Description
The buildings are two coast defence batteries, built between 1900 and 1904. Located on the southern end of the Rosneath peninsula, it formed part of the coastal defences of the River Clyde during the First World War.
The 6-inch battery is the western example, comprising two gun emplacements, an underground magazine and the remains of a gun officer's position. The 4.7-inch Quick Firing (QF) battery is to the east, and comprises two gun emplacements and an underground magazine. The gun emplacements are built of reinforced concrete, with locker recesses and shell hoists, and semi-circular aprons to the south. Access stairs between the emplacements lead to a sunken rectangular lightwell courtyard flanked with magazines, shell and cartridge stores. The interiors of the magazines and stores were not seen during the visit (2018).
There are later structures in the form of sheds and mobile homes that are placed on and adjacent to the batteries. These have been added since the battery closed in 1928. In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: all later sheds and mobile homes, on or directly adjacent to the batteries.
Statement of Special Interest
The two gun batteries at Portkil are a good surviving example of pre-First World War coastal defences in Scotland. Operational from around 1904, it was an early and important part of the defences of the River Clyde that played an important role in defending the river and its strategic industries during the First World War. Although it has been somewhat altered since it closed as a battery in 1928, and the wider site has been significantly altered, the twin gun batteries at Portkil retain significant potential to add to our knowledge and understanding of wartime military technology and strategy in the context of the coastal defence of Scotland during the First World War.
Age and Rarity
Construction on Portkil battery began in November 1900, and the first phase of construction, which included both gun batteries, was completed by 31 March 1904. Subsequent phases of construction added additional structures to the complex, but these do not appear to have altered the gun batteries.
The battery was operational during the First World War, although in 1916 the 6-inch guns were removed from Portkil and transferred to the battery at Cloch Point. The 4.7-inch guns remained in place until the battery was finally closed in 1928.
There were over 47 coastal batteries in Scotland during the First World War (1914-18), and Portkil was one of five such sites built to defend the strategic assets of the Clyde. Of the other four batteries, Ardhallow Battery is a scheduled monument (SM13683), as is part of the battery at Cloch Point (SM12803). The remaining batteries at Ardeer and Fort Matilda have been demolished, although other elements of the Fort Matilda base remain, such as the listed former torpedo works (LB50579).
As Portkil was not reused during the Second World War, it had undergone less change than the examples at Ardhallow and Cloch Point. However, in recent years the batteries and surrounding areas have been subject to substantial development, including the conversion of the magazines of the 4.7inch into accommodation and the mounting of sheds and mobile homes on top of both batteries. In spite of this there are many features of the batteries surviving, including metal fittings and shell hoists. It is rare to find elements such as these in situ, as reusable materials were often removed when the battery was decommissioned. Although clearance was conducted on many military sites following the end of the war, relatively little clearance has occurred in this case. For buildings which were deliberately constructed to be functional and without any overt architectural pretension the survival of these types of features is critical in determining merit for listing.
Architectural or Historic Interest
Interior
Although the interior was not seen in 2018, survey photographs of the interior (2016) confirmed the relatively unaltered survival at that time of exposed red brick walls, barrel-vaulted shell stores with surviving wooden gun cartridge hoists and shelving brackets. The southeast magazine has numbered light recesses.
Plan form
Both batteries are of the same general plan, which is itself a common layout seen on other 6-inch batteries such as Carlingnose (LB52012) and other 4.7inch batteries such as Dalmeny (LB52469). Circular gun pits behind a concrete apron were served by magazines and stores built deep underground below the battery, linked to small ammunition stores called expense magazines. The underground magazines and stores had an access well behind the emplacements, allowing for quick access by the battery crews. The plan form of the battery is thus of special interest illustrating the design and use of coastal batteries of late 19th and early 20th century date.
Technological excellence or innovation, material or design quality
The design of the gun emplacements at Portkil reflect developments in artillery technology at the end of the 19th century which allowed batteries to mount light, powerful guns fixed on a central circular pivot. The design of the battery and its component elements has been carefully thought out, and it has been built using high quality materials.
Although built to a largely standardised design, the construction within a short period of time of such a major network of coastal batteries to defend vulnerable strategic interests around the coasts from enemy attack, required major mobilisation of materials and man-power to contribute to the war effort.
Setting
The battery sits in a strategically significant position on the southern end of the Rosneath peninsula overlooking the River Clyde. The various buildings of the complex extend from the shoreline up a southwest facing slope, with the two gun batteries near the top of the complex. From this position they have wide lines of sight in a south facing arc, which is also partly the planned firing arc of the batteries. The site of the sister battery to Portkil at Fort Matilda can also be seen from the site, although the Fort Matilda battery itself does not survive. More recent development of housing and the growth of trees in and around Portkil Battery have had some impact on the setting, but it is still clearly appreciable on the ground.
Regional variations
Coastal batteries were built to a largely standardised design, and although changes were made to suit local conditions, there are no known regional variations.
Close Historical Associations
The First World War is one of the most significant events of modern history. Between 1914 and 1918 millions of individuals from across five continents were involved in an industrialised conflict on a global scale never previously seen. Over the four years of fighting, the war destroyed lives, communities and even entire landscapes, with over nine million military deaths, and an even higher number of civilian deaths by its end. The aftermath of the war brought sweeping political, social and economic changes and it has left a tangible impact on the modern world, both in the form of physical remains from the conflict and an enormous legacy of cultural memory and artistic and commemorative expression.
Portkil forms part of a network of coastal defences of Scotland during the First World War to defend strategic assets and areas. From 1900 onwards, the threat to Britain's naval supremacy from Germany was reflected in a coordinated programme of fixed defences at key strategic points along the UK coast line to counter the enemy naval threat.