West Blockhouse Fort

Barrack-block and gun emplacement. Superbly executed tooled grey limestone walling with smooth limestone dressings and granite copings. Flat-roofed 3-sided, two-storey barrack block separated from cliff behind by a full-height stone-revetted ditch. Revetment walls return each side, stepping down to the front terrace, a low-walled gun emplacement. Barrack block comprises two wings at right angles and a short canted section between, which on the rear contains only the door reached by granite cantilevered steps down from the approach path, the steps giving onto a small granite platform from which a timber drawbridge crosses to the door and another similar flight of steps continue down to the ditch level. The approach has flight of 7 granite steps down between low limestone walls. Barrack block has flat roof with high coped parapet pierced with splayed musketry loops, small half-round cap-house to internal stair behind centre front with low chimney each side, two other chimneys on rear parapet, flanking canted short section. Ground floor walling is battered with raised plinth and band above, another band under parapet. Slightly raised rustication to windows and angles. Windows have stone sills carefully moulded to curved joint with jambs. Rear has 2 first floor small 12-pane sashes in each wing and timber studded door in centre with overlight and slate lintel, in square-headed recess with stone voussoirs. Datestone V.R. 1857 over. Tiny ground floor barred windows. Seaward facade has five musketry loops to each wing parapet, 3 to canted centre, one tiny window to centre of each floor of canted section. Wings have three first floor windows, inner one larger, left wing has 3 small ground floor windows, right wing only one, to left. 12-pane small sashes generally. Stone gutter spouts. End walls have one first floor sash. Gun platform has 3 curved bastions projecting at angles, low ashlar walls, massively coped in granite. Wall steps up at right end to return to cliff. Small enclosed yard off with single-storey storehouse on right, flat parapet and 4 doors with stone lintels. Higher end wall with band and parapet, and one door.

Not available for inspection, said to have brick vaulted fire-proof ceilings.