Gillingwater's History of Lowestoft: a reprint: with a chapter of more recent eventsGillingwater, Edmund
History
Gillingwater's History of Lowestoft: a reprint: with a chapter of more recent events
Gillingwater, Edmund
Lothingland (England); Lowestoft (England)
Government being acquainted with the ruinous condition of the forts at
Lowestoft, and the defenceless state of this part of the coast,
immediately formed a resolution to erect several new fortifications at
this town, and the principal one to be situated at the north end of the
town, on the same spot whereon the old fort formerly stood; and also to
have it much larger. But the premises on which the fort was designed to
be erected being town land, Government was under the necessity of hiring
it by a lease for a term of years, and also to purchase of different
proprietors about three-quarters of an acre of land to add to it, the
former spot not being large enough. Half an acre of this land was
purchased of Mr. Robert Reeve, and the other quarter of an acre of Mr.
Henry Lucas.
On January 7, 1782, the new fort, at the south end of the town was begun
under the direction of Captain Fisher, one of His Majesty’s engineers.
About 300 men (including fifty of the East Suffolk militia), were
employed in this work. This fort consisted of a ditch about eighteen
feet deep, fifteen feet wide, mounted with chevaux de frize. Over this
ditch was a drawbridge between four and five feet wide. The inside of
the south-west angle measured seventy feet; the width of the other angles
were 95, 140, 100, and 249 feet. The terrace before the embrazures was
four feet wide. The embrazures were eighteen feet wide and eight high.
Next the sea was the glacis, extending about sixty-five yards. There was
also a breastwork to defend the bridge, about eighteen feet thick and
eight feet high. At the north-west angle of the fort was the magazine,
it was thirty feet long and twelve broad; it was sunk beneath the surface
of the earth, and was bomb proof, and contained 300 barrels of powder.
In the centre of the fort stood the guard house; this was a handsome
sashed building, about seventy feet long and twenty-six wide, having a
spacious parade in front. At the south-west angle stood the flag staff,
fifty-five feet high on which was hoisted an English jack. The battery
mounted thirteen pieces of cannon, ten thirty-pounders, and three
eighteen-pounders. The whole battery was finished on the 21st December,
1782. The south battery was distant from the north, three quarters of a
mile, and from the east battery upon the beach, seven furlongs; and the
distance of the north battery, near the distance of the north battery, on
the beach three furlongs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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