| Brean Down is the peninsula
which sticks out into the Bristol Channel - just up the coast from
Burnham-on-Sea. The down is 2.4 kilometres long and, at it's highest point,
is 100 metres above sea level. There is a history of military occupation
here which included the Celts, Romans and, in more recent times, the
Victorians, who commissioned a series of forts around the country in 1865 to
protect against French invasion. Brean Fort became operational in 1870, the
main armament consisting of seven, 7 inch, rifled, muzzle loading guns on
traversing carriages. The picture below, taken at Pendennis Castle, gives
some idea of how the 1870 Brean Fort main armament would have looked
(although the Pendennis gun has a slightly larger bore - 8 inch). In 1941
the fort was re-armed, two 6 inch gun emplacements were built and equipped
with naval guns of WWI vintage. These guns, which had a range of up to
20 miles, were to be used in the anti-shipping role defending this part of
the Bristol Channel and the coast of South Wales. Brean
Down and Brean Fort are now under the protection of the National Trust.
[Map ref. ST 298589] |
(Picture: 8'' rifled, muzzle loading gun on traversing carriage. Pendennis Castle, Cornwall - Summer 2006)
%20BREAN%20FORT%20-%20LEWIS%20GUN%20EMPS.%20(WESTON%20SUPER%20MARE%20IN%20DISTANCE)xx.JPG)
| In the picture above are six Lewis gun emplacements which were used by troops in WWII for training. |
%20BREAN%20FORT%20-%206%20X%20LEWIS%20MG%20EMPS.%20-%20ST298589.JPG)
| A closer view of the Lewis gun emplacements. They are in good condition apart from the one in the foreground, the left side of which has crumbled. |
BREAN%20FORT%20-%20LEWIS%20GUN%20EMP.%20-%20MOUNTING%20BOLTSx.JPG)
|
Here, in the middle of the picture, is the holdfast for one of the Lewis gun mountings. |