The Needles Battery
Encyclopedia
The Needles Battery was a military Battery
built on the cliff top above the Needles
stacks
in 1861–63 to guard the West end of the Solent
. Its field of fire was from approximately West South West clockwise to Northeast and it was designed to defend against enemy ships.
and two 9-inch rifled muzzle loaders
in 1872, and six 9-inch rifled muzzle loaders
in 1893. The 9 inch guns took a team of 9 men to load and fire. These guns fired projectiles weighing 256 pounds (116.1 kg). The 9-inch guns remained in place until 1903 when they were discarded by throwing them over the side of the cliff. These were later recovered and two are on display presently at the Old Battery.
A deep ditch with a retractable bridge was dug into the chalk to protect the facility from ground attack from the island side. In 1885 a tunnel was dug towards the cliff face from the parade grounds. An elevator down to the beach was completed in 1887.
Early searchlight experiments were conducted at the site between 1889 and 1892. The present observation post housing a searchlight was built in 1899.
Just to the east of the Old Battery, at Hatherwood Point are the remains of Hatherwood Battery
, built to defend the area alongside the Needles Battery.
Three 9.2-inch Mk IX breech-loading guns
were installed at the New Battery : two in 1900 and a third in 1903. A crew of 11 was required to fire one of these guns. Each shell weighed 380 pounds (172.4 kg). The New Battery guns remained in place until 1954, when they were scrapped.
The Old and New Batteries were manned during the World War
s. German U boats sank two ships off The Needles during World War I. This facility was also the site of early trials of anti-aircraft guns.
In World War II
, anti-aircraft guns defended the Isle of Wight against air attacks but repeated German air attacks necessitated improvements in the fortifications at the site. The guns at the Batteries also fired on German torpedo boat
s attempting night landings. Troops trained for the D-Day landing on the neighboring cliffs. After the war, the Ministry of Defence deactivated the batteries.
, it was decided to restore the Old Battery so that it could be opened to the general public. The National Trust Youth Group comprising local schoolchildren and teachers assisted in getting the site ready for its official opening in 1982 by HRH Prince Charles. Teachers from Ryde School and Upper Chine School for Girls (now merged into Ryde School with Upper Chine and their pupils were officially introduced to HRH Prince Charles. There were photographs in the local newspapers, as well as being mentioned in the publications of both schools. "A Torch Was Lit", a history of Ryde School, shows a photograph of HRH Prince Charles being introduced to the teachers and pupils at the official opening.
The site is still managed by the National Trust and is open daily from mid March to the end of October. It gives visitors an insight into how a Victorian Battery would work and giving a glimpse into the life of a soldier based at the Battery during the Second World War. Along with a series of exhibition rooms and the tunnel there are a number of visitor facilities including a tearoom.
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
built on the cliff top above the Needles
The Needles
The Needles is a row of three distinctive stacks of chalk that rise out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight, England, close to Alum Bay. The Needles lighthouse stands at the end of the formation...
stacks
Stack (geology)
A stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, isolated by erosion. Stacks are formed through processes of coastal geomorphology, which are entirely natural. Time, wind and water are the only factors involved in the...
in 1861–63 to guard the West end of the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
. Its field of fire was from approximately West South West clockwise to Northeast and it was designed to defend against enemy ships.
Old Battery
It was initially equipped with six 7-inch Armstrong rifled breechloading guns. These were replaced by four 7-inchRML 7 inch gun
The RML 7 inch guns were various designs of medium-sized rifled muzzle-loading guns used to arm small-medium sized British warships in the late 19th century, and some were used ashore for coast defence.-Design and history:...
and two 9-inch rifled muzzle loaders
RML 9 inch 12 ton gun
The RML 9 inch guns Mark I - Mark VI were large rifled muzzle-loading guns used as primary armament on smaller British ironclad battleships and secondary armament on larger battleships, and also ashore for coast defence.-Design:...
in 1872, and six 9-inch rifled muzzle loaders
RML 9 inch 12 ton gun
The RML 9 inch guns Mark I - Mark VI were large rifled muzzle-loading guns used as primary armament on smaller British ironclad battleships and secondary armament on larger battleships, and also ashore for coast defence.-Design:...
in 1893. The 9 inch guns took a team of 9 men to load and fire. These guns fired projectiles weighing 256 pounds (116.1 kg). The 9-inch guns remained in place until 1903 when they were discarded by throwing them over the side of the cliff. These were later recovered and two are on display presently at the Old Battery.
A deep ditch with a retractable bridge was dug into the chalk to protect the facility from ground attack from the island side. In 1885 a tunnel was dug towards the cliff face from the parade grounds. An elevator down to the beach was completed in 1887.
Early searchlight experiments were conducted at the site between 1889 and 1892. The present observation post housing a searchlight was built in 1899.
Just to the east of the Old Battery, at Hatherwood Point are the remains of Hatherwood Battery
Hatherwood Battery
Hatherwood Battery is a battery located to the east of Alum Bay on the Isle of Wight. It is one of the many Palmerston Forts built on the island to protect it in response to a perceived French invasion. Construction of the battery began in 1865 and was complete by 1869...
, built to defend the area alongside the Needles Battery.
New Battery
Unfortunately, there were subsidence problems and concerns that the concussion from firing the guns was causing the cliffs to crumble. This was solved by building the New Battery higher up the cliff, at a height of 120 metres above sea level. The New Battery was completed in 1895.Three 9.2-inch Mk IX breech-loading guns
BL 9.2 inch gun Mk IX - X
The BL 9.2 inch guns Mk IX and Mk X were British 46.7 calibres naval and coast defence guns in service from 1899 to the 1950s. They had possibly the longest, most varied and successful service history of any British heavy ordnance.-History:...
were installed at the New Battery : two in 1900 and a third in 1903. A crew of 11 was required to fire one of these guns. Each shell weighed 380 pounds (172.4 kg). The New Battery guns remained in place until 1954, when they were scrapped.
The Old and New Batteries were manned during the World War
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s. German U boats sank two ships off The Needles during World War I. This facility was also the site of early trials of anti-aircraft guns.
In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, anti-aircraft guns defended the Isle of Wight against air attacks but repeated German air attacks necessitated improvements in the fortifications at the site. The guns at the Batteries also fired on German torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s attempting night landings. Troops trained for the D-Day landing on the neighboring cliffs. After the war, the Ministry of Defence deactivated the batteries.
National Trust opening
When the site came into the possession of the National TrustNational Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, it was decided to restore the Old Battery so that it could be opened to the general public. The National Trust Youth Group comprising local schoolchildren and teachers assisted in getting the site ready for its official opening in 1982 by HRH Prince Charles. Teachers from Ryde School and Upper Chine School for Girls (now merged into Ryde School with Upper Chine and their pupils were officially introduced to HRH Prince Charles. There were photographs in the local newspapers, as well as being mentioned in the publications of both schools. "A Torch Was Lit", a history of Ryde School, shows a photograph of HRH Prince Charles being introduced to the teachers and pupils at the official opening.
The site is still managed by the National Trust and is open daily from mid March to the end of October. It gives visitors an insight into how a Victorian Battery would work and giving a glimpse into the life of a soldier based at the Battery during the Second World War. Along with a series of exhibition rooms and the tunnel there are a number of visitor facilities including a tearoom.
External links
- The Needles Battery - official site
- Old Needles Battery History, Description, Plan at Palmerston Forts Society website
- New Needles Battery History, Description, Plan at Palmerston Forts Society website
- Needles Old Battery, WightCAM - photographically illustrated walks on the Isle of Wight website
- Images of the Old Battery