Bayards Cove, Dartmouth

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Bearscove Castle

In the civil parish of Dartmouth.
In the historic county of Devon (Modern Authority of Devon, 1974 county of Devon).

Small artillery blockhouse built to protect the town quay. Possibly built 1509-10 based on documentary evidence, it was certainly in existence by 1537. An irregular shaped platform cut into the cliff face is enclosed by a 1.5m thick and 4.9m high local limestone rubble mortared wall.At ground level the wall is pierced by 11 gunports. Access to a wall walk was gained by a stone stairway built against the inner face of the northern wall. The wall walk itself is protected by a projecting parapet providing shelter for musketeers.

This site has been described as a;
Artillery Fort.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Major remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 387168)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX87855096

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 446016

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/bayard/bayard.php
    http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.236
• Books
  • Duffy, Michael, 1999, 'Coastal Defences and Garrisons 1480-1914' in Kain, R. and Ravenhill, W., Historical Atlas of South-West England (University of Exeter Press) p158-60
    Salter, Mike, 1999, The Castles of Devon and Cornwall (Malvern) p58
    Saunders, Andrew, 1997, Channel Defences (London; Batsford/English Heritage) p117
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p53
    Freeman, Ray., 1990, Dartmouth and its Neighbours (Phillimore) p54
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p116
    O’Neil, B.H.St.J., 1960, Castles and Cannon: A Study of Early Artillery Fortifications in England (Oxford: Claredon Press) p45, 47-8
• Journal Articles
  • 1977, Fort p76
    O'Neil, B.H.St.J., 1936, 'Dartmouth Castle and other defences of Dartmouth Haven' Archaeologia Vol85 p129-59 esp p142-3, plate xxxix
• Guidebooks
  • Davison, B.K., 2000, Dartmouth Castle Guidebook (English Heritage)
    Saunders, A.D., 1986, Dartmouth Castle, Devon (English Heritage)
    Saunders, A.D., 1983 2edn, Dartmouth Castle, Devon (HMSO)
    Saunders, A.D., 1965, Dartmouth Castle, Devon (HMSO)
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p115