Redcliff Battery

Redcliff Battery was approved for construction on 8th April, 1861.  Work on the site commenced on 31st October 1861 and was completed on 23rd June 1864.

The battery was built with a defensive wall around the rear with a dry moat.  A gateway with drawbridge protected the main gateway on the North face.  There were two caponiers providing covering fire along the moat, and large sections of the rear wall had musketry loopholes.  The caponiers appear to be similar to those at the nearby Yaverland Battery, four loopholes on each side an two on the pointed face.  Within the battery there was an underground Magazine behind the gun line, a guard house and artillery store by the gateway.

Redcliff Battery was built to mount four 7-inch RBL guns.  This was amended to four 64-pdr RML gun in 1879.  1887 plans show that there were still four 64-pdr RML guns.  In 1892 this was reduced further to three 64-pdr 58cwt RML guns.

The site was abandoned by 1900 and the whole battery site has been lost to the sea.  Nothing of note remains of Redcliff Battery.

The Fort Log for Redcliff Battery, as prepared by the late David Moore can be found on the adjacent link.

Redcliff Position Finding Station was built immediately to the West of Redcliff Battery.  The Position Finding Station had five cells, but all have now fallen into the sea.

Plans held by the National Archives reveal that the was adjacent to the Redcliff Position Finding Station, which has also been lost to coastal erosion.

The UK National Archives: WO 78/3877 with plans date 2nd August 1865 and 19th March 1887.