Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Shoulder of Mutton Battery, which is located on the hillside sloping down towards the town of Dover, was constructed in the 1870’s as part of a major re-armament of Dover Castle. It is one of four new batteries constructed in the town at this time, the others being East Demi Bastion, Shot Yard Battery and Hospital Battery. Shoulder of Mutton Battery consists of five gun positions and is unusual in that these are relatively dispersed: four are on the hillside while the fifth is on the base of the western ditch. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BATTERY (Disused, Post Medieval to Modern - 1874 AD to 1945 AD)
• CARTRIDGE HOUSE (Disused, Post Medieval to Modern - 1874 AD to 1945 AD)
• GUN EMPLACEMENT (Disused, Post Medieval to Modern - 1874 AD to 1945 AD)
• MAGAZINE (Disused, Post Medieval to Modern - 1874 AD to 1945 AD)
• LABORATORY (Disused, Post Medieval to Modern - 1879 AD to 1945 AD)
• SPIGOT MORTAR EMPLACEMENT (Disused, Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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The Shoulder of Mutton Battery, which is located on the hillside sloping down towards the town
of Dover, was constructed in the 1870’s as part of a major re-armament of Dover Castle. It is one of four new batteries constructed in the town at this time, the others being East Demi Bastion, Shot Yard Battery and Hospital Battery. Shoulder of Mutton Battery consists of five gun positions and is unusual in that these are relatively dispersed: four are on the hillside while the fifth is on the base of the western ditch.

Early 19th century plans of this area show gun platforms in this area, but these were likely temporary and the battery which is still visible in this location today was constructed in 1874. This phase of construction consisted of tow pairs of D shaped emplacements with central pivots flanked by two smaller gun positions and a shared magazine and cartridge store placed in the centre of each pair. One later addition to the battery in 1879 was a laboratory building, for the mixing of gunpowder and filling of shells, which was constructed to the rear of the main battery and protected by an earth blast bank and retaining wall. By the later nineteenth century the development of Breach Loading guns (BL’s) made the battery largely obsolete and it was superseded by new positions elsewhere. As of 1903 the battery had been equipped with Quick Fire (QF) guns to defend the inner harbour. In the Second World War, three spigot mortar mountings were set within the empty emplacements, two on the outer gun placements within the battery main section and one on the gun position within the ditch. There are three shallow brick-vaulted casemates, possibly used as temporary accommodation for the guns’ crews set within the adjoining ditch counterscarp wall, some of which are later additions to the battery. The casemates are interlinked and each is known to have a fireplace on the end wall although they are blocked up. A brick-lined tunnel connects the main section of the battery to the fifth gun position located within the ditch. In the Second World War, three spigot mortar mountings were set within the empty emplacements, two on the outer gun placements within the battery main section and one on the gun position within the ditchSummarised from sources (1-3)

<1> English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document). SKE52105.

<2> Johnathan Coad, 1995, English Heritage Book of Dover Castle and the Defences of Dover (Monograph). SKE52106.

<3> David Moor et al, 2005, Victorian Forts, fort log 4 - Shoulder of Mutton Battery (Unpublished document). SKE52144.

Sources and further reading

Related records