The first garrison at Nothe Fort was Number 2 Battery of the Royal Artillery, commanded by Captain Tatton-Brown. Their role was to install and operate the fort’s original armament, which included:
Two 64-pounder rifled muzzle-loading (RML) guns Four 9-inch RML guns Six 10-inch RML gunsThese weapons ge the fort formidable firepower for the late Victorian period.
In the 1890s, seven of these guns were replaced with massive 12.5-inch rifled muzzle-loading guns, among the largest of their kind. By the early 20th century, breech-loading technology had made muzzle-loaders obsolete. The fort’s armament was updated again, with three 6-inch Mark VII breech-loading nal guns mounted on the ramparts. Each could fire 100-pound shells, which were transported from underground magazines to the gun floors using a system of hoists.
At its peak, Nothe Fort could mount up to seventy guns, though not all were in use simultaneously. Beneath the surface, an extensive network of magazines and storerooms kept ammunition safe and dry, ready for use.