Nigg Battery
Searchlight Emplacement (Second World War)
Site Name Nigg Battery
Classification Searchlight Emplacement (Second World War)
Alternative Name(s) Cromarty Defences; Dunskeath Castle; Norwegian Battery; Fort Nigg
Canmore ID 365237
Site Number NH86NW 10.03
NGR NH 80596 68917
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/365237
- Council Highland
- Parish Nigg (Ross And Cromarty)
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Ross And Cromarty
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
Field Visit (28 March 2019)
This searchlight is situated just above the shoreline about 105m SE of the E gun emplacement (NH86NW 10.9). The little that remains of the building comprises part of its flat concrete roof, a fragment from the front of the concrete platform, pieces of metal framing, and scraps of brickwork – some of which are curved and so may have formed part of the front parapet.
An undated sketch map of the battery in the Fort Record Book held at the National Archives at Kew (WO192/248) identifies this as ‘1. No 1 Searchlight’. The map also shows a tent was situated to its E (‘2. S. L. Tent’). This was presumably provided for the accommodation of the searchlight’s operators, while the nearby weapons pit or firing trench (NH86NW 10.4) provided some defence. It is also depicted before demolition on an aerial photograph (SC2087406) taken in 1972, which forms part of the John Dewar collection curated by HES.
Visited by HES, Survey and Recording (ATW, AKK, KLG), 28 March 2019.
