Archaeological monitoring and recording at Pendennis Castle, Falmouth, Cornwall

A programme of archaeological monitoring and recording was carried out by Oakford Archaeology during September 2024 during works on land north of the Barracks at Pendennis Castle, Falmouth, Cornwall. The works comprised the excavation of a small area around the existing water tank and two trenches totalling 32m in length, and between 0.34-0.6m wide. The excavation of the water tank exposed the foundations of the late 16th century rampart, constructed to strengthen the existing headland defences in response to the increasing Spanish threat. This was followed by periodic improvements to the defences including the addition of the gun battery at Crab Quay and the formal gate. The substantial foundations exposed in Trench 2 are likely to represent the remains of the foundations of a Napoleonic magazine, specifically that of Magazine No. 5. First shown on Mercer's 1811 Map the magazine was still in use by 1866. Elements of the foundations have previously been exposed by the CAU in 1996. The magazine was demolished in the late 19th century prior to the construction of the barrack block and baths and cook house which were completed by 1901. The latter was a small rectangular structure at the rear of Curtain No. 1 and consisting of brick walls with a corrugated iron roof. It is likely that the foundations identified in Trench 1 belong to this structure, and the building is shown in more detail on the 1913 HMOW plan of the site and the 1932 Ordnance Survey Map. The remains of a small area of tarmac is likely associated with the new barracks and the baths and cook house, providing an area of hardstanding between the two buildings. The building was marked for demolition in the early 1960s following which the ground-level was raised prior to the construction of the water tank and staff car park. A small assemblage of residual late 19th-20th century finds recovered from the works. The excavation of the water tank exposed the foundations of the late 16th century rampart, constructed to strengthen the existing headland defences in response to the increasing Spanish threat. This was followed by periodic improvements to the defences including the addition of the gun battery at Crab Quay and the formal gate. The substantial foundations exposed in Trench 2 are likely to represent the remains of the foundations of a Napoleonic magazine, specifically that of Magazine No. 5. First shown on Mercer's 1811 Map the magazine was still in use by 1866. Elements of the foundations have previously been exposed by the CAU in 1996. The magazine was demolished in the late 19th century prior to the construction of the barrack block and baths and cook house which were completed by 1901. The latter was a small rectangular structure at the rear of Curtain No. 1 and consisting of brick walls with a corrugated iron roof. It is likely that the foundations identified in Trench 1 belong to this structure, and the building is shown in more detail on the 1913 HMOW plan of the site and the 1932 Ordnance Survey Map. The remains of a small area of tarmac is likely associated with the new barracks and the baths and cook house, providing an area of hardstanding between the two buildings. The building was marked for demolition in the early 1960s following which the ground-level was raised prior to the construction of the water tank and staff car park. A small assemblage of residual late 19th-20th century finds recovered from the works.