BattlefieldsDevon Beacon Chain — Organised 1539
Tudor

Devon Beacon Chain — Organised 1539

1539
Devon, England
Also known as: Devon beacon chain 1539 · Devon coastal beacon network Henrician 1539
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
Devon, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
VS
Victor
Henry VIII (crown)
Outcome
Devon coastal beacon chain from the Tamar to Dorset border systematically organised in 1539; beacon sites at each headland from Plymouth Sound to Lyme Bay established
The Battle

History & Significance

The organisation of the Devon beacon chain in 1539 connected the Cornish warning network to the national system and ensured that a signal from the Lizard could reach the Dorset border within thirty minutes. The Devon chain was the critical middle section of the Channel warning network, and its organisation in 1539 was part of the same comprehensive coastal defence review that produced the Device Forts. The chain performed its most famous service in 1588 when it relayed the Armada sighting from the Lizard to Plymouth.

Casualties & Losses

None

Forces Involved

Devon constables and appointed beacon keepers at headlands from Plymouth to Seaton

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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