Fort Scraesdon was built between 1859 and 1862. Fort Scaresdon was about one and a half miles from Fort Tregnatle, and they were connected by a railway track that started at Wacker Quay. Fort Tregantle and Fort Scraesdon were intended to protect the peninsulr opposite Deveonport Dockyard from any land attack from the West.
Fort Scaraesdon was built on two levels. These were connected to each other with tunnels and flanking scarp galleries.
The UPPER LEVEL was 254 feet above sea level and included two Moncrief pits and guns facing west, south-west and south. The latter covered the land approaches to Fort Tregantle.
The LOWER LEVEL has three Haxo Casemates facing North, at 173 feet above sea level. This level provided artillery to cover the railway terminus at Wacker Key on the St Germain’s River.
In 1875 it was recommended that the Fort mount at total of forty one guns, but this was never fully realised. By 1893 the fort mounted only twelve guns. The approved armament was as follows:
1875
Twenty five 7-inch RBL guns
Six 8-inch Rifled Howitzers
Ten SB guns for use in the flanking galleries
1893
Eight 7-inch RBL guns
One 64-pdr RML
Two 5-inch BL guns
Two 32-pdr SBBL in flanking positions
