Fort Perch Rock, The Wirral

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Photograph kindly supplied by Arthur Aspinall G0NDM

Situated on the North of the Wirral Peninsular, Fort Perch Rock was built by the merchants of Liverpool at a time when Great Britain was the most powerful nation in the world.   The merchants decided to finance the building of the fortress to protect the town and its inhabitants from any seaward attack.

The foundation stone was laid by the Mayor of Liverpool,  Peter Bourne Esq. in 1826.   Many designs were looked at but the final, modified plans were made by Captain John Sykes Kitson of the Royal Engineers.It was  the merchants of Liverpool who decided to finance the building of a fortress to protect the town and its inhabitants from any seaward attack.  The foundation stone was laid by the Mayor of Liverpool,  Peter Bourne Esq. in 1826.   Many designs were looked at but the final, modified plans were made by Captain John Sykes Kitson of the Royal Engineers.

The Fort was built as a fifteen-gun battery with a trapezoidal plan so that maximum fire power could be concentrated on the Rock and Crosby Channels;   it was completed in 1829. The sandstone used in the  construction of the Fort was quarried from Runcorn, and floated down the River Mersey. The cost of building the Fort was exactly £26,000 and eight pence.

The total area of the Fort was four thousand square yards. In 1861 the more powerful naval guns were put in place, so now they had 64-pounders to cover the Crosby Channel, and the old 34-pounders to cover the Rock Channel.

 In 1894, the Fort was taken over by the Royal Engineers who completed their remodelling in 1896: there were many alterations made, including an engine room for electricity to operate the guns and light the Fort.  The North wall was lowered by eleven feet to accommodate the new six inch guns, and the parapet was tapered to deflect any enemy shells.  In 1910, the battery had the MKV11 gun position raised and other small changes were made ;  two iron searchlight towers on the North East were completed.

During the First World War some of the guns were taken for use by the War Office,  together with their cradles and elevation gear:  the state of the Fort’s armament was now only two 6-inch naval guns and two machine guns.During the First World War some of the guns were taken for use by the War Office,  together with their cradles and elevation gear:  the state of the Fort’s armament was now only two 6-inch naval guns and two machine guns.

The Battery used a simple range finder technique, with two binocular lenses mounted on the two towers; when they were turned towards an enemy ship the distance was computed using simple geometry.

 The Second World War brought Radar installations to the Fort, believed to be the first in Britain, and also direction finders and loud speakers.  The only time the guns were used in the Second World War was against a German U-boat in the Liverpool Bay.The Second World War brought Radar installations to the Fort, believed to be the first in Britain, and also direction finders and loud speakers.  The only time the guns were used in the Second World War was against a German U-boat in the Liverpool Bay.

The Fort originally held 3 officers and 100 men of the Royal Artillery, and 1 officer and 28 men of the Royal Engineers. This was later reduced to 2 officers and 28 other ranks, and later, to a small maintenance party.   Eventually, the Home Guard took over the Fort with 4 officers and 150 men.

Finally, the Fort was dismantled, the guns taken away, the ammunition returned to Woolwich Arsenal, and the Fort left in charge of a Caretaker.

Today, the Fort is in private hands and boasts a museum of aircraft wreck recovery, many wartime uniforms, and a history of local Merseyside people who have a claim to fame.    There is plenty of restoration yet to do, and with the help of the visitors to the Fort, it is hoped to preserve it as an historical monument.

Fort Perch Rock is open daily subject to seasonal weather conditions