The Commission reported back in 1860 and recommended the
building of forts to protect naval bases and other strategic locations around
the coasts of Britain and Ireland. In the
Bristol Channel Steep Holm, Flat Holm, Brean Down and Lavernock Point were to
be fortified in order to protect the ports of Bristol, Cardiff and Newport.
Work began on a barracks on Steep Holm in 1866 and was
completed in 1867. The barracks were
built by about 50 local men and Irish navvies under the direction of John Perry
of Weston-super-Mare. Dressed stone was
transported from South Wales to build the barracks and gun emplacements. It was winched or dragged up the cliff, along
with all the other building materials needed, from a quay, which was
constructed at the South Landing.
Limestone from Steep Holm itself was used for backing and infilling.
Soldiers were housed in the main barracks. A block on the eastern side contained a kitchen,
stores and latrines. At the western end
a master gunner’s quarters were constructed and some additional married
quarters. Rainwater was collected from the roof and transferred into an
underground reservoir behind the barracks with a capacity of 49,000 gallons.
Six gun batteries
were built between 1866 and 1868 and they were armed with 10 seven ton guns in
1871. The batteries were positioned
around the island to give 360 degree coverage of the sea around the island:
- Rudder Rock Battery at the western end of the island was named after the rock below it.
- Split Rock Battery in the south west was also named after the rock formation below it. It is the best preserved of the six batteries.
- Summit Battery in the north west was the highest battery at 72 metres above sea level.
- Laboratory Battery in the north east was named after a nearby building, which provided a spark free environment in which gunpowder could be weighed and tested.
- Tombstone Battery in the east was so named because engineers constructing it dug up a 13th century stone coffin lid or memorial stone associated with the ruins of the nearby Priory of St Michael.
- Garden Battery in the south east was built on what was thought to be part of the medieval priory’s garden.
Garden, Summit, Laboratory and Split Rock were double
batteries, while Rudder Rock and Tombstone were only armed with one
cannon each. All the batteries had
underground ammunition stores close to them.
Two lime kilns
were built to produce mortar and lime wash for the fortifications. One was located to the north west of Garden
Battery but was destroyed during the 1941 refortification of the island. The other one at South Landing has been
restored. Coal to fire them was brought from South Wales and Steep Holm’s own
limestone was used.
Both Viscount Palmerston and Sidney Herbert died before work
began on the fortification of Steep Holm. By the time Steep Holm’s fortifications were
completed the threat from the French had diminished. The island’s heavy guns
were never fired in anger and the garrison was finally stood down in 1901.
The barracks have now been converted into a visitor centre
and exhibition area. Remains of all 6
batteries can still be seen today, although several of them were partially
destroyed during the Second World War refortification of Steep Holm. Nine of the ten heavy guns can still be seen
near their original positions and most of the underground ammunition stores can
be explored.
Laboratory Battery
Tombstone Battery
West barbette or gun
enclosure at Split Rock Battery
The cannon at Rudder
Rock Battery proved to be too heavy to move when the Second World War observation
post was being built in 1941, so it was left in situ and the observation post
was built over the top of it. It was
rediscovered in 1981 by former island warden Rodney Legg.
Displaced
racer from the east barbette at Summit Battery.
The wheels of the gun carriage ran on the racer,
enabling it to be moved round to face in any direction. The racer was removed
from Summit Battery during the 1941 refortification of Steep Holm
This Georgian cannon was taken to Steep Holm in 1866-68 to
be buried vertically in the ground, so that the mouth end could act as a pivot
for the Victorian guns. It was dug up in
1941 from Summit Battery when the island was refortified. It was left lying
behind the new battery until 1986 when it was lifted into its current position
outside the Barracks by a Sea King helicopter from RNAS Yeovilton. It has found a new use as a perch for some of
the Steep Holm’s many gulls.
Barracks
Restored Lime Kiln at South Landing
Further Reading:
Steep Holm at war:
Rodney Legg. Wincanton Press, 1991
The Steep Holm Guide
and Trail. Published by the Kenneth
Allsop Memorial Trust, 2014
Steep Holm’s Pioneers:
Stan and Joan Rendall. Published by the authors, 2003
