Southwold Gun Hill

Has been described as a Certain Artillery Fort, and also as a Certain Linear Defence or Dyke

There are no visible remains

NameSouthwold Gun Hill
Alternative Names
Historic CountrySuffolk
Modern AuthoritySuffolk
1974 AuthoritySuffolk
Civil ParishSouthwold

During the invasion scare of 1588, Southwold was defended by an earthen wall constructed along the cliff, with a 2-gun battery on Gun Hill, and a battery at the north end called the Higham Bulwark, just south of the present boating lake. The defences were ruinous in 1626 when a privateer captured a ship in full view of the town, drove the gun crews from the battery and bombarded the town. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

It would seem these defences were started, although they may not have been finished. Coastal erosion will have destroyed much or all of the archaeology.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTM508758
Latitude52.3227310180664
Longitude1.6792299747467
Eastings650800
Northings275800
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Calculate Print

Books

  • Kent, Peter, 1999 (3edn), 'Coastal Fortifications, 1500-1900'' in Dymond, David and Martin, Edward (eds) An Historical Atlas of Suffolk (Lavenham) p. 184-5
  • Kent, Peter, 1988, Fortifications of East Anglia (Lavenham: Ternence Dalton) p. 149-152
  • Gardner, T., 1754, An Historical Account of Dunwich p. 188 online copy

Primary Sources

  • Lemon, Robert (ed), 1865, Calendar of state papers, Domestic series, of the reign of Elizabeth 1581-90 Vol. 2 (London: Longman) p. 569 (Vol. 219 f.62) online copy