Crownhill Fort
Best-preserved Victorian Palmerston fort in Plymouth, owned by the Landmark Trust, open on selected days with museums, tours and artillery displays.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Crownhill Fort was designed by Captain Edmund Du Cane as one of the Palmerston forts, a chain of defences built in the 1860s to protect the Devonport dockyard against a French land attack. It was the largest of the forts guarding Plymouth from the north-east. Building began in 1863; the contractor went bankrupt after a strike and the Royal Engineers completed the work in 1866. The fort cost about 76,000 pounds.
By the time it was ready, improvements in artillery had already made this type of fortification out of date, but the fort stayed in military use for more than a century. It served as headquarters of the Plymouth garrison and was used by a number of infantry regiments. In the First World War it was a recruiting, transport and demobilisation centre, and in the Second World War anti-aircraft guns were installed. A gun operations room was added in the 1950s, and from the 1960s until 1983 the fort was home to 59 Independent Commando Squadron, Royal Engineers, which sent troops and equipment to the Falklands War.
The Landmark Trust bought the fort in 1986 and restored it. Today it houses small businesses, museums and exhibitions, a holiday apartment and visitor facilities, and some period guns have been returned to the ramparts. The fort is open to the public on selected days of the year, with guided tours and cannon firing, and groups can book visits at other times.
Highlights
- Largest of the Victorian Palmerston forts around Plymouth
- Museums and exhibitions inside the fort
- Period artillery pieces and cannon-firing displays
- Guided tours and guest talks on open days
- Evening walks and bat walks
- Operated by
- The Landmark Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £5 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £3 |
| Groups | –Group visits start from 120 pounds and include up to three hours with a dedicated guide and a cannon firing at the end. |
| Group visit with guide and cannon firing (from) | £120Booked by appointment, up to three hours |
Admission prices on public open days; special events such as evening walks are charged separately. Car parking costs 2.50 pounds per vehicle on open days.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Many areas of the fort are fairly accessible for visitors with limited mobility. Access guides are available on the AccessAble and Euan's Guide websites, and the fort office can answer specific questions.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 2 hrs |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Children's activities are listed among the visitor facilities, and children pay a reduced price on open days.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Buses stop about 300 metres from the fort and run roughly every 5 minutes.
By car
Paid parking
Car parking on open days costs 2.50 pounds per vehicle and is first come, first served.
By car, take the A38 to Manadon Junction and head north, or come south from Tavistock on the A386; the fort is signposted from both routes.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
On-site toilets and visitor facilities are listed.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The Landmark Trust suggests allowing at least two hours. Open days include guided walking tours, guest speakers and artillery displays. School and group tours can be booked at other times. |
