Carness Battery
Gun Emplacement (First World War)
Site Name Carness Battery
Classification Gun Emplacement (First World War)
Alternative Name(s) World War I; Car Ness
Canmore ID 269563
Site Number HY41SE 51.07
NGR HY 4677 1440
NGR Description c. HY 4677 1440
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/269563
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Kirkwall And St Ola
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
The battery at Carness was the only one on the northern side of Mainland, covering an anti-submarine boom laid across the narrow channel known as the String, between Carness and Helliar Holm, off Shapinsay. The battery is supposed to have been armed with two 4-inch Quick Firing guns, intended to engage faster, smaller enemy vessels. Stell suggests that the character of some of the remains may suggest the presence of a rare First World War anti-aircraft emplacement.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 24 September 2013.
HY41SE 51.07 c.4677 1440
A First World War open gun-emplacement lies about 10m SE of the southern World War II 12-pounder gun site.
All that survives is half an arc of a concrete parapet with one ready-use ammunition locker at the S end around the remains of a holdfast. The northern part of the parapet wall has been demolished.
What may be further remains in the form of a pile of grass-grown brick and concrete rubble is situated on the SW side of the concrete parapet.
It is not known what calibre of gun was mounted at this site.
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, GS), August 1999
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.
