Description

The following item shall be added:

MARYPORT SEA BROWS
1.
5161 (north side)
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NY 0337 887-0/3/10000 The Battery
Senhouse Roman Museum
II

Formerly known as The Battery. Naval gunnery training centre, now museum.
1885, for the Admiralty; slightly altered, and recently restored following
fire damage. Rock-faced red sandstone with limestone dressings and green
slate roof. Linear plan parallel to the shore line, centred on an apsidal
tower projecting to the east, with a gunnery room to the north, a drill-
hall to the south and a short cross-wing at the south end of this. Eclectic
style with Gothic accent. Single storey except the tower which has 2
storeys, with an east entrance front of 1:5:1:4 windows; limestone-dressed
chamfered plinths to all portions, banded limestone pilasters and limestone
friezes to all portions except the tower which has an arcaded limestone
corbel table to an oversailing upper floor, a limestone cornice and a semi-
conical roof with apex finial. The apse of the tower has a 2-light
mullioned window at ground floor and a 6-light mullion-and-transom window
at first floor; its right hand side has an altered doorway, the straight
side walls have 3-light windows at first floor, and the gabled rear wall
has a corniced chimney. The side ranges have 1-light windows, except the
2nd bay of the north range which has a wide segmental-pointed arched
doorway, and the centre of the south range which has a 2 light-window; most
windows have small panes formed by chunky wooden glazing bars, but those
of the south range are now blocked with render. The north gable wall of the
north range has a stepped 3-light window and a coped gable with a deep
Lombard frieze. The cross-wing at the south-end is higher and more
elaborately treated, with rounded corners, an oversailing parapet and
hipped roof, transomed windows with trefoil top-lights and a doorway in the
south wall with a moulded surround and a 2 centred arched tympanum
containing a roundel lettered "VR". On the west front (to the sea) the
south range has coupled windows, the north range has 2 large rectangular
gunports (now glazed) with steel shutters (imitating cast-iron originals)
flanked by 1-light windows, and the tower has a lean-to extension. Interior
altered but retains geometrical stone staircase in apse of tower.
HISTORY: Used for gunnery training of Royal Navy Artillery Reserve 1885-
1903, and subsequently of Territorial Army Field Batteries until 1966;
opened as Senhouse Roman Museum 1990 (housing rich collection of Roman
artefacts from the fort next to which it stands).
An unusual and perhaps unique example of its type, of dramatic appearance
on clifftop site.

Listing NGR: NY0375437267

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26526776

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair