St Mary's Garrison, Isles of Scilly
In 2005 and 2006 English Heritage staff undertook analytical survey work at the impressive coastal garrison located on St Marys, Isles of Scilly. The Garrison is an internationally important site due to the fact that many of its features and ancillary structures have not been significantly altered since they were constructed.
This outstanding coastal fortification had its origins in the late 16th century when a star-shaped castle was constructed on a pronounced promontory. The defences were strengthened in 1601 with the addition of a cross wall fortified by integral gun batteries. In about 1650 the promontory was encircled by a Civil War earthen breastwork enhanced by nineteen gun batteries. During the mid 18th century an impressive curtain wall – strengthened by substantial gun batteries – replaced the Civil War defences.
The English Heritage project included: a new large-scale topographic survey, a specialist fabric report, a photogrammetric survey of parts of the curtain walls considered to be under threat from coastal erosion and a complete photographic record of the walls. Additionally as part of the archaeological investigation, four trenches were cut across the mid 17th century earthworks, including one of the small gun batteries. These excavations revealed that the linear bank and inner ‘covered way’ earthworks were untouched Civil War breastworks of a single phase of construction. 
An integrated information system, based on a large-scale GIS, has been compiled. This incorporates the totality of the information about the Garrison, including its history, details of historic repairs, conservation actions, details of the entire photographic and archive collections as well as management recommendations and conservation actions. This information system is being used to inform all future works including guidance on ways to protect this unique coastal fortification from the results of climate change evident from the rising sea level and increasingly violent storms.
In 2007 a Conservation Plan for this scheduled site was produced by the Archaeological Survey and Investigation team.
For more information contact English Heritage's Exeter office, telephone 01392 824901.
Email this to a friend