Worsley Battery

The construction of the Worsley Battery took place during the late 1790s as a defensive measure in response to the deteriorating relations between Britain and revolutionary France. The precise location of the structure was established on a precipice, affording a commanding view of Mount Bay. The battery’s constituent blocks were meticulously cut from locally sourced bigger pieces, resulting in the construction of a stone revetment that spans the cliff.

The primary purpose of these diminutive fortifications was to serve as gun emplacements of diverse calibres, ensuring the safeguarding of strategic landing sites in a defensive capacity, as well as enabling offensive actions against hostile naval vessels. The battery was initially equipped with six cannon cannons crafted from bell metal that had been acquired as a prize by troops from a French church.

The Brannon etching titled “South Coast June 1843” depicts the battery prominently positioned on the cliff’s precipice.

• http://www.iwhistory.org.uk/RM/minorforts/
• Brannon Print – foreground one can clearly see the Battery