Garrison Walls
The Garrison Walls are a remarkable series of defensive walls ringing the Garrison, the western peninsula of St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, in Cornwall.
The peninsula was originally known as "the Hugh", but afer fortification it became "the Garrison", by whch name is is still known.
The first stretch of curtain wall was built after the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The wall was rebuilt and extended around the headland in the 18th century, and the fortifications here were still being put to military use during the Second World War.
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Elizabethan walls
Scilly's exposed position was of concern during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, with the fear that the Spaniards might seize the islands as a base for attacking shipping, but little was done until after the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588: a threat remained of another Spanish attempt. The task of fortifying the islands was given to Sir Francis Godolphin, the leaseholder and Governor of the Isles of Scilly. He chose The Hugh, a prominent headland jutting out to the west from St Mary's. At the centre of the headland in 1593-4, Godolphon built Star Castle (now a hotel).
To landward side, a length of curtain wall was built across the neck of the headland from coast to coast, with four bastions and a fortified entrance. This Tudor wall across the neck of The Hugh is built from large granite blocks. Today a deep rock-cut ditch is visible in places along the town side, although this is partly silted up.
Godolphin wrote in 1595 with his concerns:
'the gathering of these Spaniards seemeth as a cloud that is like to fall'.
In the event, the Spaniards did not send a second fleet nor attack the islands.
Civil War
In the Civil War of the seventeenth century, the Isles of Scilly were a Royalist stronghold, and in March 1646 the future Charles II stayed on St Mary's for a few weeks before escaping to Jersey. The Royalists eventually surrendered to Parliament in September 1646, but after a revolt two years later the Garrison again became a Royalist stronghold, and a base for up to 800 men.
Finally, in 1651, the Parliamentarian Admiral Blake captured the forts on Tresco and turned his guns on The Hugh, forcing a Royalist surrender.
The French wars
War raged or threatened throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries. The Elizabethan wall was gradually extended until it surrounded almost the whole of the headland, with bastions covering every possible angle of approach from sea or land. Major work was carried out between 1715 and 1742 by Abraham Tovey, master gunner.
Many of the surviving buildings on the Hugh date date from this great rebuilding, and from this time too comes the name 'the Garrison'. Further fortification was carried out between 1898 and 1901, including the massive Woolpack and Steval batteries and the Greystones Barracks between them. Between 1902 and 1906 the Steval Point Battery was added and the Bant's Carn Battery on the mani part of St Mary's.
The World Wars
In the First World War the garrison was strengthened and garrisoned with almost 1,000 men.
In the Second World War, the Isles of Scilly faced the Battle of the Atlantic and the Garrison served as an important signal station. Pillboxes were built within the 18th century batteries.
The fortifications today
The Garrison Walls are in the care of English Heritage. The fortifications are well preserved and open to visitors today to walk much of the length of the Garrison Walls.
At Garrison Gate, the original arched gateway survives, as remodelled by Tovey with a bellcote and parapet above, together with barracks on either side and a guardhouse. Just beyond the gate is a sunken powder magazine, later called the Rocket House. This was surrounded with a massive blast-protection wall. Theer is a small prison cell adjoining the outer side of the blast-wall.
The magazine now houses an exhibition about the Garrison's history.
Star Castle is not open to the public as it is a hotel. Oversprwading the headland the visitor may find barracks, stores and workshops and the walls themselves: the 18th century walls extend all around the headland (apart from its north-west coast). The breastwork running along the clifftop is a remarkable survival from the Civil War.
