Ardhallow Battery

{{Short description|Palmerston fort in Argyll and Bute, Scotland}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}

{{Infobox military installation

| name = Ardhallow Battery

| ensign =

| ensign_size =

| native_name =

| location = Dunoon, Argyll and Bute

| country = Scotland, United Kingdom

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| coordinates = {{coord|||type:landmark_region:GB}}, National {{gbmapping|NS 16260 74140}}

| type = Palmerston Fort

| builder = The Aitkenhead Builders

| designations = Scheduled Monument: {{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM13683|short=yes}}

}}

Ardhallow Battery is a Palmerston Fort on the slopes of Corlarach Hill around {{Convert|2|mi}} south of Dunoon, in the west of Scotland. Part of the local Clyde Defenses and the Scottish Coastal Defences. The construction contract was awarded to "The Aitkenhead Builders" in 1901 for a price of £16,000."The Times", 21 January 1901 The Battery is a scheduled monument.{{Cite web|url=http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM13683|title=Ardhallow Battery and Defences (SM13683)|website=portal.historicenvironment.scot}} The site was used in both World Wars and decommissioned in 1956.

There was also the Dunoon Battery located atop Castle Hill in Dunoon.{{Cite web|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/106362/clyde-defences-dunoon-castle-gardens-dunoon-battery|title=Clyde Defences, Dunoon, Castle Gardens, Dunoon Battery | Canmore|website=canmore.org.uk}} There was a battery on the east shore, the Cloch Point Battery, which was located on the slope above the Cloch Lighthouse.{{Cite web|url=https://secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/ClochBoom|title=Secret Scotland – Cloch Boom|website=secretscotland.org.uk}} Enhanced and expanded for defence during the Second World War. It is also a scheduled monument.{{Cite web|url=http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM12803|title=Cloch Lighthouse, coast battery 295m SSE of (SM12803)|website=portal.historicenvironment.scot}} The site is now occupied by the Cloch Caravan Park.

During both World Wars, a defensive boom, known as the Cloch Point to Dunoon Anti-Submarine Boom, was in place.{{Cite web|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/239524/clyde-defences-cloch-point-to-dunoon-anti-submarine-boom|title=Clyde Defences, Cloch Point To Dunoon Anti-submarine Boom | Canmore|website=canmore.org.uk}} Remains of the boom anchor points are also scheduled.

These installations were built to protect the upper Firth of Clyde shipping and the numerous shipyards located on the lower reaches of the River Clyde.