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Summary

Three circular sunken structures are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1945, one has a central structure and they are interpreted as spigot mortars or machine gun emplacements used during the early part of the Second World War. They are likely to have been infilled by sand by the late 1950s and lost or damaged by coastal erosion by 1989, although there is potential for some buried remains to exist.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and structural remains of World War II military training features for D-Day Landings on Braunton Burrows and nineteenth century reclaimed field system on Braunton Marsh NW of Horsey Island

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MACHINE GUN EMPLACEMENT (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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

No training aids are recrded in these locations on 1944 U.S. Army plans.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/LA/102, NMR RAF/106G/LA/102 5014-5015 17-JAN-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349060.

Thre small circular structures are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1959, RAF/80/788, NMR RAF/80/788 0036-0037 13-MAR-1959 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349053.

One of the features at SS4571932526 is visible as a circular earthwork pit.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89115, NMR OS/89115 240-241 04-MAY-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349086.

The sites of the structures have a drastically altered landform due to coastal erosion.

Brown, I., Burridge, D. Clarke, D., Guy, J., Hellis, J., Lowry, B., Ruckley, N. & Thomas, R., 1996, 20th Century Defences in Britain. An Introductory Guide., 88; 91-92 (Monograph). SDV349907.

Emplacements for a spigot gun mortar are usually a drum of concrete approximately 0.9 metres in diameter with a central metal pin on which to mount the gun. A photograph shows a mounting in a circular pit of approximately 2 metres diameter, and a diagram shows a mounting in a smi-circular pit with two opposed ammunution lockers, between 1.5 and 2 metres in radius.

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

Three circular sunken structures, circa 4 metres in diameter, are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1945. The feature at SS4595432495 has a central pale circular structure approximately one metre in diameter, and closely resembles in shape and size a spigot mortar. The siting of all three on the summit of dunes overlooking the estuary is a suitably defensive location. No training aids are marked in this location on the 1944 U.S. Army plans and it is likely that these structures protected the estuary and decoy airfield on Braunton Burrows in the earlier part of the Second World War. A circular earthwork pit is visible at SS4571932526 on aerial photographs dating to 1959, but no other evidence of the structures is discernable and they may have been infilled with sand through natural processes by this time. By 1989 coastal erosion had affected all of the sites resulting in land slippage, and any structural remains are likely to have shifted and perhaps broken up, although there is potential for buried remains to exist particularly at SS4586432528.

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
SDV349053	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1959. RAF/80/788. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/80/788 0036-0037 13-MAR-1959.
SDV349060	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/LA/102. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/LA/102 5014-5015 17-JAN-1945. [Mapped features: #62185 ; #62186 ; #62187 ]
SDV349086	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1989. OS/89115. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR OS/89115 240-241 04-MAY-1989.
SDV349907	Monograph: Brown, I., Burridge, D. Clarke, D., Guy, J., Hellis, J., Lowry, B., Ruckley, N. & Thomas, R.. 1996. 20th Century Defences in Britain. An Introductory Guide.. 20th Century Defences in Britain. An Introductory Guide.. Paperback Volume. 88; 91-92.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

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