Bayard’s Cove Fort was built in Tudor times to defend the harbour at Dartmouth as part of a large programme of defences implemented by Henry VIII along the south coast of England. The king was aware of the great threat from the sea to attack by the French and Spanish and used this as a third line of defence after Dartmouth Castle and Kingswear Castle. English Heritage manage the small artillery fort at the end of a pier, close to the town.
