Built
at the same time as the Verne Citadel and nestling on the cliff
side just to the east, the East Wear Batteries covered the main
approaches to the new harbour at Portland from the south. These
were open batteries, the guns not being sited in bomb proof
casemates. There was no accommodation and the gun crews lived
in the Verne.
C Battery. East Wear waiting for 10
inch cannon to be mounted, 1877
Portland Volunteer Artillery - man a
10 inch cannon at East Wear, 1890
9.2 inch guns at East Wear Battery
The initial design
was for six batteries and a total of 27 guns but only five were
completed to take twenty mixed 9" and 10" Rifled Muzzle Loading
Cannons. By 1891 this had been reduced to ten and in 1900 these
had been replaced by three modern 6 inch and two 9.2 inch breech
loading guns, reduced further prior to WW2 to two 9.2s.
