In the 1750s the Powder House was built here, on the isolated and exposed headland, to store gunpowder from ships entering the port to protect the safety of the built-up Quay area.

Listen to memories of sheltering in the Powder House during the air raids of the Second World War.

Audio Transcript

Now, when sirens use to go, we used to go down to the powder house because the powder house walls would be, well at least 2 foot 6. Built of stone – stone on stone. There was a tremendously heavy oak door, which the oak would be that thick. In the door, there was a little opening, about that size, with two round pieces of iron. And then there were two tremendous oak beams of that time. Very, very thick oak beams. And on there, there was obviously ropes have been tied because there was rope marks where they had been tied.