Plymouth heritage battery restoration team named

By Hiyastar News

Published: 1 June 2026

Contractors have been appointed to restore the historic Garden Battery at Mount Edgcumbe, moving the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park heritage programme into its next delivery stage.

The project will conserve the granite casemated battery on the Rame Peninsula and prepare it for public use. Plymouth Sound National Marine Park said the work forms part of the Heritage Horizon programme, backed by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Plymouth City Council.

Garden Battery restoration at Mount Edgcumbe

The Garden Battery dates to 1862, after recommendations made by the Royal Commission in 1860. Built on the site of an earlier saluting battery, it originally housed ten guns to defend the mouth of the Hamoaze and nearby channel.

By 1910, two searchlights had been installed in former gun casements. The site was among early users of Defensive Electric Lights before the First World War and later played a defensive role in both world wars. Its guns and lights were removed in 1927, and the Ministry of Defence gave up the site in 1946.

Contractors and conservation work

PLACE Architects will lead the design work, supported by Chadburn Conservation Architects. Insite Projects will oversee project management, while TEC Construction (Holdings) Ltd has been named as the main contractor for the restoration works.

The plans include conservation of the structure, curated heritage interpretation, community use and private hire. The project is being delivered with the Mount Edgcumbe Joint Committee, made up of Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council, with consultation involving The Friends of Mount Edgecumbe.

Public access for the first time

The restored Garden Battery is expected to open to the public for the first time in its history. Mount Edgcumbe Park already offers free access to historic formal gardens and grounds, with cafes, independent traders and visitor activities.

Councillor Tom Briars-Delve said the work would preserve the building while creating new opportunities for learning and sustainable commercial use. Cornwall Councillor Jim Candy said opening the space would make the coastal heritage site more accessible to visitors from Cornwall and Devon.

Source: Plymouth City Council