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Inchcolm Island (located 4 miles east of the Forth Bridge in Scotland), cared for by Historic Scotland, is best known thanks to Inchcolm Abbey. The abbey which dates back to the 12th Century is considered as the best preserved group of monastic buildings in Scotland. During both the First World War and the Second World War, Inchcolm was part of the defences of the Firth of Forth. Inchcolm was the HQ of what were called in the First World War the 'Middle defences', the main element of which was a continuous anti-submarine and anti-boat boom across the river. The defences were intended to protect the naval anchorage between Inchcolm and the Forth Rail Bridge (as there was no longer room above the bridge to moor all the ships based in the Forth). Some of the military structures from both the First and Second World Wars survive and remain in situ. Many of the wartime defence structures were deliberately partly demolished in the early 1960s by the engineers of the Territorial Army.
