POINT HALSWELL BATTERY

- Profile Article -

Halswell battery ,
Point Halswell, Wellington,  New Zealand.

© Darcy Waters 2004

   While many Wellingtonians have seen or heard of the Massey Memorial, many are unaware that the memorial sits atop a gun emplacement.

This is an emplacement for a 8" BLHP   emplaced in 1889. This was one of a number of gun emplacements built on the northern end of the Miramar peninsula, the others being Kau point, Fort Ballance, Fort Gordon and the low Battery.

While this 8" BLHP gun was the primary ordnance of the Halswell Battery there ware also other guns associated with this battery. 2 RML guns were there until the 8" gun was installed in 1889 and then later on a 6pdr quick firing gun was installed as secondary armament.

The main battery itself is built on two levels. The upper level has the emplacement (now the Massey's last resting place) as well as stores, quick firing ammunition storage and hoist room for the munitions for the 8" BLHP gun. The lower level had the Cartridge store and shell store for the 8" BLHP gun's munitions. This battery was no longer needed and abandoned.

In 1925 Prime Minister William Massey died in office and it was decided to create a memorial on the site of the Halswell battery. The gunpit was lined with marble and above ground a three sided pyramid was built over the gunpit. A 1927 photo (see Profile links) clearly shows the Battery Observation Post on the far right of the photo. The memorial as we know it today was later designed by Gummer and Ford. It was when this was built, that the BOP, caretakers cottage and related were removed.

The 8" gun was later found at the foot of the hill when the coastal road was widened.

The memorial is currently under the care of the Department of Internal Affairs and the interior is not open to the general public. On the outside there is little to indicate that a gun emplacement lies beneath. And yet below ground the battery is structurally intact although stripped of its equipment.

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