Picklecombe Fort

Picklecombe Fort

Fort, now in multiple residential occupation. A battery existed on the site around 1800, rebuilt in 1860 and remodelled in 1864; an intermediate stage is dated VR 1848 over the west entrance. Late 20th-century alterations have been made. The building is constructed of snecked limestone rubble, partly rendered, with limestone dressings.

The layout comprises a barrack block to the north with curtain walls to east and west containing gateways, and a southern crescent-shaped battery facing out to sea. The rear barracks are built in Tudor Gothic style.

The rear barracks or keep features a north facade with a central gatehouse containing a 4-centred arched doorway, partly blocked with a 20th-century door inserted. The doorway surround has 2 wide 4-centred arched chamfered orders with hood mould. Above are 2 lancets with hood moulds and 2 gun casements with splayed reveals. The parapet is embattled with a taller octagonal turret to each side, battered at ground-floor level with band courses and embattled parapets on moulded corbels.

To the right of the gatehouse are two storeys with 2-light and 5-light windows at ground floor featuring pointed arched lights, flat head and hood mould; several lights are blocked with loops inserted. A band course above carries a gun casement and loop to the left, and a row of loops with hood moulds to the right, with an embattled parapet above.

To the left of the gatehouse, bays are rendered with 5 similar lancets at upper level and a plain parapet. A block steps forward to the left with 2 loops at ground and first floor on the inner side; the front has three 3-light casements at first floor and 2 at ground floor, a blocked door with hood mould, and an embattled parapet with a bartizan at the corner.

The right end contains a 3-storey circular tower, battered at ground floor with bull-nose moulding. It features 2-light casements with hood mould and continuous bull-nose moulding, loops at each level for the stair, and a plain parapet. An attached stair tower has loops at each level. The left end has a 3-storey octagonal tower, battered at ground floor with bull-nose moulding carried as a hood mould over 2-light casements. Loops and 2-light casements appear at upper storeys, with a heavy embattled parapet carried on triple-moulded corbels.

The right side of the tower has 2-light casements at each storey. A block to the right at upper ground-floor level has 3 loops, a band course, a 3-light casement and 2 loops at first floor, and an embattled parapet. The curtain wall at lower level to the right has a 4-centred arched gateway with chamfered surround and hood mould, dated VR 1848 with crown above, a plain parapet and coping, ramped down to a plain terminal pier at the end right.

The left side is rendered, with tower windows matching the front. A 2-storey rendered block to the left has a band course and 2-light casement at first floor with an embattled parapet. The curtain wall to the left has a plain segmental-arched gateway with a row of loops above and 2 to the left; the wall has plain coping, ramped down to a terminal pier at the end left.

The south facade has a central range formed by the rear wall of the barracks, featuring a single-storey arcade of nine 4-centred arched bays, chamfered, with parapet and coping above. A 2-storey block stands at each end. To the left, this block has a door and four 2-light casements, some retaining glazing bars, all with flat head and hood mould. A band course is followed by a rendered upper storey with two 2-light casements and 6 irregularly spaced loops with hood moulds, and an embattled parapet.

The 2-storey block at the right end has 4 windows at ground and first floor, all blocked. These are tall 3-light mullioned casements with chamfered mullions, flat head and hood mould. A plain parapet and coping are above, with embattled sides and a band course; a bartizan is positioned at the left corner.

To the south lies a crescent viewing platform with a coped parapet wall approximately 30 centimetres high. On the northern side of the platform is a retaining wall with a central double stair; some panels remain of cast-iron railings with crossed braces in parallelogram shape along the steps.

The horse-shoe-shaped battery extends to the south with 20 bays on its south elevation across 3 storeys; this block has been converted for residential accommodation. The bays are divided by piers, each bay featuring a segmental-headed stepped arched recess, now with 20th-century balconies at each storey. To the east is a single-storey-height gateway with segmental head and wall swept to the side; an eastern gateway in an archway similar to the main bays follows. The north facade has been entirely rebuilt in the 20th century with 6 polygonal stair towers, a plain parapet and flat roof, forming 5 storeys on the northern elevation.

Interiors have not been inspected.

Picklecombe Fort was part of the inner line of fortifications defending Plymouth. A battery already existed on the site, which was strengthened and remodelled as part of the Palmerstonian fortifications. The battery originally contained 68 and 100-pounder guns in two tiers, with 16 guns on the platforms, all protected by iron shields. A garrison of 200 men was stationed there. The total construction cost was £149,126, with the iron shields accounting for £68,250.