| Picklecombe Fort | |
|---|---|
| Cornwall England | |
 Picklecombe Fort fromPlymouth Sound | |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Private |
| Open to the public | No |
| Condition | Complete |
| Location | |
  Picklecombe Fort | |
| Coordinates | 50°20′37″N4°10′20″W / 50.34361°N 4.17222°W /50.34361; -4.17222 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1864-1871 |
| Materials | Masonry Iron |
Historic site | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | Picklecombe Fort |
| Designated | 26 January 1987 |
| Reference no. | 1160211 |
Fort Picklecombe stands on the extreme south eastern coast ofCornwall, a couple of miles south of the city ofPlymouth. The fort has been a residential complex since the early 1970s but has a history dating back 150 years.
Fort Picklecombe wascommissioned in the mid-19th century byLord Palmerston, Foreign Secretary and then Prime Minister underQueen Victoria.
Great Britain was at risk from invasion by sea, particularly fromFrance. Palmerston ordered a series of coastal forts and batteries to be built to defend the large naval base atDevonport in Plymouth. The coastal entrance to Plymouth is known asPlymouth Sound, and was to be defended by Fort Picklecombe to the west,Fort Bovisand to the east, and a smaller fort on the Plymouth Sound breakwater. Fort Picklecombe itself would be defended from attack from the rear by a series of smaller forts and batteries positioned on or near theRame peninsula.
Fort Picklecombe was built near an earlier earthen battery dating back to the start of the 19th century. It was designed by Major (later Maj Gen)Whitworth Porter ,[1] and was built by Hubbard and Company. Constructed between 1864 and 1871, the fort was armed with forty two9-inch and10-inch muzzle loading guns, which were mounted in a semi-circular arc of two-storeycasemates faced withgranite blocks and iron shields. In the 1890s, it was rearmed with two6-inch breech-loaders and two light quick firing guns. Not a single shot has ever beenfired in anger from the fort. The Palmerston forts’ lack of war action led them to be dubbedPalmerston Follies, the fact that they were a deterrent was lost on their critics.
Guns were removed from the fort in the 1920s but after the outbreak of theWorld War II it was reactivated and manned by the566th Devon Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery. In addition to the two 6-inch guns, two twin6-pounder guns were installed. Just down the coast to the west of the fort range finder and searchlight positions were made. The remains of these positions remain today.
After the war, the fort was decommissioned and it stood derelict for many years. Eventually it was sold to property developers and in the early 1970s it was converted to 103 residential apartments.[2] The conversion took the form of 3 floors of apartments in the existing structure and the addition of 2 new floors on the top. The fort's position overlooking Plymouth Sound and within the beautifulMount Edgcumbe Country Park make it highly desirable. It is a quiet rural retreat yet is only a couple of miles as the crow flies from the urban sprawl of Plymouth, although at least 10 miles by road.
A grand building called the Officers' Mess stands in an elevated position above the main fort. It is said that in order to meet the demands of the then landowner, the Earl of Edgcumbe, this mess had to emulate Warwick Castle, complete with towers and castellations. In the Spring of 2007 work was well under way to convert the Officers Mess into flats.
