Volunteers' Battery, Cromarty Links

Nothing is now visible of this Volunteers’ Battery, which was established on Cromarty Links in the 19th century and is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 25-inch map (Ross-shire and Cromartyshire - Cromartyshire 1872, Sheet LXVII.9). It was trapezoidal on plan and measured about 33m from N to S by 20m transversely, with a crescent-shaped bund facing E towards the mouth of the Cromarty Firth. This was breached for the muzzles of two guns, the bases of which are symmetrically arranged on what was possibly a stone-flagged platform. In addition, a powder magazine stood at the southern end of the enclosure and there was a flagstaff at the N end. A building comprising two compartments behind the guns possibly acted as a shelter and a store.

In the latter part of the 19th century the ground plan of the battery was enlarged to measure 38.5m from N to S by 18m transversely. The bund was reconfigured to take three replacement guns, but these were all removed in their turn, along with the building behind them, though the powder magazine remained in place. A new building measuring about 7m from N to S by 3m transversely was constructed on the SW side of the battery (Ross-shire and Cromartyshire 1906, Sheet LXVII.9).

At the outbreak of WWI, the links battery was replaced by a temporary battery (NH76NW 162), but a document in the Fort Record Book for the North and South Sutor coast batteries (ADM7/942), dated 17 February 1919 and held at the National Archives at Kew, indicates that the old battery was reinstated by the Admiralty, who re-equipped it with 12-pounder guns on ship’s mountings. These performed the same role as their makeshift predecessors and they were regularly calibrated upon the Canteen (NH86NW 22.9) and a Shepherds’ hut situated on the North Sutor, the battery at Nigg (North Sutor Site No.2, NH86NW 9.04) and Dunskaith House (NH 79493 68893).

An aerial photograph, taken from the N by Aerofilms in August 1930 (SC1298002), shows that all that remained then of the battery were three concrete building platforms and what may have been the flagstaff. The most easterly platform was rectangular on plan and retained bosses for two gun-mountings, as well traces to their N of a mounting belonging to an earlier phase. The second platform was situated immediately to its W. It was characterised by four bays (one pair facing E and one facing W) and may have been a ready-ammunition store, while a third platform to its NW, which was rectangular on plan, may have been a magazine. All trace of the battery is likely to have been removed when a military camp (NH76NE 318) was established on the Links during World War II.

Visited by HES Survey and Recording (ATW, AKK) 29 May 2019.