Monument record MDO47398 - Second World War coastal battery, New Breakwater C Pier Head, Bincleaves Groyne, Portland Harbour

A coastal battery located on the southern tip of Bincleaves Groyne at Portland Breakwater. The battery opened in 1901 and was armed with two 12-pounder quick-firing (QF) guns for anti-torpedo craft defence. By the First World War the 12-pounder guns had been removed and replaced with a 6-inch breech-loading (BL) Mk. VII gun. The 6-inch gun was removed in 1924 and in 1934 two 12-pounder guns were transferred across from the recently decommissioned B Pier Head (see HOB UID 1425451). In 1944 emplacements were constructed for two 6-pounder guns, but the guns were not mounted for a number of years. A field visit in 1983 found the structure to be extant.

Coast artillery battery. 2 x 12pdr - 12cwt Mk 1 guns. The Northern Arm is an Admiralty extension to the earlier breakwater built by the Great Western Railway and known as the Bincleaves Groyne. The head is 100ft in diameter.CASLs can be seen. [information from 1963 aerial photographs]. 'C' Head, Northern Arm (Bincleaves Groyne), Portland Breakwater. <1-3>

New Breakwater C Pier Head located at SY 695 774. The battery opened in 1901 and was armed with two 12-pounder quick-firing (QF) guns for anti-torpedo craft defence. By the First World War the 12-pounder guns had been removed and replaced with a 6-inch breech-loading (BL) Mk. VII gun. The 6-inch gun was removed in 1924 and in 1934 two 12-pounder guns were transferred from the newly decommissioned B Pier Head to be reinstated at C Pier Head. In 1944 emplacements were constructed for two 6-pounder guns, which were mounted years later. During the Second World War the battery was manned by 107 Battery of 522 Coast Regiment. <4-5>

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0011261 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0011261 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> Dobinson, C S, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume 6.1. Coast Artillery, 1900-1956, 176-181 (Monograph). SDO17228.

<5> Dobinson, C S, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England. Volume 6.2. Coast artillery, 1900-1956, 271 (Monograph). SDO17229.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1425450 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 20 2023 10:44AM