Inchkeith, Fort No.1

NT28SE 1.01 29138 82871

For later gun battery remains see NT28SE 5.07

This 19th century stone built fort is situated on the NW side of Inchkeith. A datestone 'VR 1880' is found over the entrance doorway in the SE-facing elevation.

The main block of Fort No.1 faces SE and is built in random rubble. All above ground evidence of the 19th century gun emplacements have been overbuilt by the later gun emplacements (NT28SE 5.07).

A deep concrete lined ditch runs WSW from a square full height outshot which is annotated as 'shells' on the WO plan of the Island (RCAHMS MS 879/83) at the SSW end of the main block. Traces of the ditch to the N are visible, but much infilling has taken place since it was cut.

Internally, the entrance has a short wooden rifle rack at the foot of the stairs, followed by two flights of stairs leading up to a chamber with may have been lamp holders projecting from the walls. The chamber has recesses on each side with metal rails to support shelving and a row of what appear to be wooden pidgeon holes (?) attached to the wall. From the chamber on the landing is another flight of stairs which leads down into the magazines, the corridors of this section being brick lined.

Leading from the entrance are corridors, one to the NE leads to a windowed small room at the far end of a long corridor, whilst that to the SE leads to another entrance/exit in the external square outshot.

A final flight of stairs leads from the first landing chamber up to the later No.2 gun pit area.

Visited by RCAHMS (DE, JM), 25 February 2009