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Summary

A Second World War coastal anti-invasion barbed wire obstruction is visible on the reclaimed saltmarsh at Northam Burrows, on aerial photographs of 1941. It appears to have been removed by 1946.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BARBED WIRE OBSTRUCTION (World War II to XX - 1941 AD to 1946 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1941, RAF/S171, NMR RAF/S171 11-12 01-JUN-1941 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349056.

A possible barbed wire obstruction is visible crossing Northam Burrows.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1420, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1420 4231-4232 15-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349553.

The possible barbed wire obstruction is not visible across Northam Burrows.

Baines, C., 20/08/2014, Coastal anti-invastion barbed wire obstruction (Personal Comment). SDV357008.

HER reference in the Higher Level Stewardship archaeological survey and FEP consultation pro-forma is given as MDV102477 rather than MDV102447.

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

A Second World War coastal anti-invasion barbed wire obstruction is visible on the reclaimed saltmarsh at Northam Burrows, Northam, on aerial photographs of 1941. The obstruction may in part coincide with a water channel crossing the Burrows and appears to be interrupted by numeous small gaps or access points. It more often appears to cross small gullies and at its eastern end runs parallel to a larger water channel, before making a 90 degree dogleg turn as it approaches Sandymere Road and Pempley Bridge. The eastern extent of the obsctruction, where it might meet Sandymere Road, is not visible on the aerial photographs available to the survey. The possible obstruction appears to have been removed by 1946. A narrower possible obstruction is visible circa 200 metres to the north-east.

Passmore, A. J., 2013, Northam Burrows FEP Consultation Pro-forma (Report - non-specific). SDV356811.

The land at the east end of the obstruction has been landscaped as part of the golf course. The obstruction respects the line of watercourses and seasonally flooded land providing defence in depth. Only two possible elements are visible, a pair of upright post within the side of a drainage channel and a single post within the flooded land.

Passmore, A., 2014, Northam Burrows, Northam, Devon: Higher Level Stewardship Scheme Archaeological Survey, 5-6, (Report - Survey). SDV356810.

At the south-west end of the burrows two further lengths of barbed wire obstructions have been identified orientated east-west and joining the obstruction along the foreshore. Although its position looks somewhat arbitrary, it does for the most part follow the line of the Pill and an associated pool, both of which are too wide for infantry and vehicles to cross without bridges.

Sources / Further Reading

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
SDV349056	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. RAF/S171. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/S171 11-12 01-JUN-1941. [Mapped feature: #61902 ]
SDV349553	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1420. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/1420 4231-4232 15-APR-1946.
SDV356810	Report - Survey: Passmore, A.. 2014. Northam Burrows, Northam, Devon: Higher Level Stewardship Scheme Archaeological Survey. AC Archaeology. CD760/2/3. A4 Bound + Digital. 5-6,.
SDV356811	Report - non-specific: Passmore, A. J.. 2013. Northam Burrows FEP Consultation Pro-forma. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
SDV357008	Personal Comment: Baines, C.. 20/08/2014. Coastal anti-invastion barbed wire obstruction.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project
• EDV6518 - Archaeological Survey of Northam Burrows (Ref: ACD760)

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