Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery Gloucester A15
Hob Uid: 1472230
Location : Gloucestershire Tewkesbury, Gloucester Innsworth, Churchdown Non Civil Parish
Grid Ref : SO8645420438
Summary : A Second World War heavy anti aircraft battery (HAA) is visible on historic aerial photographs. Located west of Churchdown in fields between Cheltenham Road and Innsworth Lane, the HAA battery consisted of four 3.7 inch guns housed in gunpits, control centre to the centre rear, a Mk. II radar and an anti aircraft machine gun post. A searchlight battery is located nearby. Forty eight military buildings provided accommodation and logistical support and a sewage works served the military camp. Aerial photographs taken in 2010 show that the HAA battery and sewage works has been demolished. All the military buildings have been demolished but at least one concrete hut platform remains. No evidence of the radar mat can be seen.
More information : A Second World War heavy anti aircraft battery (HAA) and searchlight battery is visible on historic aerial photographs and was mapped as part of the Severn Vale NMP project. Located west of Churchdown in fields between Cheltenham Road and Innsworth Lane and centred on SO 86482 20444, The HAA battery consisted of four 3.7 inch guns and a GL Mk II radar. Centred on SO 86492 20440, the HAA battery is comprised of four rectangular concrete/brick gunpits with earthwork revetments, set in an arc facing westwards, with an earthwork protected concrete/brick control centre at the centre rear. An earthwork ring ditch nearby may have been used as an anti aircraft machine gun post. Immediately adjacent and centred on SO 86526 20538, the octagonal Mk. II radar mat measures about 144 metres in diameter. About 120 metres west of the HAA battery is the earthwork remains of a searchlight battery. 48 Nissen huts and other military buildings provided accommodation and logistical support for the crew of the batteries, located mainly along the hedgelines and beside Cheltenham road, off which are two access roads: one to the gun battery and one to the camp area. A sewage works (128 metres x 125 metres centred on SO 86385 20625) appears to have served the large military camp associated with the batteries. Aerial photographs taken in 1950 show that some of the military buildings have been demolished, with just the hut platforms remaining; small well-ordered vegetable plots around the camp area suggest that some of the military buildings that remained standing were occupied, possibly by homeless squatter families in the post-war period. The radar mat is no longer visible and the anti aircraft batteries have no guns. Aerial photographs taken in 2010 show that the HAA battery has been demolished, but that the area is not cultivated, but left as rough pasture. All the buildings have been demolished but at least one concrete hut platform remains (at the entrance to the field where the road has been realigned since WW2). The sewage works has been demolished but the area has been left as rough grass and shrubland. No evidence of the radar mat can be seen in the cultivated field. (2-4)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source : Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 1. Anti-aircraft artillery : England's air defence gunsites, 1914-46
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Page(s) : 365
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Source Number : 2
Source : Vertical aerial photograph reference number
Source details : US/7PH/GP/LOC234 5041 15-MAR-1944
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Source Number : 3
Source : Vertical aerial photograph reference number
Source details : RAF/58/447 V 5164 13-MAY-1950
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Source Number : 4
Source : Vertical aerial photograph reference number
Source details : Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SO 8620 08-04-2010
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Second World War
Display Date : Second World War
Monument End Date : 1945
Monument Start Date : 1939
Monument Type : Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery, Military Camp, Army Camp, Nissen Hut, Military Building, Building Platform, Sewage Works, Air Raid Shelter, Anti Aircraft Gun Post, Gun Laying Radar Platform
Evidence : Documentary Evidence, Earthwork, Levelled Earthwork, Structure, Demolished Structure, Extant Building, Demolished Building

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Gloucestershire)
External Cross Reference Number : 22371
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SO 82 SE 48
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments : 1585427
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :

Associated Activities : Primary, SEVERN VALE NMP
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2013-08-12
End Date : 2016-01-31

Historic England Research Records

Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery Gloucester A15