Pembroke Battery (Maltese: Batterija ta' Pembroke) was an artillery battery in Pembroke, Malta. It was built by the British between 1897 and 1899, and most of it was demolished in the 1980s.
| Pembroke Battery | |
|---|---|
Batterija ta' Pembroke | |
| Pembroke, Malta | |
 The remains of Pembroke Battery in 2019 | |
| Coordinates | 35°55′38.2″N 14°29′02.1″E / 35.927278°N 14.483917°E |
| Type | Artillery battery |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1897–1899 |
| Built by | British Empire |
| In use | 1899–1919 |
| Materials | Concrete |
| Fate | Partially demolished in the mid-1980s |
History
editBy the mid-1890s, the RML armament of the nearby Fort Pembroke had become obsolete, and that fort was turned into an ammunition depot. The British decided that it would be cheaper to construct a new battery rather than upgrade the fort's guns. Pembroke Battery was built between 1897 and 1899, and it formed part of a new series of fortifications meant to house breech-loading (BL) guns.[1]
The battery was oval in shape, and its magazines and other features were located underground. It was surrounded by a ditch and a glacis, which was defended by barbed wire. It was armed with two 9.2 inch Mk X guns, which were mounted en barbette. These were dismantled in 1919 and the battery was struck off the armaments list. The battery remained unused until the 1980s.[2]
Present day
editThe western gun emplacement and part of the battery's underground complex were demolished in the 1980s during a housing expansion project. All that remains of Pembroke Battery today is a single reinforced concrete semi-circular gun emplacement, and remains of some of the other structures at the rear.[3]
The Pembroke Local Council and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) are currently restoring the remains of the battery to transform it into a museum.[4]
References
edit- ^ Stephenson, Charles (2004). The Fortifications of Malta 1530-1945. Osprey Publishing. p. 41. ISBN 1841766933. Archived from the original on 2014-12-30.
- ^ "Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Pembroke (15) - Pembroke Battery and its gun emplacements". Times of Malta. 25 February 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ Darmanin, Denis (15 September 2013). "Pembroke: from war symbol to spacious modern town". Times of Malta. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ "Pembroke". mydestination.com. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
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