Monument record MWX3087 - Brownsea Island: Dry-dock and Coastguard station

Dry-dock and Coastguard station on east coast of Brownsea island. Shown on Taylor's map of 1770. By 1859 the dry-dock had been back-filled. (1)

Remains of Post-Medieval Dry Dock and Coastguard Station, Brownsea Island
A custom post was established on the east coast of Brownsea Island as early as 1770. By 1859 the dry dock had been backfilled and the coast guard premises were no longer occupied by the coast guard…

<1> Papworth, M, 1992, Brownsea Island, Dorset. Wessex region, 112,756 (Unpublished document). SWX1390.

A custom post was established on the east coast of Brownsea Island as early as 1770. Taylor’s map shows a custom house near a quay (DCRO photocopy 1/1). This was a Water Guard of the Revenue Service and a boat was stationed here to intercept and search vessels suspected of smuggling as they entered or left the harbour (Morley 1983 p165). Engravings from Hutchins Second Edition (Legg 1986 p16) show a wet and dry dock, a master of the vessels house and an officers house which were part of the coast guard station in 1793. The dry dock and coastguard house are still visible on the 1853 map (D263/1) but by 1859 (DCRO photocopy 167) the dry dock had been backfilled and the “preventive or coast guard premises” were no longer occupied by the coast guard officer but by the clergyman. In the garden of the building were a watch house and a wall with portholes for mounting ten cannon. The dwelling house and the portholes still survive. Visited 25/2/1992.

Record last edited

Sep 8 2024 3:53PM