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Summary

A possible Cold War military complex is visible on aerial photographs between 1954 and 2007, consisting mainly of a two part building set back from the road, within a rectangular enclosure. Tents and earthwork mounds are visible on 1954 aerial photograph on either side of a driveway to the north. This may be the Hartland Point Rotor CGI domestic site recorded in 1952, but all earthworks have been removed and structures demolished during redevelopment of the site for housing in 2010 or 2011.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY BUILDING (Cold War - 1946 AD to 1991 AD (Between))

Full description

Edgcombe, D., ?2007, Untitled Source (Photograph). SDV349354.

The building but no earthworks are visible. The building was ruinous with no roof but retained its glazed windows.

Royal Air Force, 1954, RAF/58/1378, NMR RAF/58/1378 0011-0012 10-MAR-1954 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349063.

A building is visible within a rectangular enclosure. The building is set back from the road, and it appears to have two parts, the roof on the east having a different angle of pitch to the section on the west. Two tents are visible between the building and the road, one either side of the driveway to the building. The entrance to the driveway is flanked by two earth mounds. Three small pale features are visible 2 to 3 metres from the west and north of the building.

Royal Air Force, 1954, RAF/SOP/122, NMR RAF/SOP/122 PSFO-0005 SS2922/1 3-MAR-1954 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349350.

A building with pitched roof is visible, with two ridge tents sited between it and the road.

Dobinson, C. S., 2000, Twentieth Century Fortifications in England Vol. XI.1 & XI.2: The Cold War, 160 (Report - non-specific). SDV324255.

Domestic sites for Hartland Point Rotor 1 GCI station given as SS268241 (adjacent field to the west) at 18 July 1952 and as SS273242 (larger site 400 metres to the east) for 25 April 1953.

Next Perspectives, 2007, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS2624 22-AUG-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349178.

The building is visible within a cultivated field as a roofed structure, with a pitched roofed extension to the east and a separate curved roofed structure to the west.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011-2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

A building 27 metres long by 6 metres wide is visible within a rectangular enclosure in aerial photographs taken in March 1954. The building does not appear to be agricultural, being set back approximately 15 metres from the road and with a pitched roof; the different angles of the roof pitch at east and west indicate that it had two sections. Two ridge tents are visible between the building and the road, one either side of the driveway to the building. The entrance to the driveway is flanked by two earth mounds, 5 metres by 7 metres and 5 metres by 10 metres, possibly spoil created during construction and awaiting removal or levelling. Three small pale features are visible 2 to 3 metres from the west and north of the building, and these may be structures or temporary dumps of material. Ground photographs of the site dating to approximately 2007 show the building but no earthworks to be visible. Although ruinous, the building had features such as glazed windows that have similarities with extant buildings at the Hartland radar station domestic site, 400 metres to the east. It is possible that the building and tents are a precursor to, or part of, this larger domestic site for which Dobinson gives a source date of 25 April 1953. Dobinson also gives an earlier source date of 18 July 1952 for a domestic site at SS268241, the field immediately to the west of the building, which could in fact refer to the complex in which this building is housed. Although visible as a slightly extended building on aerial photographs until 2007, it was derelict by the time it was demolished in 2010 or 2011 to make way for a housing development, and no remains survive.

Edgcombe, D., 2012, Discussion during site visit for the North Devon AONB National Mapping Project, 18th April 2012 (Personal Comment). SDV349349.

Dave Edgcombe of the North Devon AONB stated that the structure was demolished in 2010 or 2011 prior to redevelopment of the site for housing.

Hegarty, C. & Knight, S., 2012-2013, North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project site visit, 18-APR-2012 (Site Visit). SDV349357.

The site has been redeveloped and is now domestic housing. No military structures or earthworks are present.

Hobbs, S., 2013, Response to draft report consultation for the North Devon AONB National Mapping Programme Project (Correspondence). SDV350952.

S. Hobbs states that the owners state that these were chicken units constructed using reclaimed materials. He does not comment on where the reclaimed materials were from, or whether they could have been from the adjacent military site recorded just to the west by Dobinson (MDV72112).

Sources / Further Reading

SDV324255	Report - non-specific: Dobinson, C. S.. 2000. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England Vol. XI.1 & XI.2: The Cold War. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. XI.1 & XI.2. A4 Bound + Digital. 160.
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011-2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349063	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1954. RAF/58/1378. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/1378 0011-0012 10-MAR-1954.
SDV349178	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2007. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS2624 22-AUG-2007.
SDV349349	Personal Comment: Edgcombe, D.. 2012. Discussion during site visit for the North Devon AONB National Mapping Project. Digital. 18th April 2012.
SDV349350	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1954. RAF/SOP/122. NMR RAF/SOP/122 PSFO-0005 SS2922/1 3-MAR-1954.
SDV349354	Photograph: Edgcombe, D.. ?2007. Digital.
SDV349357	Site Visit: Hegarty, C. & Knight, S.. 2012-2013. North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project site visit. ND AONB NMP. Digital. 18-APR-2012.
	Linked images:24
SDV350952	Correspondence: Hobbs, S.. 2013. Response to draft report consultation for the North Devon AONB National Mapping Programme Project. Comment on draft 1. Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project (Ref: ACD383/2/1)

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