Auchenharvie, Battery
Battery (19th Century), Folly (19th Century)(Possible)
Site Name Auchenharvie, Battery
Classification Battery (19th Century), Folly (19th Century)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Seabank; Nelson Mount
Canmore ID 364810
Site Number NS24SE 146
NGR NS 25586 41800
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/364810
- Council North Ayrshire
- Parish Stevenston
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Cunninghame
- Former County Ayrshire
Note (23 July 2020)
The remains of a former Battery, annotated and depicted on the OS 25-inch map (Ayrshire 1856, sheet XVI.6) lie in scrub woodland to the NW of Auchenharvie School, has been identified by OS field Surveyor during a mapping upgrade.
The OS Name Book describes the battery as 'This battery is erected about 3 chains SW [South West] by West of Nelsons Tower it is of a Semicircular or halfmoon form mounting five guns which are 3 pounders and adds materially to the beauty of the grounds, there is a flagstaff in the centre of the battery which together with the embrasures forms a very striking effect when viewed from the Sea coast.'
The location of the battery so far from the coast and the short range guns suggest that this was not a site used for defence, but rather a garden feature or folly within the policies of Seabank House. It was probably built about the same time as the nearby 'Nelson's' tower, that is between 1805 and 1812.
Information from HES (AKK) 23 July 2020. Name Book 1856
