Booth’s diaries

Virtual Museum: Military History
Booth’s diaries

Continuing with William Booth's diary...

Ragged Staff is a wharf built in the year 1736 by the contractors for Victualling the Garrison in order to land the provisions near to their magazines the building; ‘tis carried out into the sea 300 feet in length with a return to defend the South Westerly winds, there are some shed storehouses at the extreme part but has neither platforms, guns or guard on it though a landing place. It has no communication with the Southport cover’d ways but by a flight of stone steps and a drawbridge which is drawn up every night in front of a Sergeant guard kept in the said covertway.

Eight Gun Battery is a Bastion which runs out from the Line Wall into the Sea and is made to defend that part between the South Bastion and New Mole; this Battery is mounted with Six 32 Pounders; one 10 Pounder and a 10 Inch Howitzer, it was built by the Spaniards but has had several repairs made to it since.

From the South Bastion to the Eight Gun Battery and from here thence to the New Mole, the Line is continued without Ramparts or Terreplain for Cannon excepting some few flanks which are capable of containing at most 2 Guns and that part rebuilt in 1725 joining to the New Mole Fort where is room for seven cannon well disposed for to defend the inside of the said mole: great part of the abovementioned Wall has been repaired and rebuilt at different times since the taking the place.

Image: Nineteenth Century photograph showing part of the southern Line Wall