North Queensferry, Forth Defences, Inner, Carlingnose Battery
Coastal Battery (First World War), Coastal Battery (20th Century)
Site Name North Queensferry, Forth Defences, Inner, Carlingnose Battery
Classification Coastal Battery (First World War), Coastal Battery (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Forth Defences; Carlingnose Barracks
Canmore ID 50908
Site Number NT18SW 105
NGR NT 13381 80718
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/50908
- Council Fife
- Parish Inverkeithing
- Former Region Fife
- Former District Dunfermline
- Former County Fife
The coast battery on Carlingnose Point was built between May 1899 and July 1901 at a cost of £7856 1s 9d. Two 6-inch guns were mounted in 1902 and the same guns remained in place for the subsequent 14 years of the battery's life.
In the large scale revision of the defences of the Forth it was decided that the two 6-inch guns should be moved to the new battery at Pettycur, Kinghorn, and the guns were transferred in November 1916. Two Maxim .303 machine guns remained to defend the battery, which continued to be the site of the Fire Control Post of the Inner defences of the Forth.
One the unusual characteristics of the Carlingnose Battery was that the gun emplacements were altered specifically to allow the guns to fire inland - indeed, uniquely in the Forth, the guns could traverse and fire 360 degrees, according to a plan dated 1908. The emplacements survive.
The Battery Command Post, which still survives, was built in 1902.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 22 August 2013.
NT18SW 105.00 13381 80718
NT18SW 105.01 NT 13383 80701 and NT 13395 80729 Gun-emplacements
NT18SW 105.02 NT 13397 80753 Observation post (Battery)
NT18SW 105.03 Centred NT 1330 8076 Military camp
This concrete and brick built battery is situated to the NE of Carlingnose Quarry. It consists of two 6-inch gun emplacements with magazines below and an observation post. The battery was built before World War One with the guns being installed in 1902. The guns were removed to Pettycur Battery (NT28NE 48.00) in 1916.
Planning permission has been passed to build a house adjacent to this site.
J Guy 1994; NMRS MS 810/3, 110-113; WO/192/101
The gun battery and additional elements is visible on RAF vertical air photographs (106G UK 1326, 5003-5004, flown 28 March 1946).
Information from RCAHMS (DE), March 2005
Watching Brief (25 October 2001 - 26 October 2001)
NT 133 806 A watching brief was carried out in October 2001 on groundworks associated with the development of Carlingnose Battery. No further elements of the battery were identified.
Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsor: Living Water.
M Roy 2002
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.
