Fort Bovisand was one of the Royal Commission, or Palmerston Forts. Bovisand Fort was originally intended to have two levels of casemates, like Fort Picklecombe, but one level was decided on. Construction took place between 1861 and 1869. The actual gun emplacements are in an arc, casemated emplacements with iron shields. The magazines were below the guns with hoist for delivery of the ammunition to the gun floor.
The Fort was built to mount twenty two 9-inch and one 10-inch RML guns when built. By 1880 the guns had been upgraded to fourteen 10-inch and nine 9-inch RML guns.
By 1893 the battery still mounted the RML guns but they were by now becoming obsolete. Six 6-pdr Q.F. guns were added to combat Motor Torpedo Boats but these were upgraded to 12-pdr in 1898.
A 6-inch BL battery was built up the hill behind Fort Bovisand in 1890, and named Watch House (Watch House Break) Battery.
During World War 2, a pair of twin 6-pdr guns, with control towers, were built on the roof of the casemates.
In 2022 work started to convert the site to residential flats.