Brean Down Fort

Brean Down Fort was built 60 feet (18 m) above sea level on the headland at Brean Down, 9 miles (14 km) south of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

It was built in the 1860s as one of the Palmerston Forts to provide protection to the ports of the Bristol Channel, and was decommissioned in 1901. During World War II it was rearmed and used for experimental weapons testing.

The site has been owned by the National Trust since 2002, following a £431,000 renovation project, as part of its Brean Down property and is open to the public.

The fort was used as a location for filming of the second episode, "Warriors", of the BBC television drama Bonekickers.

Palmerston Fort

Brean Down Fort forms part of a line of defences, known as Palmerston Forts, built across the channel to protect the approaches to Bristol and Cardiff. It was fortified following a visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to France, where they had been concerned at the strength of the French Navy. The Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom, under direction of Lord Palmerston, recommended fortification of the coast. Brean Down Fort formed part of a strategic coastal defence system covering the channel between the mainland and the islands of Steep Holm and Flat Holm.

Four acres of land at the end of Brean Down were requisitioned in 1862, with construction beginning in 1864 and completed in 1871.

The fort was originally armed with seven 7-inch (18 cm) Rifled muzzle loaders (RMLs), which were among the last of this type to be made at the Woolwich Gun Foundry. These sited at three main gun positions, including W battery containing two guns on 'C' pivots (rotating around a reused Georgian cannon set upright in the ground). Each gun weighed 7 tons and had a 30-pound (14 kg) charge of gunpowder able to fire a 112-pound (51 kg) Palliser shot at 1,560 feet (475 m) per second. This could pierce 8 inches (20 cm) of armour at 1,000 yards (910 m). It was proposed to replace the 7-inch (18 cm) guns with larger 9-inch (23 cm) versions in 1888 but this was never put into action. It had a large, underground, main gunpowder magazine, 15 feet (4.5 m) by 18 feet (5.5 m) by 20 feet (6.1 m) high. The fort was staffed by 50 officers and men of the Coast Brigade, Royal Artillery, but no shots were ever fired in action.

The end of the fort's active service came at 5 am on July 6, 1900 when Gunner Haines fired a ball cartridge down a ventilator shaft into the No. 3 magazine which held 3 tons (3 tonnes) of gunpowder, causing the magazine to explode. The wall separating the fort from the moat on the south west corner was demolished and wreckage thrown up to 200 yards (183 m). No one knew why the gunner had blown up the fort, but it has been speculated that it was an act of suicide. The cannons were hauled away by traction engines.

It was then used as a café, owned by the Hillman family from at least 1907 until sold in 1936 to the 'bird sanctuary people'.

World War II

On the outbreak of World War II the fort was rearmed with two 6 inches (15 cm) ex-naval guns and two searchlight batteries. The site was also used as a test launch site for rockets and experimental weapons.

Two gun positions were built to mount the ex-naval guns in their turrets. These were later protected with a "plastic" anti-aircraft roof. One position was built over the ruins of the old west battery and the other partly obscures the north west battery. The barrack blocks were converted and the windows partly blocked to reduce the effects of blast. Several other associated structures, including searchlight batteries for illuminating seaborne targets, a command post and the barracks for the garrison were built outside the original Palmeston fort.

The site was manned by 365 and 366 Coast Batteries RA of 571 Coast Regiment in 1942.

Several experimental weapons were trialled at Brean, by the Admiralty's Directorate of Miscellaneous Weapons Development, based at HMS Birnbeck. The only evidence being a short length of launching rail.

Some of the better known weapons trialled were the seaborne Bouncing bomb designed specifically to bounce to a target such as across water to avoid torpedo nets, Anti-submarine missile AMUCK and the expendable acoustic emitter (designed to confuse noise seeking torpedoes).

References

Notes Sources
  • van der Bijl, Nicholas (2000). Brean Down Fort: Its History and the Defence of the Bristol Channel. Cossington: Hawk Editions. ISBN 0-9529081-7-4.

Further reading

  • Brown, Donald (1999). Somerset V Hitler: Secret Operations in the Mendips 1939–1945. Newbury: Countryside Books. ISBN 1-85306-590-0.

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
There are no tips nor hints for Brean Down Fort yet. Maybe be you will be the first one to post useful information for fellow travellers? :)
6.6/10
15,391 people have been here
Map
0.9km from Unnamed Road, Burnham-on-Sea TA8 2RS, UK Get directions

Brean Fort, Brean Down on Foursquare

Brean Down Fort on Facebook

Other languages

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Parasol Guest House

starting $43

Premier Inn Weston - Super - Mare - Lympsham

starting $0

Premier Inn Weston Super-Mare - Seafront

starting $0

The Orchard Hotel

starting $69

Pontins - Brean Sands Holiday Park

starting $90

The Grand Atlantic Hotel

starting $182

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare

The Grand Pier is a pier in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Shock Wave Super Looper roller coaster

Shock Wave Super Looper roller coaster is a compact roller coaster at

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Brean Leisure Park

Brean Leisure Park is an amusement park in the village of Brean, near

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Woodspring Priory

Woodspring Priory is a former Augustinian priory beside the Severn

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Lavernock Battery

Lavernock Battery was built at Lavernock Point, Wales on the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Cosmeston Lakes Country Park

Cosmeston Lakes Country Park is a free entry public country park

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Cosmeston Medieval Village

Cosmeston Medieval Village is a 'living history' medieval village near

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Cardiff International Pool

The Cardiff International Pool (Welsh: Pwll Rhyngwladol Caerdydd) is a

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
San Juan National Historic Site

San Juan National Historic Site in San Juan, Puerto Rico, includes

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fort Ross, California

Fort Ross (русский. Форт-Росс), originally Fortress Ross (Шаблон:L

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fort George, Highland

Fort George, Ardersier, Highland, Scotland, is a large 18th century

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fort Santiago

Fort Santiago (Spanish: Fuerza de Santiago) is a defense fortress

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fort Niagara

Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the

See all similar places