There have been defences on this point since 1539, when Henry Ill built a blockhouse known as 'Little Dennis' to protect the estuary from enemy warships.
The blockhouse was equipped with heavy guns. You can see three gun openings at ground level but only a parapet on the first floor, whose wooden structure has not survived.
By 1600, Little Dennis was part of a larger fort on Pendennis Point, including Blockhouse Long Platform, just below you. The defences were updated until 1956, when all coast artillery in Britain was withdrawn.
An engraving of Pendennis, dated 1734. On shore, lower left, is Little Dennis: to the right are lines of guns on Blockhouse Long Platform and Crab Quay.
On the shore to your left is Crab Quay, the best landing place on Pendennis headland. By 1700, guns were sited there to defend it. Two concrete positions visible today were for 6-pounder quick-firing guns built in 1902 to counter the threat of fast torpedo boats.
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