Seaforth Battery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seaforth Battery |
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| Seaforth, Merseyside England |
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 Seaforth Battery
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| Coordinates | 53°27′07″N 3°01′12″W / 53.452°N 3.020°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1875-79 |
| Materials | Iron Granite |
| Demolished | 1929 |
The Seaforth Battery was a strong fort built in Seaforth, Merseyside, England. Its main purpose was to protect ships using the important River Mersey. It was a key part of the defenses for the Port of Liverpool. This battery was designed to stop enemy ships trying to enter the river. It also worked together with Fort Perch Rock, which was located across the river on the Wirral Peninsula. The Seaforth Battery was finished by the end of 1879.
Contents
Seaforth Battery: Guarding the Mersey
Building a Strong Defense
The Seaforth Battery was built between 1875 and 1879. It cost about £19,109 to build, which was a lot of money back then! The fort was made from strong materials like iron and granite. Its job was to protect the busy shipping lanes of the River Mersey. It was especially good at aiming at ships coming straight towards it through the Rock Channel.
Powerful Guns and Equipment
The main weapons at Seaforth Battery were four huge 12.5-inch RML guns. "RML" stands for Rifled Muzzle Loading, which means these were large cannons loaded from the front. These big guns were placed inside armored rooms made of granite, called casemates. This protected the guns and the soldiers operating them.
Later, in 1894, two smaller but faster 4.7-inch Quick Fire (QF) guns were added. These "Quick Fire" guns could shoot much faster than the older RML guns. They were perfect for stopping speedy enemy boats, like torpedo boats. In 1898, a special "fire control centre" was built. This center helped the soldiers aim the 4.7-inch guns very accurately.
Changes and Removal
As time passed, technology improved. By 1903, the four large 12.5-inch RML guns were considered old-fashioned. They were removed from the battery. A few years later, in 1907, two of the empty gun casemates were changed. They were used to hold powerful searchlights instead of guns. These searchlights would have helped spot enemy ships at night.
In 1928, officials reviewed all the defenses around the Mersey. They decided that Seaforth Battery was no longer needed to protect the river. So, in 1929, the battery was taken apart. The land it stood on was given back to the harbor board. Today, the Seaforth Battery is no longer there, but its history reminds us of its important role in protecting Liverpool's port.
