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Summary

An irregularly shaped building within a fenced enclosure is visible on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s. A smaller structure to the south-east and a linear trackway to the west are also visible. The function of these features is not known but they are likely to be Second World War military buildings. The building and enclosure appear to have been removed or covered over by 1952, and the site is now scrub covered, although some remains may have been impacted by mechanised groundworks prior to 2001. The possible trackway however is likely to survive as an earthwork ditch.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and structural remains of World War II military training features for D-Day Landings on Braunton Burrows

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY BUILDING (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))
• TRAINING STRUCTURE? (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, 1944, Roads and Training Aids: U.S. Assault Training Center (Un-published). SDV339604.

The area immediately to the south is numbered 96.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/LA/102, NMR RAF/106G/LA/102 5015-5016 17-JAN-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349060.

An irregularly shaped building in a rectangular enclosure are visible as structures to the east of a linear earthwork track. An additional small rectangular building is visible to the south-east.

Royal Air Force, 1952, RAF/540/949, NMR RAF/540/949 5051-5052 24-NOV-1952 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349761.

The buildings and enclosure are not visible, but the track is still visible as an earthwork.

Bass, R., 1990s, RAF Radar Building on Braunton Burrows (Plan - sketch). SDV358977.

Next Perspectives, 2001, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4633 22-MAY-2001 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349376.

The western part of the area is overgrown with scrub and in the eastern area narrow linear parallel lines suggest earthworks created by mechanical scrub ripping or ground preparation.

Environment Agency, 2006-2007, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SS4633SW Environment Agency D0072720 03-NOV-2006 to 03-FEB-2007 (Cartographic). SDV349850.

A linear earthwork ditch is visible, and may extend further to the south.

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

A sub-rectangular fence enclosing an area of roughly 25 by 12 metres, within which an irregularly shaped building is located, is visible on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s. The building appears to have rounded sides, perhaps a sand or earth bank, and an entrance at the south-west and north-east sides. Its maximum dimensions are 20 by 8 metres, and a smaller structure measuring approximately 5 by 3 metres is also visible circa 20 metres to the south-east. Approximately 60 metres to the south-west is a linear earthwork feature aligned north to south which appears to be a track, 80 metres in length and 4 metres wide. The function of these features is not known; they are not marked, but are close to an area numbered 96, on U.S. Army plans, and they were initially thought to be Second World War military buildings associated with the training area, or perhaps the decoy airfield established in the earlier part of the war. However Richard Bass states that it was constructed of red brick, low level remains surviving in the 1990s, and believes it to be an RAF building associated with the radar station. The building and enclosure are not visible on aerial photographs dating to 1952, and had presumably been removed or obscured by sand. The site of the building is scrub covered on aerial photographs from 2001, but immediately to the east narrow parallel linear earthworks may have been caused by mechanical scrub ripping or ground preparation, and have potentially been impacted by invasive groundworks. The linear feature however is visible as an earthwork ditch on images derived from Lidar data captured in 2006-2007, and could possibly extend further to the south.

Bass, R., 2013, Comments on draft ND AONB NMP report from Richard Bass (Personal Comment). SDV350949.

About 20 years ago Richard Bass located this site on the ground, which survived as ground level red brick walls. He has a sketch of the ground plan depicting interconnected rectangular rooms. He suggests that its construction indicates RAF connections to the radar station.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV339604	Un-published: Unknown. 1944. Roads and Training Aids: U.S. Assault Training Center. U.S. Plans from R.T.Bass. Mixed Archive Material + Digital.
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
SDV349060	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/LA/102. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/LA/102 5015-5016 17-JAN-1945. [Mapped feature: #62159 ]
SDV349376	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2001. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4633 22-MAY-2001.
SDV349761	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1952. RAF/540/949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/540/949 5051-5052 24-NOV-1952.
SDV349850	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2006-2007. LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SS4633SW Environment Agency D0072720 03-NOV-2006 to 03-FEB-2007.
SDV350949	Personal Comment: Bass, R.. 2013. Comments on draft ND AONB NMP report from Richard Bass.
SDV358977	Plan - sketch: Bass, R.. 1990s. RAF Radar Building on Braunton Burrows. A4 Single Sheet + Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

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