Mistra Battery
... the landward side, the battery has two blockhouses linked by a redan. The gateway, once served with a drawbridge, is situated in right face of the redan. Refer to site plan for a detailed drawing of the battery. Here we find the coat-of-arms of Grand Master Pinto together with that of Bailli de Montagnac (figure 1.1). Although the Battery possesses the coat-of-arms of G.M. Pinto the battery had already been in existence for many years and the arms, therefore, can only give us an indication of the date of the blockhouses and redan and not for the gun-post itself. This suggests that the construction of the battery occurred sometime after 1716. Present State The present state of the battery was assessed through two means i.e. on site inspection and researched information. The research revealed a number of aspects of the building that are no longer in existence, which I can only conclude, were either demolished or altered completely from the original plan. The documentation makes reference to a parapet fitted with three embrasures, which have since been obliterated. I also carried an on site inspection of the building and to my complete astonishment, I found what was once beautiful landmark is now in an extremely advanced state of deterioration. The inspection was also quite hazardous because the building is presently occupied by a firm dealing in fish farming and did not take too kindly to my presence. The building and the surrounding area are in a very dilapidated state with a large amount of household and industrial rubbish as well as remains of heavy machinery and toxic wast...