Beggars Fort

In the civil parish of Antony. In the historic county of Cornwall (Modern Authority of Cornwall, 1974 county of Cornwall).

Beggars Fort is depicted on a map of 1591 showing the landscape north of Plymouth. It is shown south of Antony House and inland of an inlet which is probably Thanckes Lake. The most likely site is probably the flat-topped hill to the west of Maryfield. (PastScape) PastScapes given map reference does not fit with this written description.
Presumably a fort planned or constructed in response to Spanish Armada. How much tactical value this fort overlooking the far upper reach of the Plymouth Sound would have been is in question.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX426567

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 437503
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

• Books
  • Pye, Andrew, and Woodward, Freddy, 1996, The historic defences of Plymouth p106
• Journal Articles
  • Sheppard, P., 1974, 'Parochial Check-Lists of Antiquities' Cornish Archaeology Vol13 p63
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • 'Spry Plot' map c 1591