Cromarty Defences; Fort South Sutor, Cromarty Mains Farm, Landward Defences
Trench(S) (First World War)
Site Name Cromarty Defences; Fort South Sutor, Cromarty Mains Farm, Landward Defences
Classification Trench(S) (First World War)
Canmore ID 173660
Site Number NH76NE 297
NGR NH 7960 6615
NGR Description Centred NH 7960 6615
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/173660
- Council Highland
- Parish Cromarty
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Ross And Cromarty
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
It was important to protect coast defence batteries from attack by enemy troops landed behind them. War Department maps dated 1916 (The National Archives WO 78/5193) record that the batteries on the South Sutor were protected by a series of trenches and barbed wire entanglements. One line ran from the north coast of the peninsula behind the line of the Red Burn, in front of Newton of Cromarty farmhouse (see NH76NE 297.01). A second series ran from Cromarty Mains Farm SW to the south coast of the peninsula.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 1 August 2013.
NH76NE 297.00 centred NH 7960 6615
NH76NE 297.01 77786 66342 Trenches
A World War I practice trench system was situated in a field to the SE of Crmarty Mains Farmsteading. All the trenches have now been ploughed out.
J Guy 2000; NMRS MS 810/10, Vol.2, 104
The trench system is visible on RAF vertical air photographs (106G/UK751, 6034-6035 flown 31 August). The air photographs show a fairly concentrated group of trenches of complicated pattern at NH 7960 6615, with a small triangular trench about a 100m to the SE. In addition, there is what appears to be earthworks running alongside the NW to SE fence which runs adjacent to this site.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), October 2004
Note (1 August 2013)
Originally thought to be practice trenches these were part of the fixed landward defences of the coast battery at South Sutor. Positioned across the ridge on the SE side of Gallow Hill they made use of the land to provided a strong firing position. The remains of a wall to the S of Cromarty Mains farm is all that is known to have survived of the defences.
The NE trench system visible on the aerial photographs is much more complex than the plans suggest.
For the line between Newton of Cromarty to the Cromarty Firth shoreline see NH76NE 297.01.
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 1 August 2013.
Project (March 2013 - September 2013)
A project to characterise the quantity and quality of the Scottish resource of known surviving remains of the First World War. Carried out in partnership between Historic Scotland and RCAHMS.
