Queen Anne's Battery, Plymouth ([1835])

Hearder, G. & J. The South Devon monthly museum. Plymouth: December 1st, 1835. VOL. VI. No. 36. pp. 241-244. THE PERAMBULATOR. No. XII. THE BEAR'S HEAD AND QUEEN ANNE'S BATTERY, PLYMOUTH.WHETHER a circuit in a boat be a perambulation, is a question which we leave to etymologists; and, in the mean time, employ the word (provisionally, until they shall have supplied us with one more orthodox), to denominate another of our excursions, for the purpose of consigning to the press the momentos of some of our mouldering antiquities.Two of these meet the eye, in passing from Cat Down to the Barbican quay; known by the names of the Bear's Head, and Queen Anne's Battery. […] We must, however, pull across to Queen Anne's Battery; which formerly threatened, (for it could do little more) the entrance of Sutton Pool, from the eastern bank.By whomsoever this was erected, we do not believe it was by the royal lady of seldom disturbed memory, whose name it bears. Although no ways learned in fortress antiquities, it seems to us unlikely to have been raised after the Citadel. The engineers of the days of Marlborough, would hardly have constructed so useless and needless an affair; nor would it have been allowed to fall so soon into ruins, if of their execution other and older forts there are, at Devil's Point, and in Firestone Bay, being two of the four castles emblazoned on the town arms, and constituting some of its primitive defences. It appears by the original charter of the borough, 18. Henry VI., 1439; that "the town tything," &c. "aforesaid, have in former times, frequently, and in "great measure, for want of inclosure or walling of "the same, in time of our renowned ancestors, been "burnt and destroyed; and likewise the inhabitants "of the same have been, both by night and day, "stripped of their goods and chattels; and many of "the same inhabitants being by the same enemies "carried away into foreign parts, have there, in the "said cases been miserably enslaved, until they had "paid fines and ransoms, &c."Therefore the Mayor and Commonalty were allowed to "strengthen the aforesaid borough, and "wall it round anew with stone, and build towers "in the walls,"-"and also to build battlements on "the walls and turrets," &c.It is not likely, however, that the little forts now standing, are of so ancient date as this, though we do not happen to have at hand any reference to the period of their erection. They are, however, doubtless older than the battery called Queen Anne's, which, in its turn, we should judge to be older than the Citadel, the latter having been erected by Charles II. By whomsoever erected, however, it has long been allowed to go to decay; and, although the smell and sound of gunpowder are still frequently perceived there, it is only in blasting the rock behind, and making the sooner way for its fall. Hitherto the battlements and the platform which bore the cannon have been respected; and there is a good walk along the latter. There is even a seat, shaded by one of the thorn bushes which so strikingly mark the operation of the S. W. wind: and here our veterans may resort, smoke their pipes, and talk over the wars and politics of other days, under the enlivening reminiscences of the occasional smoke and report of a rock blasting within, and the small shot falling about their ears.Its form, an irregular curve, and its port holes for 14 guns, are best seen from the sea side; which view we have chosen for our engraving.[Text may be taken from a different source or edition than that listed as the source by Somers Cocks.]

Wood engr vign

64x90mm

On 1 sheet with SC2318