Chapel Point Battery

Chapel Point Battery (1862-1948) - Chapel Point Battery was a coastal gun battery situated on a rocky cliff overlooking the entrance to Sydney Harbor, Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia, Canada. The site experienced three different periods of activity, (1862-1870), World War I (1914-1917) and World War II (1940-1948). Last deactivated in 1948.

Chapel Point Battery History

Part of the Harbor Defense of Sydney. The site was originally purchased by the War Office on 25 Jun 1862 and a thirteen gun battery with a blockhouse was authorized on 7 Oct 1862. The battery itself was built with stone from Scotland and the blockhouse was built of brick. The construction of this battery to guard the harbor entrance was undertaken in response to fears of invasion from the United States after the U.S. Civil War. The perceived threat disappeared and the battery was disarmed and abandoned. The stone and brick used in the construction was later used in the construction of a local church and there are no visible remains of the original battery.

World War I (1914-1918)

With Canada's entry into World War I on 31 July 1914 two 4.7-inch field mounted artillery pieces were deployed to the site but were withdrawn in November 1915. In 1916 a single 4.7-inch field mounted artillery piece was redeployed to Chapel Point but was relocated to Cranberry Head Battery in May 1917.

World War II (1939-1945)

The Chapel Point World War II Battery was built in 1940 by contractor E.G.M. Cape at a cost of $150,000. The facilities at the battery came to included two reinforced concrete gun emplacements, a four story concrete BC/Fire control station disguised as a church and three concrete searchlight shelters. Two 4.7-inch MK7 quick-firing (QF) guns were emplaced in the concrete gun emplacements. These two guns were replaced with two 4-inch twin barrelled MK16 guns in 1944. A similar battery was constructed across the harbor at Fort Petrie during the same time frame. This battery served as the harbor examination battery for most of the war.

The battery was deactivated after the end of the war in 1948 and later turned over to the town of Sydney Mines and remains their property

Current Status

The site is undeveloped town property accessible by footpath at the end of Amber Street. The site contains the remains of the fire control station, two concrete gun emplacements and three searchlight shelters. All of the concrete structures are damaged and covered with grafitti. No period guns or mounts in place.

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Location: The town of Sydney Mines in Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Maps & Images

Lat: 46.24426 Long: -60.21124

Multi Maps from ACME
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Maps from Google
Elevation: ....'

Sources: Tennyson, Brian Douglas, 'Sydney Harbour's Contribution To Atlantic Canada's Coastal Defence: An Introduction', NorthernMariner/LeManndunord,I,No.2 (April 1991), pages 23-30

Links:

North American Forts - Chapel Point Battery

Visited: 7 Jul 2013