Dartmouth Bastion

Has been described as a Possible Artillery Fort

There are no visible remains

NameDartmouth Bastion
Alternative NamesGallent's Bower; Gallion's Bower; Galions Boure
Historic CountryDevonshire
Modern AuthorityDevon
1974 AuthorityDevon
Civil ParishDartmouth

An unlocated earth bastion for six artillery pieces recorded in 1599 as part of the Dartmouth Harbour defences somewhere between Dartmouth Castle and the town, so possibly under Gallent's Bower a C17 artillery bastioned earthwork at SX883501, which was the site of a look-out station from before 1463.

Gallant's Bower was called 'Galions Boure' in 1463 when it was in use as a look-out although apparently not fortified. (PastScape ref. O'Neil 1935)

Gatehouse Comments

The Civil War fortification has been well investigated without finding earlier work, however if the earlier work was of earth filled wicker gabions the remains would have been slight and easily destroyed by the later work.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSX880502
Latitude50.341121673584
Longitude-3.56964993476868
Eastings288400
Northings50210
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

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Books

  • (For full bibliography of Dartmouth defences see Dartmouth Artillery Castle)
  • Wall, C., 1906, in Page, Wm (ed), 'Ancient Earthworks' VCH Devon Vol. 1

Antiquarian

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1897, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward IV (1461-67) p. 307-8 view online copy

Journals

  • Blaylock, S., 1999, 'Gallants Bower, Dartmouth' CBA Southwest Newsletter 3 p. 7-11
  • 1998. 'Gallants Bower, Dartmouth' Devon Archaeological Society Newsletter 70 p. 10
  • Russell, P., 1963, 'Gallant Bowers' Transactions of the Devonshire Association Vol. 95 p. 69-70
  • O'Neil, B.H.St J., 1935, Archaeologia Vol. 85 p. 146, 150
  • Lega-Weekes, E., 1929, 'Gallant Bowers' Transactions of the Devonshire Association Vol. 61 p. 237-9
  • Adams, M., 1900, 'The castle, manor-house, and church of Clifton, near Dartmouth' Transactions of the Devonshire Association Vol. 32 p. 503-14 online copy

Guide Books

  • Davison, B.K., 2000, Dartmouth Castle Guidebook (London: English Heritage)
  • Saunders, A.D., 1986, Dartmouth Castle, Devon (London: English Heritage)
  • Saunders, A.D., 1983 2edn, Dartmouth Castle, Devon (HMSO)
  • Saunders, A.D., 1965, Dartmouth Castle, Devon (HMSO)

Other

  • Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1998, Gallant's Bower: A Fort of the English Civil War (Report - Survey)
  • National Trust, 1997 - 1998, Gallant's Bower, Dartmouth: A Civil War Fort Revealed (Report - Survey)