Mount Batten, is a promontory on the east side of Plymouth harbour, just south of Plymouth. It was the Bronze and Iron Ages trading centre for this area, using the same sheltered coastline which Plymouth later became famous for in the Spanish Armada and the Second World War, when it was heavily bombed during the Blitz.
On the NE side of Mount Batten, is a very interesting place name, which may yield a clue as to the original British name of this important ancient trading centre, doubtless visited by the Carthaginians via their port in Poole Harbour.
This cove, is called Clovelly Bay; which is directly comparable to the enormous hillfort in NW Devon, also by the coast, known as Clovelly Dykes. As this latter site, has triple concentric earthworks, it would have been a royal tribal centre and the name Clovelly has long been regarded as being originally Clawdd Beli(nus) in British, sacred to the god Beli or Apollo Belinus.
It appears perfectly feasible therefore, that Clawdd Beli, clawdd meaning earthworks or dykes, could also have been the original name for Mount Batten. Doubtless the Bronze Age earthworks have been submerged under later defences, but Barry Cunliffe discovered considerable trading evidence of wine from the Mediterranean and other prestige, that is royal, goods, entering Britain here. There is also likely to have been a prehistoric road via Totnes and up to the Iron fort at Exeter and beyond, from Mount Batten.
