crown over, plain parapet and
coping, ramped down to plain terminal pier to end right. Left side rendered, tower
windows as at front, 2-storey rendered block to left has band course, 2-light
casement at first floor, embattled parapet. Curtain wall to left has plain
segmental-arched gateway with row of loops above and 2 to left, wall has plain
coping, ramped down to terminal pier to end left.
South facade has a central range formed by the rear wall of the barracks, with a
single storey arcade of nine 4-centred arched bays, chamfered, parapet and coping
over. 2-storey block to each end. To left, this block has door and four 2-light
casements, some with glazing bars remaining, all with flat head and hood mould. Band
course, rendered upper storey with two 2-light casements and 6 irregularly spaced
loops with hood moulds, embattled parapet. 2-storey block to end right has 4 windows
at ground and first floor, all blocked, all tall 3-light mullioned casements with
chamfered mullions, flat head and hood mould, plain parapet and coping, embattled to
sides with band course, bartizan to left corner.
To the south, there is a crescent viewing platform, with coped parapet wall about 30
centimetres high; to the northern side of the platform, a retaining wall, with
central double stair, some panels remaining of cast iron railings with crossed
braces, in parallelogram shape along steps.
To the south, the horse-shoe shaped battery has 20 bays to the south elevation, of 3
storeys; this block has been converted for residential accommodation. Bays are
divided by piers, each bay with segmental-headed stepped arched recess, now with C20
balconies at each storey. To east, bay with single storey height gateway with
segmental head and wall swept round to side; eastern gateway in archway similar to
main bays. North facade all rebuilt C20, with 6 polygonal stair towers, plain
parapet and flat roof. Forms 5 storeys on northern elevation.
Interiors: notinspected.
Picklecombe Fort was one of the inner line of forts defending Plymouth. There was
already a battery on the site, which was strengthened and remodelled as part of the
Palmerstonian fortifications. The battery consisted of 68 and 100 pounders in two
tiers, with 16 guns on the platforms, all protected by iron shields. There were 200
men, and the total cost of construction was £149,126, the iron shields costing
£68,250.
(Sources: Rawlings, K.J.: Defence Works Plymouth Area 1300-1983. 1984).
Listing NGR: SX4553651586
