Crown Hill Fort was built between 1863 and 1870 on the recommendation of the 1859 Royal Commission. It was in the centre of the line of fortifications built on the east side of Plymouth Dockyard and held a pivotal position.
Crown Hill Fort was the largest of the land forts or batteries on the east land front and it was built to mount thirty two guns, six of which were in Haxo Casemates. These Haxo positions were comprised of one double and four single Casemates.
The fort was surrounded by a dry moat with six caponiers, one of which was a double caponier. There were two positions on the flanks to mount three mortars in each.
The Fort was built to mount eleven 7-inch RBL, seven 64-pdr RML and fourteen 32-pdr SBBL guns.
The armament was removed in 1900. The Fort is now a Landmark Trust property and is well preserved.