Monument record MWX1382 - East Weare Battery, east of Verne Citadel, Portland

East Weare Battery, located on the cliff path to the east of Verne Citadel and built as part of Portland's coastal defences. It was constructed between 1900 and 1902 for two 9.2-inch breech-loading (BL) Mk. X guns and three 6-inch BL Mk. VII guns. This armament remained during the First World War, however the 6-inch guns were removed between 1916-1919. Two coast artillery searchlights (CASL) were operational at the battery by 1918. The battery was active during the Second World War until it was reduced to care and maintenance in 1943, however the searchlights remained in use. The gun emplacements and magazines survive in poor condition.

Coast artillery battery, much altered. Coastal battery. Gun emplacements and magazines in poor condition on cliff path to the E of Verne Citadel. [information from 1996 aerial photographs]. East Weare Camp, Isle of Portland. <1-3>

East Weare Battery located at SY 697 735. The battery was formerly known as East Weare Batteries A and B. They were built by recommendation of the Royal Commission in 1860 and by 1877 there were four batteries labelled from A to D. Between 1900 to 1902 batteries A and B were reconstructed for two 9.2-inch breech-loading (BL) Mk. X guns and three 6-inch BL Mk. VII guns, effectively becoming a single site. The battery was armed like this in the First World War, however the 6-inch guns were removed between 1916-1919. Two coast artillery searchlights (CASL) were added to the battery by 1918. The engine room was located at the old East Weare C Battery. The battery was in use during the Second World War, however it was reduced to care and maintenance in 1943, with only the coast artillery searchlights remaining in use.
No. 1 gun emplacement was located at SY 6980 7345 and No. 2 gun at SY 6980 7350. No. 1 CASL was positioned at SY 6990 7380 and No. 2 CASL at 6980 7390. The battery observation post (BOP) was located at SY 6970 7360. <4-5>

Emplacements and magazine is in poor condition on cliff path to east of Verne Citadel. <6>

The early 20th century coastal battery at East Weare is visible as a structure on aerial photographs of the 1940s <7> and recent aerial imagery <8>. Three gun emplacements and ancillary buildings are visible over an area measuring 100 m by 50 m. A second coastal battery, constructed during the Second World War, is located to the south (see linked record). This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0013740 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, S0013740 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0013740 (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> Anderton, M J, 2000, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two Coastal Batteries, 69 (Unpublished document). SDO17230.

<7> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3229-30 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13055.

<8> XX-XXX-2009, Google Earth (Aerial Photograph). SDO12705.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1427857 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jun 14 2023 4:44PM