Roker Battery

HER Number:
86

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Roker Battery

Place:
Roker

Map Sheet:
NZ45NW

Class:
Defence

Site Type: Broad:
Battery

Site Type: Specific:
Coastal Battery

General Period:
Post Medieval

Specific Period:
C18-C20

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
Probably originated in the second half of the 18th century as the battery at Holey Rock, aka Abbs Point and Roker Battery, or the northern of Sunderland's two batteries in 1779. Built of stone, with a four foot thick parapet, positioned 56 feet above sea level, North Battery commanded the roads, but in 1779 had 6 guns all unfit for service. 1780-1 a 4 gun battery was built at Roker, and there was more building workin the period 1797-1813. In 1828 it was described as elliptical in plan with 4 dismounted 18-pounderrs, and a stone magazine with a brick arch roof. The battery was re-armed from time to time, - two 4.7 inch QF Mk IV on naval mountings in revetted earth emplacements and 2 searchlights in the First World War; two Mobile Naval Base Defence Organization 6 inch guns and two searchlights in the Second World War. Finally superseded in 1951.

Easting:
407

Northing:
593

Grid Reference:
NZ407593

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 86 >> Fortress Study Group Conference, 1988, The Defences of Tyneside - Roker Battery, Sunderland, pp. 3-4 Defence of Britain Project, 2002, Defence of Britain Database, S0015126 M.J. Anderton, 2000, World War Two Coastal Batteries D. Clarke & A. Rudd, 1989, Tyneside in the Breech Loading Era Fortress, No. 3, pp 33-42