Battery Grounds

The Gardens are located beyond Fishcombe Cove and have 14 acres of grass covered land. A walk around the headland reveals why it is called Battery Grounds. The area is formerly a World War II Battery point and the remnants of this are clearly visible amongst the trees and in the open spaces. This was the last of a long succession of Batteries since the year 1780. The presence of Battery Point give rise to other place names locally, such as Fishcombe Point and what is now called Furzeham Green.

Several of the blast proof concrete-bunkered gun emplacements are still intact, however the 4.7 inch guns have long since been removed. Also still on the site is the shed once used by the people manning the area to meet and prepare for the "Watches."

As recently as the late 1990's, the boards depicting "Watch" periods were still on the walls with the faint trace of chalked names still visible in the gathering dust. In addition to this, more recently in January 2002, found in the deep undergrowth was a sand-bagged gun emplacement, still completely intact, other than the gun. It was if time had stood still for the past 50 or so years.

The land is about to undergo a major transformation as interest in Battery Grounds and the historical value of the area has been re-awakened in the last few years. Although the Battery is now overgrown, it is protected under Section 1 of the National Monuments and Archaeological Areas act of 1979.

At the top area of the Grounds, wild Orchids flourish and along with Blue-bells, make the area an attractive walk. In the last 3 years, children from a local school have assisted in planting wildflowers and Narcissus for naturalisation. The grass cutting management has been changed to promote future wild flower growth and as such, the grass is now cut twice a year to encourage new species to inhabit the grounds.

Now in its third season, the changed method of management of the site is already attracting more wildlife into Battery grounds, a fitting tribute and long lasting testimony to its previous history.

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