Puckpool Battery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Puckpool Battery |
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| Puckpool Point, Isle of Wight, England | |
Gun position for 11-inch Rifled Muzzle Loading (RML) gun
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 Puckpool Battery
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| Coordinates | 50°43′39″N 1°07′46″W / 50.727517°N 1.129319°W |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Local authority |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Condition | Mostly complete |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1863-March 1865 |
| In use | Sold 1928 |
| Materials | Earth Concrete |
Puckpool Battery is an old military fort located at Puckpool Point, near the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. It is one of many forts known as Palmerston Forts. These forts were built around the coast of Britain to protect the country from a possible invasion by France. Building Puckpool Battery started in 1863 and finished by March 1865.
Contents
What is Puckpool Battery?
Puckpool Battery was built to be a strong defensive position. It was designed to hold many large guns and mortars. Mortars are a type of cannon that shoot shells high into the air, so they drop down onto targets. This was especially useful for hitting the top, unprotected parts of enemy ships.
Early Guns and Mortars
When the battery was first being built, it was planned to have 50 of the biggest mortars available at the time. These were 13-inch smooth bore mortars. They could fire shells in a high arc, making them perfect for hitting the decks of enemy warships in the Solent (the strait between the Isle of Wight and mainland Britain).
By 1873, four new gun positions were added facing the sea. These held four very powerful 11-inch Rifled Muzzle Loading (RML) guns. By 1886, the battery had these four large guns and 30 mortars. However, the mortars were soon removed in 1887 because they were no longer modern enough for warfare.
Modernizing the Battery
In 1888, there was a plan to add two special 10.4-inch RML guns. These guns were unique because they were placed on an Armstrong protected barbette, which was a special rotating platform that kept the gunners safe. These were the only guns of their kind ever installed in Great Britain, and they were ready by 1892.
The battery continued to be updated. In 1901, it received even more modern weapons: two 9.2-inch Breech Loading (BL) guns and two 6-inch Breech Loading (BL) guns. Breech loading guns are loaded from the back, which is much faster than muzzle loading guns, which are loaded from the front.
Later Use and Public Space
Puckpool Battery was no longer needed for defense by 1927, so its guns were removed. The next year, in 1928, it was sold to the local council.
During World War II, the battery was used again, but not for fighting. It became a training center called HMS Medina for men in the Fleet Air Arm, who were pilots and crew for naval aircraft.
Since then, Puckpool Battery has become a public park and recreational area. It is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which means it's a special historical site protected by law. You can visit the old gun positions, and many of the original buildings are still there, like the guard room, the barracks (where soldiers lived), and the magazines (where ammunition was stored).
Images for kids
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A coastal RML 10.4-inch gun of the same type in Tangier
