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Summary

The base and tethering blocks of a transmitter or receiver mast 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)
• TRANSMITTER SITE? (World War II - 1941 AD to 1944 AD)

Full description

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

A central block structure, tower or mast and arrayed anchoring points are clearly visible.

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

The central structure remains visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1979, OS/79010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349083.

The central structure remains visible.

Geonex UK, 1992, 159/92, DCC GEONEX/159/92 213-214 15-OCT-1992 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349629.

All structures have 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 short tower or mast and associated concrete structures, including a central rectangular base block circa four by three metres in size, and a surrounding array of thirteen or more smaller tethering points or anchoring blocks, is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 to 1979.
The shadow of a central tower or mast, shorter than that visible at the transmitter towers to the north-east, can be seen. The different height may support an interpretation of a different function to the radar towers, perhaps wireless telegraphy or telephony communication or as a 'standby' reserve mast. All structures appear to have been removed by 1992. The mast is probably associated with the earthwork protected block building immediately to the south-west.

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
SDV349083	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1979. OS/79010. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).
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.
SDV349629	Aerial Photograph: Geonex UK. 1992. 159/92. Geonex Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DCC GEONEX/159/92 213-214 15-OCT-1992.

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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