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Summary

The base and tethering blocks of a transmitter tower at RAF Northam Chain Home Radar Station are visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s. The structures appear to have now been removed.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS43SE/256

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHAIN HOME STATION (World War II - 1941 AD to 1944 AD (Between))
• TRANSMITTER SITE? (World War II - 1941 AD to 1944 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/891, NMR RAF/106G/UK/891 4044 08-OCT-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349055.

The tower base and main blocks are visible as structures, and a shadow indicates the presence of a relatively short central mast.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1420, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1420 4232-3 15-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349553.

The central block structure and anchoring points are clearly visible.

Meridian Airmaps Limited, 1965, MAL/65061, NMR MAL/61065 083-084 01-JUL-1965 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349624.

The tethering points or anchor blocks have been removed but the central structure remains visible.

Next Perspectives, 2001, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives Tile Ref: SS4429 22-MAY-2001 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349376.

The central structure remains visible.

Next Perspectives, 2007, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives Tile Ref: SS4429 04-MAY-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349344.

The central structure has been removed.

Passmore, M. + Passmore, A., 2011, Royal Air Force Air-Defence Radar Station Northam, 2-3 (Leaflet). SDV347318.

RAF Northam was a Chain Home station which would have included two pairs of steel transmitter masts. Photographs show an aerial halyard anchor block and a transmitter mast base, both seen on the Burrows. Two decoy sites have also been identified on the Burrows.

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

A concrete structure, possibly the base of a transmitter or receiver mast associated with RAF Northam Chain Home Radar Station is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 to 2001. The central structure, a rectangular block circa four by three metres in size, is surrounded by an array of thirteen or more smaller blocks in a rough diamond pattern. These appear to be tethering points or anchoring blocks. The shadow of a central tower or mast, shorter than that visible at the transmitter towers to the north-east, can be seen in 1945 but not in 1946, suggesting that the mast has been removed. The height difference between this mast and the Radar Transmitter masts might indicate a different function, perhaps wireless communications or as a 'standby' reserve transmitter or receiver mast. The array of anchor blocks cannot be seen by 1965 but the central structure remains visible until 2001. It has been removed by 2007, probably during the construction of Folly Foot equestrian centre on the site.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV347318	Leaflet: Passmore, M. + Passmore, A.. 2011. Royal Air Force Air-Defence Radar Station Northam. A Brief Introduction to Twentieth Century Military and Civil Defence Archae. 39. A4 Folded. 2-3.
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
SDV349055	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/891. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/891 4044 08-OCT-1945.
SDV349344	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2007. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives Tile Ref: SS4429 04-MAY-2007.
SDV349376	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2001. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives Tile Ref: SS4429 22-MAY-2001.
SDV349553	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1420. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/1420 4232-3 15-APR-1946.
SDV349624	Aerial Photograph: Meridian Airmaps Limited. 1965. MAL/65061. Meridian Airmaps Limited Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR MAL/61065 083-084 01-JUL-1965.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project

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