The Battery, Senhouse Roman Museum

The following item shall be added:

MARYPORT SEA BROWS 1. 5161 (north side) ------------ NY 0337 887-0/3/10000 The Battery Senhouse Roman Museum II

Formerly known as The Battery. Naval gunnery training centre, now museum. 1885, for the Admiralty; slightly altered, and recently restored following fire damage. Rock-faced red sandstone with limestone dressings and green slate roof. Linear plan parallel to the shore line, centred on an apsidal tower projecting to the east, with a gunnery room to the north, a drill- hall to the south and a short cross-wing at the south end of this. Eclectic style with Gothic accent. Single storey except the tower which has 2 storeys, with an east entrance front of 1:5:1:4 windows; limestone-dressed chamfered plinths to all portions, banded limestone pilasters and limestone friezes to all portions except the tower which has an arcaded limestone corbel table to an oversailing upper floor, a limestone cornice and a semi- conical roof with apex finial. The apse of the tower has a 2-light mullioned window at ground floor and a 6-light mullion-and-transom window at first floor; its right hand side has an altered doorway, the straight side walls have 3-light windows at first floor, and the gabled rear wall has a corniced chimney. The side ranges have 1-light windows, except the 2nd bay of the north range which has a wide segmental-pointed arched doorway, and the centre of the south range which has a 2 light-window; most windows have small panes formed by chunky wooden glazing bars, but those of the south range are now blocked with render. The north gable wall of the north range has a stepped 3-light window and a coped gable with a deep Lombard frieze. The cross-wing at the south-end is higher and more elaborately treated, with rounded corners, an oversailing parapet and hipped roof, transomed windows with trefoil top-lights and a doorway in the south wall with a moulded surround and a 2 centred arched tympanum containing a roundel lettered "VR". On the west front (to the sea) the south range has coupled windows, the north range has 2 large rectangular gunports (now glazed) with steel shutters (imitating cast-iron originals) flanked by 1-light windows, and the tower has a lean-to extension. Interior altered but retains geometrical stone staircase in apse of tower. HISTORY: Used for gunnery training of Royal Navy Artillery Reserve 1885- 1903, and subsequently of Territorial Army Field Batteries until 1966; opened as Senhouse Roman Museum 1990 (housing rich collection of Roman artefacts from the fort next to which it stands). An unusual and perhaps unique example of its type, of dramatic appearance on clifftop site.

Listing NGR: NY0375437267