Summary
The remains of two mid-C19 military rifle ranges (300 yards and 800 yards) oriented north-west to south-east, situated above Grasmere on the lower slopes of Silver How adjacent to the public footpath from Grasmere to Langdale. They are visible as the remains of two targets, a probable target markers hut, five firing positions on raised platforms and a control building/target store.
Reasons for Designation
The rifle ranges on Silver How, of mid-C19 date are scheduled for the following principal reasons:
* Survival: the firing range layout of targets, firing platforms, target marker's hut and range control building remains intact and is easily readable;
* Potential: the various remains will enhance our knowledge and understanding of the construction, operation and development of local volunteer force rifle ranges and wider military home defence policy;
* Period: the range incorporates evidence of its use from late 1859 through to about 1950, including the periods of the Second Boer War and the First and Second World Wars;
* Documentation: the site is reasonably well documented in historical sources and has been the subject of survey and minor investigation;
* Rarity: relatively few firing ranges survive in such a complete state and this example also retains its re-sited original cast-iron targets;
* Historic importance: a good example of an early Rifle Volunteer Corps firing range, established in response to a home defence gap in Britain’s mid-C19 military provision.
History
Garrison duty in various parts of the Empire combined with the military needs of the Crimean War revealed a home defence gap in Britain’s mid-C19 military provision. Tensions with France amid concerns over a wider European conflict in the late 1850s saw the creation in 1859 of the Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVC) comprising more than 180,000 volunteers within the first few months. Corps generally consisted of 60 to 100 men, under the command of a Captain. They were expected to attend drill and exercise 24 days a year; in order to fulfil the requirement for shooting practice, a substantial range building programme began. As part of the wider national scheme the 6th Westmorland Rifle Volunteer Corps was established at Grasmere comprising 49 men under the command of Captain Jasper Selwyn. The corps was formally accepted for service on 17 April 1860.
The Grasmere Rifle Volunteer Corps established two rifle ranges (800 yards and 300 yards) on the hills above the village. The ranges are not present on the first edition Ordnance Survey map surveyed in 1859, but the Westmorland Gazette for 8 June 1861 reports the volunteers undertaking shooting practice on the practice ground at Silver How indicating that at least one, but probably both of the ranges were present by this date. This dating evidence for the range construction is supported by the fact that the original cast-iron target plates found on site conform to the design of rifle ranges for RVCs set down in 'Drill and Rifle Instruction for Volunteer Rifle Corps' issued by the War Office in 1859. During the 1880s Grasmere RVC was absorbed into the 2nd Westmorland Volunteer Battalion of the newly formed Borders Regiment. The ranges were adapted from about 1895 when the original bullet-proof iron targets, against which bullets would shatter on impact, were replaced by penetrative targets set into window sash target hoists; the original cast-iron target plates were re-used within the target pits as protective bullet-proof shields and possibly as roofing, within which the target marker and hoist operator would have sheltered during shooting. The pair of rifle ranges are depicted on the 1897 revised Ordnance Survey edition: the 800 yard range with its target and adjacent probable target marker's hut and firing positions between 100 and 800 yards, and the 300 yard range with a target and adjacent probable target marker's hut and three firing positions. The ranges continued to be used for shooting practice into the C20 by H Company of the 4th (Cumberland and Westmorland) Battalion of the Border regiment created in 1908, during the First World War by the Westmorland Voluntary Training Corps (including a detachment in Grasmere), and during the Second World War by the Grasmere Platoon of C Company of the 9th Westmorland (Lakes) Battalion of the Home Guard. Use of the ranges ceased in the late 1940s or early 1950s.
In 2015 the remains of the ranges were surveyed by a group from the Lake District Archaeology Volunteer Network. Spent bullets and bullet fragments and cartridge cases were also identified by metal detector over a wide area around the target locations and firing positions respectively. Analysis of the types of ammunition found provided dating evidence of the ranges' use, including white lead fragments interpreted as the remains of bullets used early in the ranges' history which shattered on impact with the original cast-iron target plates.
Details
PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS: the remains of two mid-C19 military rifle ranges (300 yards and 800 yards) oriented north-west to south-east, situated above Grasmere on the lower slopes of Silver How adjacent to the public footpath from Grasmere to Langdale. They are visible as the remains of two targets, a probable target markers hut, five firing positions on raised platforms and a control building/target store.
DESCRIPTION: the 800 yard range includes the remains of a target at the north-west end associated with the remains of an adjacent, target marker’s hut, five firing platforms and a control building/target store at the south-east end. The target is visible as an earth and stone mound about 6m across with traces of a stone revetment wall on the east side. Within the mound is a centrally-placed pit into which three of the original cast-iron target plates have been re-set (back-to-front) as a protective bullet-proof shield; each plate is 0.6m by 1.8m. Within the pit are the remains of a secondary sliding target frame in which the target would be raised in the slide on the vertical spars by a chain, rope or wire run over the wheels. Spent bullets and bullet fragments were found scattered over a wide area surrounding the target and others are thought to survive. Situated to the east of the target there is a substantial mound of stone about 8m in diameter; this is marked as a small building on the 1897 Ordnance Survey map, and although Wainwright in 'The Central Fells' shows it as a 'shooting hut (ruin)', it is interpreted as the remains of a target marker’s hut, from where the target marker signalled the results of firing using a system of flags.
Four firing platforms extend to the south east and appear to conform to the 100 yard, 200 yard, 400 yard and 500 yard positions. They are visible as flat-topped, roughly rectangular platforms with a revetted front wall facing the target, ranging in length from 4.1m to 7.7m and standing three to four courses high. Evidence of cartridge cases were identified at some of the platforms. A fifth firing platform with stone revetment on three sides standing up to six courses high forms the 600 yard firing position. Adjacent to this is the remains of a roofless, dry-stone-built rectangular hut about 5.5m by 3.7m standing to a maximum height of about 2.5m. There is a doorway in the east wall with substantial bolt holes in the jambs, a window in the west side facing the target and a smaller window facing the firing platform; both windows have bar holes in the jambs, lintels and sills. This building is interpreted as the control point for the range officer, a troop shelter and a target store. The evidence of secure doors and windows indicates that the building also served as an ammunition/weapons store.
The 300 yard range is situated about 60m east of the 800 yard range and comprises a target set at the north west end. It is visible as a roughly circular stone and earth mound about 8m across with a centrally-placed, roughly-rectangular pit between 2m and 2.2m across and about 1.8m deep. Three cast-iron target plates have been similarly re-set (back-to-front) within the pit as a protective bullet-proof shield; the incised geometric target rings are clearly visible. At the other end of the pit are the remains of a secondary sliding target frame in which the target would be raised. Spent bullets and bullet fragments were identified scattered over a wide area surrounding the target, and others are thought to survive. No firing positions have been identified associated with this range.
EXTENT OF SCHEDULING: this includes all of the positively identified physical remains of the two rifle ranges; each of the features described is included within a circular area of protection ranging in size from 10m to 16m in diameter, which also includes a margin of 2m around the features on all sides. A possible target markers hut depicted on the second edition Ordnance Survey map associated with the 300 yard range target could not be identified with any certainty and is not included within the scheduling.
