Shapinsay, Castle Battery
Coastal Battery (Second World War)
Site Name Shapinsay, Castle Battery
Classification Coastal Battery (Second World War)
Alternative Name(s) Salt Ness
Canmore ID 81651
Site Number HY41NE 31
NGR HY 48100 19958
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/81651
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Shapinsay
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY41NE 31.00 48100 19958
HY41NE 31.01 HY 48100 19959 Gun-emplacements; Observation post; Magazine
HY41NE 31.02 HY 47924 19960 Engine house
HY41NE 31.03 centred HY 4792 1996 Military camp
HY42SE 14 HY 47931 20072 and HY 48058 20169 Searchlight battery
For Galtness Battery see HY41NE 32
Castle Battery: two open gun emplacements with magazines and searchlight platforms. The naval guns which came from Rerwick Battery (HY51SW 10) were 2 x 4.7-inch and were removed in 1949. The battery was placed on a care and maintainance basis in 1943.
J Guy 1993; NMRS MS 810/2; WO/192/260 PRO
A World War II coast battery is situated at a bend in a track leading to Salt Ness, W of the Burn of Trolldgeo. The surviving remains consist of two concrete and breeze block open gun-emplacements with a magazine immediately to the SE, engine house and two concrete searchlight platforms, 202m and 214m NW and N respectively.
The battery was armed in 1941 with two 4.7-inch Naval guns from Rerwick Battery (PRO 192/260).
The accommodation camp has now been completely removed apart from a concrete and stone engine house (HY41NE 31.02) which stands beside the track about 170m to the W and several concrete hut bases.
Visited by RCAHMS (GS), August 1997
